Tie

Introduction

Over the years, I have encountered two different bets known as the 'Tie'.

The initial instance was at Caesars Palace, and several years later, I observed a similar concept named 'Push Your Luck' at the Palace Station. In this format, a win occurs if the player ties with the dealer, and it offers a payout of 10 to 1. Players can place a side bet that does not exceed 50% of their initial blackjack bet. If a player decides to split the cards, they must also split the side bet. However, there’s no doubling of the side bet when a player doubles down.

In another version I saw in August 2010 at Harrah's Las Vegas, players were allowed to bet on individual ties across six possible outcomes (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and blackjack) or to group them together.

All Ties Pay 10 to 1 Analysis

For the version that pays out 10 to 1 on all ties, I presumed certain blackjack rules were in effect:

• Winning blackjack pays 3 to 2.
• Six decks.
• Dealer hits soft 17.
• Double after split allowed.
• No surrender.
• No re-splitting aces.

The table below illustrates the ideal basic strategy under the assumption that the maximum side bet is being utilized alongside those rules.

With the aforementioned rules and strategy in place, I calculated an overall house edge of 0.24%, representing the anticipated player win based on the initial 1.5 units wagered. If a winning blackjack offers a payout of 6-5, the house edge increases to 1.15%.

Individual Ties Version

In the Harrah's version, where players have the option to wager on specific ties, I operated under the rules they adhered to at the time, which included:

• Six decks
• Blackjack pays 6 to 5.
• Dealer hits soft 17
• Double after split allowed.
• No surrender.
• No re-splitting aces.
• When a player doubles down, they do not double their tie wagers.
• If a player opts to split their cards, they will not double their tie wagers as well. Any tie wagers will be settled according to the outcome of the first hand played.
• When an ace and a 10 are obtained after splitting aces, this combination counts as 21 points for both the blackjack and tie bets.
• In cases of re-splitting, all tie wagers are forfeited.

The layout featured betting circles for ties of 17, 18, 19, and LS (left side) on the left of the blackjack betting circle. The other four tie wagers were positioned on the right side. Players could wager as much as half of their blackjack bet on the aggregate of the four left-side tie wagers, and similarly on the right side.

When players choose to place a tie bet, this significantly alters their strategy. The approach tends to involve more hitting and reduced actions elsewhere. There exists a distinct strategy for each type of tie wager. I won't publish these strategies unless the game gains widespread attention.

I dedicated an entire day trying to dissect the game, but the complexities surrounding the doubling and splitting rules proved overwhelming. Therefore, I am referring below to pay table #4 sourced from the game owner's website. blackjacktie.com , with permission.

Written by: Michael Shackleford