Spanish Betting Sites
Spanish authorities had little say on the matter up until 2011. Prior to that point, Spanish betting sites operated in the open with little fear of legal repercussion. With the central government having no official stance, the fate of online gambling was left up to various local gaming laws. Spain casinos and gambling guide contains information such as: A Spain casino list, poker tournament listing, slots info, pari-mutuel (greyhounds & horses), Texas Hold'em, and more. The largest online sportsbook in Mexico is on the Caliente Casino website which runs over 50 betting shops across Mexico and accepts bets online and by telephone. Caliente’s interface is in Spanish.
One exciting thing about blackjack is that it offers a number of cool variations. And Spanish 21 is one of the most popular blackjack variants because it has unique rules.
Here are the main changes that you’ll see in Spanish 21 rules:
- 10s are removed from the deck.
- This creates a 48 card deck, instead of the standard 52 card deck.
- You can double down after any number of cards, rather than just your first two.
- Late surrender after doubling down (a.k.a. double down rescue).
- Either 5, 6, or 7 card Charlie is offered (automatically win after so many dealt cards).
- Player 21 always wins, even when the dealer gets a multi card 21.
- Five card 21 pays 3 to 2; six card 21 pays 2 to 1; seven card 21 pays 3 to 1.
- Match the Dealer side bet (explained later).
- Mixed 6 7 8 or 7 7 7 pays 3 to 2.
- Suited 6 7 8 or 7 7 7 pays 2 to 1.
- 6 7 8 or 7 7 7 of spades pays 3 to 1.
- Suited 7 7 7 when dealer has a 7 upcard pays $1,000 for bets less than $25.
- Suited 7 7 7 when dealer has a 7 upcard pays $5,000 for bets over $25.
Based on all of these rule variations, you can see that Spanish 21 has different strategy than regular blackjack. But there are some no-brainer tips that can help you quickly learn how to win in this game.
That said, let’s look at seven Spanish 21 tips that beginners can master.
1 – Get the Proper Spanish 21 Strategy Chart
The best way to learn basic blackjack strategy is by getting a strategy chart. These show you what decisions to make based on your total and the dealer’s upcard.
The problem that beginning Spanish 21 players run into is using a regular blackjack strategy chart on this game.
This is a blunder because Spanish 21 calls for different decisions in many situations. Let’s look at some different examples:
Example #1
- You have 9 and the dealer’s upcard is 5.
- Spanish 21 = Hit
- Regular blackjack = Double down
Example #2
- You have 17 and the dealer’s upcard is 7.
- Spanish 21 = Stand
- Regular blackjack = Hit
Example #3
- You have a pair of 6s and the dealer’s upcard is 3.
- Spanish 21 = Hit
- Regular blackjack = Split
These are just some of the many situations where Spanish 21 and common blackjack differ. You’ll definitely want to find the appropriate strategy chart so you can master these scenarios.
The easiest way to do so is by googling “Spanish 21 strategy chart” and looking in the images. You can either refer to the chart through your computer/mobile device or print it out.
2 – Avoid Match the Dealer Side Bet
Spanish 21 has a fun side bet called Match the Dealer. This wager is based on matching either of your first two cards with the dealer’s upcard.
Here are the possible outcomes and payouts for each:
- Two suited matches = 18:1 payout
- One suited and one non suited match = 13:1 payout
- One suited match = 9:1 payout
- Two non suited matches = 8:1 payout
- One non suited match = 4:1 payout
The good thing about Match the Dealer is that there are a variety of ways to win. And you have big payout potential too because two suited matches brings you an 18:1 payoff.
The downside – as with any blackjack side bet – is that the house edge is larger than what’s featured in the main game.
Match the Dealer carries a 2.99% house edge with 8 decks, and a 3.06% house advantage with 6 decks.
The worst house edge that you’ll find at land based Spanish 21 tables is usually 2%. In many cases, you’ll face less than a 1% house advantage when using good strategy.
You want to avoid Match the Dealer if your main goal is having the best possible chance of winning. But if you can’t resist the urge to play for big payouts, note that Match the Dealer has one of the lowest house edges among side bets.
3 – Know Situations Where You Always Hit and Stand
Spanish 21 is a complex game that involves quite a bit of strategy. This is why my first tip was to look for a strategy chart that specifically matches Spanish 21.
But there are two situations where you don’t need to refer to a chart, including the following:
- Always hit when your total is a hard 8 or lower.
- Always stand when your total is a hard 17 or higher.
The reasons why you always hit with 8 or less are as follows:
- You can’t bust out.
- You’re not in a good enough position to double down.
- You’re not in a good enough position to split.
The reasons why you stand with a hard 17 include the following:
- You have a decent hand.
- Your chances of busting out are 69.2%.
The only exception that you’ll find to standing on a hard 17 every time is when the dealer has an ace upcard. You should choose late surrender in this scenario.
4 – Know How to Play Hard Totals
We just covered two absolutes with regard to playing hard totals in Spanish 21. Now let’s look at how to play the rest of the hard totals:
- Hard 9 – Double down against a dealer 6. Hit in all other scenarios.
- Hard 10 – Double down against a dealer 2 7. Hit against dealer’s 8 or higher.
- Hard 11 – Double down against dealer’s 2 8. Hit against dealer’s 9 or higher.
- Hard 12 – Always hit.
- Hard 13 – Stand against a dealer 6, except when you have 4 or more cards. Hit in all other scenarios.
- Hard 14 – Stand against dealer’s 4 6, except when you have 4 or more cards. Hit in all other scenarios.
- Hard 15 – Stand against dealer’s 2 6, except when you have 4 or more cards against dealer’s 2 5. Hit in all other scenarios.
- Hard 16 – Surrender against a dealer ace. Stand against dealer’s 2 6, except when you have 4 or more cards against dealer’s 2 4. Hit in all other situations.
- Hard 17 – Surrender against a dealer ace. Stand in all other situations.
The Charlie rule – where you automatically win and receive a bonus after being dealt a certain number of cards – comes into play in many situations.
This is why it pays to use a Spanish 21 strategy chart so you can spot these subtle differences. It’s also nice to memorize playing hard totals just in case you don’t have a chart in a live game.
5 – Know How to Play Soft Totals
As with any blackjack game, soft aces change how you play many hands. Here’s a look at how to play soft totals in Spanish 21:
- Soft 13 (A2) and 14 (A3) – Always hit.
- Soft 15 (A4) – Double down against a dealer 6, unless you have 4 or more cards. Hit in all other situations.
- Soft 16 (A5) – Double down against dealer’s 5 6, except when you have 4 or more cards. Hit in all other scenarios.
- Soft 17 (A6) – Double down against dealer’s 4 6, except when you have 4 or more cards. Hit in all other situations.
- Soft 18 (A7) – Double down against dealer’s 4 6, unless when you have 4 or more cards. Stand against dealer’s 2 3 and 7 8, except when you have 4 or more cards. Hit against dealer’s 9 A.
- Soft 19 (A8) and up – Always stand.
6 – Know When to Split Hands
Here’s what to do with pairs in Spanish 21:
- Pair of 2s or 3s – Split against dealer’s2 8. Hit against dealer’s 9 A.
- Pair of 4s – Always hit.
- Pair of 5s – See strategy for a hard 10.
- Pair of 6s – Split against dealer’s 4 6. Hit in all other scenarios.
- Pair of 7s – Split against dealer’s 2 7. Hit in all other situations.
- Pair of 8s – Surrender against a dealer ace. Split in all other scenarios.
- Pair of 9s – Split against dealer’s 2 6 and 8 9. Stand against dealer’s 2, 7, and 10 A.
7 – Search for the Best Spanish 21 Rules
One of the top tips for any blackjack game is to search for the best games. The same reigns true for Spanish 21 because casinos can vary on certain rules.
Here are the main variable rules that you should keep in mind during your search:
- Dealer hits or stands on a soft 17 – You want them to stand.
- 6 or 8 decks – You want 6 decks.
- Number of times you can redouble – You want 3 times.
- Split hand with ace and face card counts as blackjack – This rule is rare.
- Match the Dealer and Super bonuses paid after split – This rule is rare.
The biggest rule that you want to look for is the dealer standing on a soft 17. This improves your chances of winning by 0.2%.
The other rules aren’t quite as impactful, but it’s still nice when they go in your favor.
Here’s a look at the common house edges for the main variable rules in Spanish 21:
- Dealer stands on a soft 17 – 0.4% house edge
- Dealer hits on a soft 17, redoubling allowed – 0.42%
- Dealer hits on a soft 17, redoubling not allowed – 0.76%
Conclusion
Spanish 21 features a number of rules that make it more exciting than your average blackjack game. My personal favorites include the Super Bonus, Charlie rule, late surrender, and doubling down on any total.
But the drawbacks are that all 10s are removed from the deck, and the game always uses either 6 or 8 decks.
All of the rule differences combine to give Spanish 21 different strategy than a standard blackjack game.
This will throw you off initially when you’re used to playing common blackjack games. But the strategy differences won’t be overbearing.
Again, the first thing you want to do is find a Spanish 21 strategy chart on either Google or Bing. This gives you a good strategy base to work off of in the beginning.
The other main things you should do include searching for the best rules and avoiding the Match the Dealer side bet.
The History of Sports Betting in Spain
The Spanish government has had a relaxed stance on betting for many years. For decades you could find betting shops that were set up to take wagers from Brits, and while illegal, no one bothered with them. Online betting was unregulated and open, so players used websites such as Unibet and BWIN in order to place bets online.
The laws began changing in 2008 when legal betting shops that targeted Spaniards opened in Madrid. As this evolved, the government saw the growing need to regulate online betting.
New laws were quickly passed and in 2012 many sites such as Unibet and Pinnacle Sports left the Spanish market, while other sites were forced to either obtain a Spanish licence or follow suit and leave.
While Unibet leaving the market was unfortunate, the most popular gambling site in Spain www.bwin.es has obtained a license and is now legal to use. BWIN even began sponsoring Real Madrid back in 2008 and was their on-shirt sponsor until the 2012-2013 season.
This gave them great exposure in Spain making them perhaps the largest betting site in the market. This happened before they were Spanish licensed. La Liga sponsorship has long been used by gambling sites to attract business. This continued with the regulated market as Sevilla FC was also sponsored by popular European betting site Interwetten.
How We Find Legal and Safe Bookmakers
- Fully licensed and certified by independent regulators.
- Approved for secure financial transactions and data protection.
- Reputation for dealing with complaints quickly and fairly.
Since the Spanish Gambling Act was introduced in 2011, operators need a separate licence for each gambling product they offer. As a result, some bookmakers offer only casino and some only offer sports betting.
To bet online legally from Spain, you need to open an account with an internet bookmaker that uses a .es domain name and is licensed by Juego Seguro.
You will know they are licensed because the logo shown right is listed on the bottom part of their website. Also, if searching their website you should find their sports betting license details. For example: Apuestas No/Ref: 13/GA/1002 is the code for BWIN’s licence to take sports bets.
All Spanish bookmakers recommended at SBO.net hold licences from Juego Seguro, so you can rest assured you are secure and betting legally.
How to Bet Online
To bet at one of our recommended bookmakers, you’ll need to first register an account. During the registration processes you’ll need to enter your DNI number (this is found on your Documento nacional de identidad, or in English your National ID Card). You might also be asked to email a scanned copy of your DNI/NIE at a later date.
This is to simply used to verify your identity. Remember Spanish sites are legal and heavily regulated. Here you can be assured of fair treatment, but large wins will be reported to the Spanish tax authority (Agencia Tributaria). This shouldn’t be a concern as a safe betting environment is provided.
After opening your account you’ll need to make a deposit to start betting. There are many options for this. Most Spanish betting sites accept deposits made with MasterCard, VISA or with e-wallets such as PayPal and Skrill.
When you have made a deposit with one of our recommended bookmakers, you will be able to access some of Spain’s best bets that include outstanding odds and free bet bonus codes.
Betting Sites Online
At any time, if you wish to cash out your winnings, or full balance, you can simply request a withdrawal that is usually processed within a few days.
The Most Popular Sports
Spain loves sport and there are a huge range of sports and markets available at our recommended Spanish betting sites. Sports often found at Spanish bookmakers include:
- Football
- Tennis
- Basketball
- Formula 1
- Futsal
- Handball
- Volleyball
- Cycling
- Golf
- American Football
- Athletics
- Combat sports
When you drill down in the menu you’ll find that for each sport the leagues covered and wagering options are massive. Online betting in Spain goes hand in hand with football. You can bet on La Liga, the English Premier League, Serie A from Italy, Bundesliga from Germany and leagues from more than four-dozen other countries.
On all matches from these leagues it is possible to bet on home/away/draw (1X2), over/under on goals, as well as handicap betting. You’ll also find dozens of propositions such as total corners, bookings and even exotic bets such as which goalkeeper will touch the ball last.
Most betting sites in Spain also offer live betting. It doesn’t matter where the sport is from, at most times of the day or night there are several dozen matches available for in-play wagering.
This could be a Rafael Nadal tennis match currently in progress or it could be for a football or basketball match. For basketball this might be Liga ACB, NBA from the United States, or even PBA from the Philippines. Most Spanish sites are very proud of their live betting coverage, as well as how many markets they offer.
Is Online Betting Popular in Spain?
Legal Online Betting Sites
Legal regulated online betting is relatively new to the market and many sports fans might not even be aware it exists. One thing is sure however; there is no doubt it will catch on in a hurry.
Spain has some of the best players in the world competing on the international scale. Spaniards Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer in Tennis, Jorge Lorenzo in Moto GP, Fernando Alonso in Formula 1 and Pau Gasol in Basketball are just the tip of the iceberg.
Where Spain really takes pride is football. La Furia Roja has been one of the most dominant national teams in the world recently and has three major championships in recent years. Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012.
Best Sports Betting Sites
El Clásico
When Spanish football giants Barcelona and Real Madrid face off in El Clásico, the whole world watches. The matches, that take place at least twice a season, are broadcast in over 185 countries.
Recent fixtures have seen lots of surprises and been dominated by Barcelona. The Catalan club have not experienced defeat in El Clásico since 2016 and humiliated their great rivals by beating them 5-1 in October 2018.
Unsurprisingly, this huge Spanish sporting occasion is very popular with bettors. Bookmakers offer a huge range of markets that only adds to the excitement.
Spain Betting FAQs
Yes. It’s completely legal and secure to place bets with a range of bookmakers online. If you sign up to a new site you may be able to claim bonuses.
Sign up at your favourite betting site using your DNI/NIE number, make a deposit with your preferred banking method, find your bet and place your wager.
There are a huge number of football betting markets and all major bookmakers offer odds on Spanish leagues. Visit a betting site and take a look at what they offer to get started.
There are lots of very good betting sites available to Spanish residents. To protect yourself, ensure that your site holds a licence from Juego Seguro.