How to Win at Lightning Blackjack - Essential Tips and Tricks

Lightning Blackjack offers a distinctive take on the traditional card game, with the option to multiply your bet by up to 25 times. This big jump in potential winnings comes with major rule changes. Understanding the Lightning Blackjack strategy will help you grasp these tweaks and adjust how you play.

How to Play Lightning Blackjack

Lightning Blackjack follows the same basic rules for dealing and drawing cards as traditional Ethereum blackjack. It's played with a live dealer and has unlimited seats at the table. Every player gets the same hand and decides their own strategy for playing it.

You have the option to hit or stand, just like in regular blackjack. You can double or split too, but be aware that the extra bets from these moves don't get multipliers.

Understanding Multipliers in Lightning Blackjack

A display on the studio wall shows the multipliers across six possible configurations. For all setups, a 4-17 point total gets a 2x multiplier, and in one of the six scenarios, a blackjack win can get a maximum 25x multiplier. The multipliers change a lot depending on the setup and the points.

To have a chance at winning a multiplier, players are charged a fee equal to their main bet. For example, if you bet $10 in Lightning Blackjack, only $5 of it is the main bet and the same amount is eligible for multipliers.

Secure a win and a multiplier will apply to your next hand. You don't have to participate in the next deal straight away; multipliers last for 180 days, so you can use them at your convenience.

Keep in mind that multipliers are only valid for the amount of the bet that won them. For example, if you earn a multiplier with a $10 bet and increase your bet to $20 in the next round, only half of the main bet will benefit from the multiplier.

Winning Strategy for Lightning Blackjack

Another unique aspect of this game is that the developer provides a guide to the best moves. You can find the link to the official Lightning Blackjack strategy in the game rules.

The manual is organized by both the multipliers displayed and the player’s personal multiplier. It is probably the most complex and awkward blackjack strategy guide we've encountered. It stretches over 72 pages and features more than 2,500 scenarios on each, so using it effectively is impossible.

We've reviewed the entire guide and developed a practical strategy that you can use easily. Basically, it doesn't really matter if you have a multiplier or what the display shows — the best moves are usually the same for most scenarios.

For simplicity, we’ve combined the most common moves into a single strategy. Note that the actions recommended by Evolution may differ for certain scenarios.

Hard Hands (No Ace, or Ace counted as 1)

• Low Totals (Hard 5 to Hard 8): Always hit, regardless of the dealer's upcard.
• Mid Totals (Hard 9 to Hard 11): If the dealer shows a small card (2-6), double up. Otherwise, choose to hit.
• Moderate Totals (Hard 12 to Hard 16): Hit if the dealer has a 7 or higher. Stand if the dealer shows a low card (2 through 6).
• High Totals (Hard 17 and above): Always stand.

Soft Hands (Hands with an Ace counted as 11)

• Low Totals (Soft 13 to Soft 15): Always hit.
• Mid Totals (Soft 16 to Soft 18): Double up against the dealer’s low card. If the dealer has a 2 or anything above 6, hit.
• High Totals (Soft 19 and above): Always stand.

Pairs (Two cards of the same rank)

• Low Pairs (2s, 3s, 4s): Split when the dealer has a low card (2-6). Hit in all other situations.
• 5s: Double your bet when the dealer shows 2-6, hit for any other cards.
• 6s: Stand against low dealer cards except a 2. Hit in other cases.
• Mid Pairs (7s, 8s): Always split.
• 9s: Opt to split in most situations. Stand if the dealer has a 7, 10, or Ace.
• Never split 10s — stand instead.
• Always split Aces.

Therefore, playing Lightning Blackjack properly isn't much different from the basic blackjack strategy. Often, players take risks to win a bigger multiplier, but this isn't always advised by Evolution.

Lightning Blackjack Strategy Tips

Just knowing the right moves isn't always enough to succeed. Lightning Blackjack tips help you understand the game's unique aspects so you can use the strategy more effectively.

Flat Betting

The flat betting strategy is the only effective bet sizing method in Lightning Blackjack. The multiplier affects the same portion of the bet that originally earned it. Thus, changing bet sizes as strategies like the Martingale suggest doesn't make sense.

If you raise your bet, the multiplier won't fully cover the increase. Decreasing your bet causes you to waste part of the multiplier, resulting in reduced gains.

So instead, set a base bet size and maintain it for the whole game. If you feel the need to change it, do so after a loss when you don't have a multiplier.

Winning Streaks

The sole method to win in Lightning Blackjack is to catch a winning streak. Since you pay a fee as big as your bet each round, a tie means a loss. Even with multipliers like 2x and 3x, breaking even is the best you can hope for.

On the other hand, a lengthy winning streak in Lightning Blackjack can net you dozens of bets, compared to just a few in traditional blackjack. This effective use of winning streaks is Lightning Blackjack’s primary benefit over the regular version.

Doubles

Evolution's Lightning Blackjack strategy recommends doubling up in certain cases, but it's not always the only choice. The multiplier only matches the fee you pay. When you double, it only applies to your initial bet, not the additional amount you place during the round. To boost your chances of getting a big multiplier next round, consider just hitting instead of doubling when the strategy suggests it.

Applying Multipliers

If you're entering a round with a high multiplier, like 25x from a previous blackjack win, you might also consider moving away from the recommended strategy. In such instances, the basic blackjack strategy could be more beneficial to maximize your chances of a win.

Conclusion

Lightning Blackjack is an intriguing variation of the classic card game. Success depends on maintaining a winning streak and capitalizing on large multipliers. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen very frequently.

If the game still isn’t meeting your expectations after learning the strategy, our site offers other live blackjack variants. These range from traditional games to those with innovative rules that fans of the genre will also enjoy.

FAQ

A: The top multiplier offered is 25x. However, it only applies to the main bet, not the fee. Therefore, the maximum possible win is 12.5x your entire bet.

A: The Lightning Blackjack RTP is stated at 99.56%. However, this rate applies only to the first hand in a shoe. Generally, the RTP is lower when you consider the fee. Some believe that the actual RTP of the game is near 83%.

A: No, you can't play Lightning Blackjack for free. But if you register at ETH Casino, you can watch the game without any deposit.