Blackjack

Blackjack is a card game in Fallout: New Vegas, playable in any of the five working casinos. Playing 10 hands of Blackjack grants you the Double Down achievement/trophy.

Rules
All casinos in New Vegas use the following rules.


 * Maximum bet is 200 chips.
 * The game is dealt from multiple decks, which are shuffled after every hand.
 * The player may not purchase insurance.
 * Late surrender is offered on any hand.
 * Blackjack payouts and surrendered bets are rounded up.
 * The player "double for less", and the player may not re-buy mid-hand.
 * The player may only split to two hands.
 * The player may only split identical card values (that is, the player may not split Queen-King).
 * A card is dealt to the second hand of a split before the player is allowed to act on the first.
 * The player may only double the first of two split hands (X360 - it grays out the double down option, but you can still do it on either hand).
 * The player may draw to the second of two split hands before drawing to the first.

House rules
Each casino has its own rules regarding blackjack payouts and when the dealer must draw. The rules can be seen on the table felts in each casino floor.

Barring variations from Luck, the best odds are found at The Tops, Ultra-Luxe, or Sierra Madre Casino. The worst odds are found at the Atomic Wrangler.

Atomic Wrangler (Freeside)

 * Blackjack pays 6 to 5.
 * Dealer must hit soft 17.

Gomorrah (The Strip)

 * Blackjack pays 3 to 2.
 * Dealer must hit soft 17.

The Tops (The Strip)

 * Blackjack pays 3 to 2.
 * Dealer must draw to 16, and stand on all 17's.

Ultra-Luxe (The Strip)

 * Blackjack pays 3 to 2.
 * Dealer must draw to 16, and stand on all 17's.

Vikki and Vance Casino (Primm)

 * Blackjack pays 3 to 2.
 * Dealer must hit soft 17.

Sierra Madre Casino (Sierra Madre)

 * Blackjack pays 3 to 2.
 * Dealer must draw to 16, and stand on all 17's.

Tactics
As with real life Blackjack there are some simple guidelines for winning:

Stay

On any hand 17 or higher, except an Ace and 6 (You should hit SOFT 17 and SOFT 18 against a 10 showing)

When you have between 12-16 AND the Dealer has a 6 or lower. The dealer has a better chance of busting

Hit

When you have less than 12

When you have an Ace and a 6 or less

When you have 12-16 AND the dealer has a 7 or higher. You might bust, but your odds are better by hitting than standing with less than 17.

HIT SOFT 17 ALWAYS

Double Down - Doubles your bet, but you only get one card

When you have 11 AND the dealer does NOT have an Ace

When you have 10 AND the dealer has 9 or less (except Ace)

When you have 9 AND the dealer has a 4,5 or 6

Risky Vegas players will ALWAYS double down against a 5 or 6 when they have a "soft" hand

Split - Makes 2 hands out of one, with the split cards being the first card of each hand

Always: Aces and Eights

Never: Fours, Fives, and Faces/10 : UNLESS you are trying to "double down" against a DEALERS 4,5 or 6.

Others: When the dealer has a 4-6

Locations
Blackjack can be played at the following locations:
 * Ultra-Luxe
 * The Tops
 * Atomic Wrangler Casino
 * Gomorrah
 * Vikki and Vance Casino
 * Sierra Madre Casino (Dead Money)

Appearances
Blackjack can be played in Fallout: New Vegas.

Bugs

 * The dealer will hit any 17 containing an ace on tables where they must hit soft 17, even if its not soft 17 (for example: a king, a six, and an ace).