Crazy Like a Fox
New blackjack reward makes 21 Madness perfectly logical 

Yet this fact seems to have eluded most of the people who design bonus jackpots for blackjack. First, there was the bonus for three Sevens. Then Progressive Blackjack rewarded players for drawing as many as four Fives. Suited Fives won a giant award. Then a suited Six, Seven and Eight would get a blackjack-style payoff. Even the old ãfive card Charlieä was altered to pay off on any six-card hand that did not bust. Of any of the numerous schemes put together to make blackjack a more exciting game, nothing compared to the kick of getting a blackjack, especially with big money riding on the hand.

The reason most of these blackjack variations have not made a big impression on the casino floor is that these types of bonusing systems alter the natural flow of the game, causing the serious blackjack player to boycott the specialty games. Who wants to see a player hitting two Sevens when the dealer is showing a Six? Itâs tough enough sitting still while a player agonizes over whether to hit a 12 against the dealerâs Two (Hit it, for goodness sake!), but when heâs drawing to a hard 17 to get his sixth card, well, thatâs truly annoying.

Most basic strategy blackjack players will avoid these games like the plague, despite the fact that some of the bets could actually benefit the intelligent player.

But a new game developed by former IGT executives Brad Johnson and Vaughn Place, and marketed by AC Coin & Slot, has returned the emphasis to where it belongson the game itself, and the ultimate reward of blackjack.

The game, 21 Madness, differs very little from the traditional blackjack table. Play is not altered in any way, but the excitement of getting a natural blackjack (a ten-count card and any Ace) is stepped up substantially.

To participate in the 21 Madness bonus, players place a $1 side bet. Those participants are betting that they will get a blackjack on the first two cards. Not only do they get the conventional 3-to-2 payoff on their bets, they also get the chance to multiply that victory many times over.

Hereâs how: A player who gets the blackjack with the $1 side bet is offered a device with an oversized button on it. When the player hits the button, he activates a digital readout on a screen above the table. The dollar figures fly by, and stop on any number between $5 and $1,000.

The excitement created by 21 Madness is related to the ultimate goal of blackjackthat is, being dealt a natural. When that occurs, players have another reason to rejoice. And should the meter be kind, the player enjoys a nice payoff for a small $1 bet.

Is it a good bet? Probably not. In theory, a player is dealt a blackjack every 21 hands. If a 21 Madness player places that $1 side  bet on every hand, heâd have to hit the meter for more than $21 every time he hits the jackpot, just to break evena scenario not likely to occur.

The average jackpot, reports AC Coin & Slot, is $13.89, so the average player will fall far short of the break-even point.

     AC Coin claims that the side bet to 21 Madness increases the tableâs hold percentagethe amount retained after all bets are paidbetween 4 percent and 6 percent. Most of the blackjack options increase the houseâs hold percentage, so in that matter, 21 Madness isnât any different. Itâs just the way in which the game is played that makes it so attractive to the player.

     Some casinos are introducing 21 Madness at higher limit games, requiring a $5 wager for the side bet. Of course, the payoffs are correspondingly higher, but the odds remain the same.

Itâs a fun bet, but not necessarily the greatest odds for the player.

21 Madness is currently being played at many casinos in Nevada, including the Showboat, Harrahâs, Binionâs Horseshoe, the Las Vegas Hilton, and the Four Queens in Las Vegas, and Fitzgeraldâs, the Silver Nugget and Boomtown in Reno. If the popularity it seems to be attracting in those casinos is matched in others, it wonât be long before 21 Madness finds its way into your favorite casino.