Quick answer: SkyCity Adelaide deals three blackjack games. Blackjack has the dealer standing on 17, pays 3:2 and allows partial doubles on hard 9-11. Freebet Blackjack gives free doubles and splits but pushes on a dealer 22. Party Blackjack pays blackjack at only 6:5, the dealer hits soft 17 and a dealer 22 pushes. Pick the first one.
SkyCity Adelaide is the only licensed casino in South Australia, set in the old Adelaide Railway Station on North Terrace. Its licence gives it a monopoly on table games in the state until 30 June 2035. No competition means no pressure to improve the rules, so it pays to know them. We went through SkyCity's published rules for all three blackjack games.
Standard Blackjack: the rules
- All cards face up, no hole card. The dealer draws the second card after players act.
- Blackjack pays 3:2, and is paid at once unless the dealer's first card is an ace or a 10-value card.
- The dealer stands on 17 (including soft 17) and draws on 16 or less.
- Doubling: on 9, 10 or 11 without aces, with one card to follow. Partial doubles are allowed.
- Splitting: up to three hands. Aces split to two hands only, one card each.
- Dealer blackjack: SkyCity's page says your original bet and your double are both lost.
- Insurance up to half your bet, paid 2 to 1.
- Up to three bets per box; the front bet controls the hand.
What is the catch? The dealer blackjack rule. Because it takes your double, hit 11 against a 10 or an ace instead of doubling, and use the ENHC setting on our strategy chart for splits too (SkyCity's page does not say what happens to split hands, so play it safe).
Freebet Blackjack
This game looks like a gift. On a two-card 9, 10 or 11 the dealer offers a free double: a marker (a "lammer") goes next to your bet, and if the hand wins you are paid twice. Pairs can be split for free up to three hands (except aces), and doubles and splits made from a free bet can also be free. Want to split 10s? You can, but with your own money.
- The price: every dealer hand of 22 becomes a stand-off instead of a win for you.
- What it costs: published analyses of Free Bet Blackjack generally put the house edge at around 1% under common rules, more than the standard table.
- Strategy changes: take every free double and free split you are offered, because they cost you nothing.
Party Blackjack: read the payout
SkyCity's rules for Party Blackjack list three changes from the standard game:
- Blackjack pays 6:5 (A$12 on a A$10 bet, instead of A$15).
- The dealer hits soft 17.
- A dealer 22 is a stand-off (except against your blackjack).
A 6:5 payout alone adds about 1.39% to the house edge. Add a soft 17 hit and a dealer 22 push and you are looking at a much more expensive game than standard blackjack. We have not found a published house edge for SkyCity's version, and it may carry features not listed on the casino's page. Our advice is simple: if the felt says 6 to 5, walk to the next table.
How Adelaide compares
| Game | Key rules | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Blackjack | Stands on soft 17, hard 9-11 doubles, no resplit aces | About 0.6% to 0.7% (our estimate) |
| Freebet Blackjack | Free doubles and splits, dealer 22 pushes | Around 1% (published analyses) |
| Party Blackjack | 6:5 blackjack, hits soft 17, dealer 22 pushes | Not published, likely much higher |
| Pontoon (Adelaide rules) | 48-card decks | 0.64% (Wizard of Odds), the highest in Australia |
Adelaide is the one city where Pontoon does not beat standard blackjack by much. Wizard of Odds rates its Pontoon at 0.64%, against 0.34% in Canberra. Our Pontoon vs blackjack guide explains why.
A number from the casino's own past
In 1994, a gaming manager at the Adelaide Casino published a study of card counting and the house edge under the casino's rules at the time. His computer simulation of nearly half a billion hands put the house edge at 0.604% for a player using perfect basic strategy. The same study noted that the average player was closer to 2.0%, because of misplays. The rules have changed since, but the gap has not: your decisions still cost more than any rule on the felt. That is why we built the trainer.
Side bets in Adelaide
The standard game offers Any Pair, a bet that your first two cards are a pair of the same face value. A pair turns up about 7.4% of the time with six decks. If the bet pays 11 to 1, we calculate the house edge at about 11%. SkyCity's rules document also covers Buster and Jackpot Sevens bets. See our side bets guide before you put a chip on any of them.
South Australian rules and help
- Regulator: the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner at Consumer and Business Services (CBS).
- Suitability review: an independent review for the regulator found SkyCity Adelaide suitable to keep its licence, while noting shortcomings in governance, anti-money laundering and host responsibility.
- 18+ only. Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858 (24/7).
We think the rule sheet is the best tool an Adelaide player has. SkyCity links its full blackjack rules from its table games page, and they are worth ten minutes before your first visit.
Rules change from one casino to the next, and sometimes from one table to the next in the same room. Want every casino in one view? See blackjack rules at every Australian casino (one table, with sources). Or use these guides side by side before you choose a table: New to Aussie tables? Start with our Australian blackjack rules guide and keep the strategy chart open while you practise.Compare with other Aussie casinos
Casino guide What stands out Key number Crown Melbourne blackjack Rules Version 29.0: no hole card, double 9-11, Crown Blackjack hits soft 17 Pontoon 0.38% The Star Sydney blackjack Star Blackjack hits soft 17, Blackjack Challenge, NSW carded play Pontoon 0.42% Crown Sydney blackjack Traditional vs Crown Blackjack, partial doubles, no pokies A$20 legal minimum Crown Perth blackjack Soft 17 set by table layout, dealer blackjack takes all, resplit aces Pontoon 0.38% The Star Brisbane and Gold Coast Star Blackjack hits soft 17, 2026 ownership change About 0.8% SkyCity Adelaide blackjack Freebet and 6:5 Party Blackjack, SA's only casino Pontoon 0.64%
Game and tool guides What it covers Key number Blackjack Plus Dealer 22 pushes, instant pays on 21 and five cards 6.36% house edge Pontoon vs blackjack 48-card decks, player 21 always wins, house edge by city 0.34% to 0.64% Side bets in Australia Crown Pairs, Buster Blackjack, Any Pair, insurance 1.9% to 22% Minimum bets in Australia What players report at Crown and The Star, electronic tables Checked Sept 2026 Card counting in Australia What is legal, counting devices, bet limits and bans NSW s87(2) House edge calculator Enter your table's rules and see the cost per hour A$ per hour
Frequently asked questions
Does the dealer hit soft 17 at SkyCity Adelaide?
Not in standard Blackjack, where the dealer stands on 17. In Party Blackjack the dealer hits soft 17.
What does Party Blackjack pay for a blackjack?
6 to 5, so a A$10 bet wins A$12 instead of A$15. That payout alone adds about 1.39% to the house edge.
Can I double for less at SkyCity Adelaide?
Yes. On 9, 10 or 11 without aces you may make a partial double, adding less than your original bet.
What happens to my double if the dealer gets blackjack in Adelaide?
SkyCity says both your original bet and your double are lost, so hit 11 against a dealer 10 or ace instead of doubling.
Is SkyCity Adelaide the only casino in South Australia?
Yes. It is the state's only licensed casino and holds exclusive rights to table games until 30 June 2035.
Practise on North Terrace rules
Stand on soft 17, double 9-11 without aces, protect your double against a 10: it takes a few hundred hands before it feels natural. Try it first in our free blackjack game, practice points only.