There’s a great deal of hoo-ha today about the new iPhone, which got unveiled last night – even though some chump unveiled it months ago by leaving it in a bar. To be honest, I’m not that interested in the device. You can’t download blackjack apps from the Apple Store and even if you could, they would never replace the thrill of playing the real thing in a casino surrounded by proper gents and beautiful ladies.
No, I do fine with my trusty Nokia 3210, it does everything I would ever want a mobile phone to do – makes calls, sends text messages, says hello to me when I switch it on. I’m not interested in using it as a spirit level (I’ve got very accurate eyes anyway) or tip calculator (I’m superb at maths, have to be for blackjack) or anything else. Just a phone will do me, thank you very much.
But if the pocket-sized gadget cannot do what the real world can (I have heard talk of a new mobile blackjack game coming out soon but we’ll have to wait and see if it’s any good) there is one electronic format that doesn’t do too badly. Online casino blackjack has been around for a few years now and is actually very good at recreating the buzz of sitting at a table. Obviously you don’t have the beautiful ladies at home with you (hope Elizabeth doesn’t read this!) but in terms of the mechanics and the tension, playing blackjack online is actually a fair replacement for the real thing. Heaven knows I’m partial to few games when I can’t get to a proper casino.
My favourite online blackjack game is probably Hot Streak Bonus. This is a fine example of an area in which the online world actually excels beyond the land-based. Bonus features. In real-world blackjack, there’s a pretty set pattern of payouts and gameplay structures, but online casino gaming has blown this wide open with the introduction of countless new modes, bonus rounds and features. The extra payouts and thrilling presentation of Hot Streak Bonus are what make it such an attractive proposition for me.
By the way, I’ve not forgotten about my pledge to get back into reviewing casino blackjack tables. I’ll be looking at everything right down to the quality of the felt. I’ve booked in my first trip for later in the month – stay tuned fans.
