Double Up

Introduction

Double Up is a casino game I came across at the D casino in Las Vegas on November 1, 2013. It's a straightforward game that's easy to grasp and play, featuring a simple winning strategy. Additionally, it offers two side bets that do not favor the house.

Rules

1. This game utilizes a standard 52-card deck, which is reshuffled after each round.
2. The scoring system mirrors that of blackjack; however, aces are counted as one point only.
3. Gameplay starts with the player placing an Ante Wager along with an optional bet on either Red or Black.
4. The bets on Red and Black cannot exceed the amount of the Ante Wager.
5. Three community cards will be dealt face up by the dealer.
6. Players have the option to either stand with their cards or place a Double Up wager, which is limited to the amount of the Ante wager.
7. The dealer will reveal a fourth and final community card face up.
8. If the total points reach 40, both Ante and Double Up wagers will payout at a rate of 2 to 1.
9. When the total points are more than 30 or below 20, Ante and Double Up wagers will return a payout of 1 to 1.
10. If the total points fall between 20 and 30 inclusive, Ante and Double Up wagers will result in a loss.

Strategy

Players should opt for a Double Up wager when they have 12 or fewer points or 24 or more points; in other cases, it's better to stand.

Analysis

The table below illustrates the potential outcomes based on the total of the Ante and Double Up wagers. The lower right cell indicates a house edge of 3.72%.

Players will raise their bet 34.46% of the time, resulting in a. Element of Risk 3.72%/(1.3446) = 2.77%.

The subsequent table presents the return rates for the red and black bets, with the lower right cell indicating a house edge of 0.00%.

Assuming the maximum bet on Red or Black, the anticipated loss ratio against the total wagered amount is calculated as 3.72% divided by 2.3446, equaling 1.59%.

Written by: Michael Shackleford