Live Dealer Blackjack

Blackjack games with live dealers offer a groundbreaking experience to blackjack fans as players can now see a live video broadcast of a real dealer who runs their game, which adds a realistic feel to the gameplay. Live dealer blackjack is usually aired via an HD video stream from a specially designed studio or a land-based casino. Players can then enjoy the game’s live proceedings via desktop or mobile devices. If you’ve played online blackjack (RNG) before, the objective is the same: Beat the dealer by getting 21 or a higher hand value than them to win the round. This live blackjack review will cover how you can play the game, rules, card rankings, in-game decisions during gameplay, and more.

History of blackjack

You’ll find many pages on the internet displaying various theories regarding the history and origin of blackjack. There are Roman and Spanish blackjack origins, but many scholars believe the game to be of French and Italian origin, as the two nations had several card games with almost identical rules. This history dates as far back as the 17^th century, but it wasn’t until the 19^th century that the game reached American soil thanks to French colonialists.

Over the years, the game’s rules were polished and revised to what we have today. The emergence of online casinos in 1996 meant that players could enjoy RNG card games like blackjack at their convenience. A few years later, live blackjack online casino sites became popular. This is because they offered players more realistic gameplay thanks to HD video streams, beautifully crafted studios, and professional human dealers.

Live blackjack game features

If you’re wondering what a typical live blackjack game looks like, this section is for you. However, you may note some differences in the game, such as studio layout, setup, interface, and more. This is primarily because there are many online blackjack live titles from various game providers like Evolution, Playtech, Pragmatic Play, etc., each with unique features.

Live video feed

When you launch a live blackjack game, the core of the interface will be covered by a semi-circular table with a human dealer sitting behind this blackjack table. Depending on the game provider, you might see varying studio layouts, backgrounds, etc. In some cases, live online blackjack games are streamed from land-based casino destinations. If you join a classic blackjack table, there will be a seat limit (a maximum of 7 players).

Therefore, you must take a seat at the table to play live blackjack for real money. If the table is full, you must wait for a vacant seat or use the Bet Behind feature (if available). Usually, the live blackjack stream will auto-adjust to match your internet speed, but you can switch the stream resolutions from Low and Medium to HD and vice versa. You can see various blackjack game rules imprinted on the table. Also, there’s a glass shoe on the dealer’s left side from which they draw cards and a different box on their right where they place the used cards.

Live chat

Besides seeing the human dealers on your screens, you can converse with them. This is enabled by the live chat feature embedded in live dealer blackjack games. You can ask the croupiers questions or make comments, and they’ll respond appropriately. You can also text other online players at the table via live chat. This feature makes the gameplay more life-like.

Help menu

Although some of the dealer’s rules are inscribed on the blackjack table, you’ll find detailed guidelines about your selected live blackjack game through the help menu. You can access this menu by clicking the help icon (? or i), where you’ll find more information about the card rankings, gameplay rules, rules on in-game decisions (split, hit, double down), and more. Also, you’ll find your game history, bet types, and other game settings like sound/music under the help menu.

Betting section

The betting area is always at the bottom of the interface. You’ll find various multi-coloured chips in this section, with each coloured chip representing a different bet amount. For example, green could represent $1, red $5, purple $50, and so on. Once you select a chip, it becomes your bet amount for the round. You can always find UI buttons to cancel your bets before a round begins. Your game balance is usually pinned at the top or bottom of the interface. The game’s betting limits and paytable are generally pinned on the top-left of the screen, but this can change depending on the live blackjack software provider.

Live blackjack rules

Generally, blackjack is regarded as a skill-based table game. This is because of the various in-game decisions you must make during gameplay to ensure you win the round. Other than that, it’s crucial you study the gameplay rules. Therefore, live blackjack can be played by a limited (up to 7 per table) or unlimited number of players, depending on the live blackjack game. The game uses 1-8 decks of 52 cards each. The cards may be shuffled manually by the human dealer or using a shuffling machine.

In the case of the 7-seat table, the croupier will deal cards to each seated player, starting from the dealer’s left and going to the right. In unlimited blackjack tables, there’s only one seat, which can be occupied by many players, meaning the same cards will be dealt to all the players, but each player can make their own hit, stand, split, and double down decisions.

Live dealer blackjack’s primary objective

In live blackjack, you’re playing against the dealer, not other online players. Therefore, the object of the game is to beat the dealer to win the round. You can beat the dealer by acquiring a higher-valued hand than them or getting a hand worth 21 points. However, if you get a hand that exceeds 21 points, you’ll go bust, which means you’ve lost the round. The dealer can also bust, which automatically means a win for all other seated players who haven’t exceeded the 21-point threshold.

If the dealer or the player(s) get a Blackjack hand, it means an automatic win. A Blackjack/natural is a hand containing an ace (A) and any 10-point valued card. Suppose the dealer and the player get a Blackjack. In that case, the round will be deemed a push/tie, and the player’s bet will be returned. You can refer to your best live blackjack online game rules for more comprehensive guidelines.

Blackjack card rankings

Cards in live dealer blackjack have various values. Learning these values will enable players to calculate their hand value and make in-game decisions quickly. Still, the live blackjack game system is designed to display your card and the dealer’s totals in a round. That said, these are the card values in online live blackjack:

• Aces (A): Are worth either 1 or 11 points. It goes without saying that this is one of the most sought-after cards in the game.
• Cards 2-10 are worth their face value. For example, 3 is worth three points and 10 is worth ten points.
• Picture cards: Queen (Q), King (K), and Jack (J) are worth ten points.

For instance, if you’re dealt a hand with 8 and 6 as the initial cards, your hand will be worth 14 points. In this case, depending on the dealer’s face-up card, you can decide to Hit, which means you’ll receive a third card. If you don’t go bust after the third card and you’re not close to 21, you can Hit once more. Nevertheless, be careful; once you bust, you lose the round.

How to play live blackjack for real money

The first thing to do before joining a real money BJ table is to select a top live blackjack online casino. So, create an account with your chosen gambling website by providing information like your name, country, address, DOB, email address, currency, password, username, etc. Afterwards, follow the procedure below to start playing live blackjack for real money:

1. Fund your new gambling account. You can use various deposit methods, including e-wallets, credit/debit cards, bank transfers, and cryptocurrencies. Next, go to the live casino lobby and launch your best live blackjack online game.
2. If it’s a 7-seat live dealer blackjack game, select any available seat and place your bets by picking your preferred chip denominations. In case there’s an ongoing round, you must wait for that round’s outcome before placing your bets. To exit a seat, click the ‘X’ button. Some live blackjack games offer a Bet-Behind feature that allows non-seated players to participate in the live dealer blackjack gameplay by betting on the outcome of the seated players.
3. If it’s an unlimited blackjack table, simply wait for the current round to conclude and place your bet. Usually, you’ll have about 15 seconds to place your bet before a round begins. You must wait for the next round if you don’t place your bet within this timeframe.
4. The round will then begin with the dealer dealing cards to the players and themselves. The dealer’s first card will be dealt face-up, while the second card will be dealt face-down. This second card is also known as the hole card. Players will then view their hand totals and, based on the dealer’s face-up card, make certain in-game decisions.

Player’s decisions

In a 7-seat live blackjack game, if no player has a Blackjack hand, each will be allowed to make certain decisions to enhance their hand value. Each player will have a limited time to make these decisions. In unlimited-player live blackjack games, each player will get the option to make these decisions simultaneously on their game screens. Please note that different BJ games have varying rules concerning split, hit, and double-down decisions. So, you must read these rules before playing for real money.

• Hit: If you click this option, you’ll receive an additional card to your hand. You can Hit as many times as possible as long as you don’t bust (surpass 21 points).
• Stand: In case you’re satisfied with your hand value or you think an additional card will get your total points over 21, you can decide to Stand. With this decision, no extra cards are dealt.
• Split: You may split your cards into two hands if you receive a pair in the initial draw. After splitting, each hand will require the same the amount you initially wagered when the round began. For instance, if you had a $50 wager, after splitting, each hand would require a $50 bet, totalling $100 for both. In this case, you’ll receive an additional card for each hand, and you can later hit or stand on these hands. However, if you split aces, only one card is dealt to each hand, and there is no option to hit.
• Double-down: If you think you have a better hand than the dealer, you can double down your hand, which means placing an amount equal to your initial bet. Players who have doubled down will receive an additional card to their hand.
• Surrender: This option is rare in live blackjack online casinos. If the game has this option, it’s automatically offered to players every time (even if they have a 20-point hand). So, if players think they’re unlikely to defeat the dealer based on their hand and the dealer’s face-up card, they can take this option. In that case, the players lose half of their initial bet and cannot play further in that round.

Side bets in live dealer blackjack

You can find the insurance bet in some live dealer blackjack titles. This bet option is offered to players when the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace. The insurance bet compensates for the possibility of the dealer having a Blackjack and is settled independently. The croupier will peek at their hole card (face-down card) to check if they have a Blackjack. Therefore, if they do (have a Blackjack), you’ll receive a 2:1 payout if you made an insurance bet. However, if they don’t, you lose your insurance bet, and the game continues with the standard rules. Besides the insurance bet, you can find other popular optional side bets when you play live blackjack for real money, such as

• Perfect Pairs
• 21+3
• Hot 3
• Ten20
• Lucky Sevens
• Perfect 11, etc.

Side bets are usually optional, and you can’t place them without playing the main bet. The advantage of side bets is that they offer higher payouts than the standard 3:2 (Blackjack) or 1:1 payouts. However, despite the lucrative payouts, side bets are risky due to their low chance of success. If you wish to play live blackjack titles with higher payouts, we recommend bonus blackjack titles with multipliers. Quantum blackjack offers multipliers of up to 1000x that can boost your winnings exponentially.

Conclusion

With live dealer blackjack being aired in real-time from dedicated studios or real physical casinos, it offers players a more authentic gambling atmosphere. The social element where players can converse among others and with the human dealer makes gameplay even more realistic. Evidently, if you wish to enjoy the game in its most life-like format, live dealer blackjack is the way to go. This review has covered everything about live blackjack, including its rules, gameplay, side bets, and more. Therefore, you can effortlessly play live blackjack for real money and employ personal betting strategies for the best experience.