Online Blackjack Live Dealer Guide

Why Play Blackjack?

Blackjack is a popular card game that’s grown a large following over the years, and for a good reason. Here are a few of the top reasons to play live Blackjack games:

• Live Blackjack and online Blackjack found at many online casinos
• Several variants to choose from 24/7
• Game combines chance and strategy
• Relatively easy and quick to learn
• House Edge can be cut to as little as 0.2%

THE TOP ONLINE BLACKJACK LIVE DEALER GAMES

Enjoy variants of Blackjack if you’re a player from the US using software from major providers like Realtime Gaming, Bodog, and more. You can play Blackjack online for free or enjoy the thrill when you play live Blackjack games for real money, amongst a variety of the most popular games.

THE BEST CASINOS FOR ONLINE BLACKJACK LIVE DEALER

Finding the right online live Blackjack casinos may not be quite as simple as signing up at the first google search result. There are a few things to keep in mind if you’re going to maximize your overall experience.

SECURITY ENCRYPTION

Many of today’s modern online casinos sites use 128-bit secure socket layer encryption (SSL) to protect valuable information like payment details traveling from your web browser to the operator’s server. Ensure that you can see the padlock to the left of the URL for peace of mind.

CASINO LICENSE

While nothing in life is 100% guaranteed (except of course where death and taxes are involved), playing at a licensed casino is one way of protecting yourself from shady online casinos.

When it comes to licenses, not all are created equal since some licensing bodies play a more active role than others. For example, European licensing and regulating authorities like the UKGC and MGA have a reputation for protecting players.

Casinos licensed in other jurisdictions like Curaçao or the Kahnawake Gaming Commission have a more hands-off approach to licensing. This is not to suggest that you can’t find some trustworthy online casinos for American players, but you need to be more careful.

Game Selection

Of course, the variety of games plays an important role when choosing a casino, and they are not the same everywhere. For example, not all live casino operators offer live dealer Blackjack games, while others may have a minimal selection of online live Blackjack games. The same may be true for other casino games, so know what games you are looking for beforehand.

For those looking to play live blackjack online with a variety of other popular games featured in live casinos too, there are many casinos that specialize in live games including a variety of live casino tables for both desktop and mobile device options too.

Payment Methods

American players will undoubtedly be after a US dollar casino or one that accepts a cryptocurrency like a Bitcoin casino. Operators that accept US$ deposits may allow you to use a credit card such as a Mastercard, Visa, Amex, Diners Club as examples. Similarly, US$ withdrawals might include a wire transfer, couriered check, or you may be able to withdraw in Bitcoins which doesn’t even require an account number for banking purposes.

How to Find the Best Online Casinos to Play Blackjack

You can find several trustworthy Blackjack live casino operators that accept US dollars and Bitcoins that we recommend on our site.

If you’re a new player, then you can also find a welcome deposit bonus when you make your first (and possibly more) deposits in USD or BTC to get a head start with your favourite live blackjack game.

Here are a few suggestions for the best Blackjack sites for USA players to use.

Juicy Vegas Casino – Established in 2019 and licensed in Curacao, this site features a clean and minimalistic design with a great range of Blackjack games and many others from Real-Time Gaming. The site welcomes players from across the US with USD as its main site currency.

Lucky Red Casino – Although the design of this casino launched in 2009 may seem outdated to some, this Curacao licensed casino is great for US players – with a dedicated US phone line for support and a great selection of payment methods available for US players too.

BetOnline Casino – Having launched in 2004, this site has managed to stay looking very modern and very current. Featuring a wide range of games including a sizeable Blackjack selection from Betsoft, it’s a great option for US players looking to play online.

GETTING STARTED AT A LIVE CASINO ONLINE

1. You’ll need to register by looking for the ‘SIGN UP’ or a similarly labelled button at the casino’s website.
2. The casino will walk you through the signup process. You’ll need to input your first & last name, email address, user name, login password, birthdate, home address, and smartphone number. Remember that you need to be over 21 to join.
3. Typically, the final step is to verify your account by clicking on a link sent to you by email. You’ll then be in a position to collect your welcome bonus, deposit USD or Bitcoin, and start playing live Blackjack for real money.

HOW TO PLAY LIVE DEALER BLACKJACK ONLINE

Although there are Blackjack variants relating to strategies and rules, the game combines probability and mathematics while remaining relatively easy to learn.

The objective of Blackjack is to beat the dealer, done in one of three ways:

1. Come closest to 21 without going over (bust) for a 1:1 payout
2. The dealer may go bust by going over 21 for a 1:1 payout
3. The player’s first two cards may total 21 (called a natural or Blackjack) while the dealer’s hand is less than 21 for a 3:2 payout

The game begins with two cards dealt to the player and two cards, one of which is face-down, to the dealer. The player must decide whether to ‘Hit’ (receive another card) or ‘Stand’ (remain with the same hand). There’s no limit to the number of times that you can hit as long as you don’t go over 21.

The ace card has one of two possible values depending on the player’s total hand. It has a value of 11 if his/her total hand does not exceed 21. Otherwise, it has a value of 1. The values of 2 to 10 are equal to their respective numerical value, while the face cards (king, queen, and jack) have a value of 10.

The dealer conceals his/her card total until either having gone bust or finished taking cards. According to standard Blackjack rules, the dealer must continue to hit until their hand totals at least 17 or goes bust.

Because the player goes first, the house has an edge since the player may go bust before the house ever gets a turn.

CAN I PLAY FREE ONLINE BLACKJACK?

Free blackjack games have become more accessible over time and playing free blackjack games can help players hone their skills – but these options also do not allow players an opportunity to win like is found in real money blackjack games.

Free online blackjack should also not be confused with free bet blackjack which is often a bonus or promotion that’s offered on a real money blackjack game instead, with free online blackjack and free blackjack games being their own separate category.

BLACKJACK STRATEGIC DECISIONS AND RULE VARIATIONS

Blackjack comes with some rule variations which allow you to use some particular strategies that can cut the house advantage down to as little as 0.2%-0.5%. The best way of winning is to understand the odds (probability of an event occurring) and how the house uses odds to hold an edge. Let’s take a look at some basic strategies next, but keep in mind that these may not always be available.

DOUBLE DOWN

This option allows you to take one more cards for the chance to double your initial bet. You would use this strategy when you’ve got a great hand or think that the dealer has an awful hand.

EVEN MONEY

When the dealer and player hold a Blackjack (total of both their two cards is 21), the player only gets back their stake but loses the opportunity to make money. Therefore, when a player is holding a Blackjack and the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, then there is the danger of a tie. The house may offer the option of even money, which ends the hand and awards 2x stake. Consider this similar to insurance. Over the long-term, this strategy can adversely impact a player’s profit and is best avoided.

HIT

This scenario is when the dealer or player takes another card to add to their total. A player can hit as many times as they want as long as they don’t go over 21.

INSURANCE BET

If the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, then the player may choose to protect themselves against the possibility that the dealer is holding a Blackjack by taking insurance. Insurance is a side bet which pays 2:1, but if you guess wrong, then you lose the insurance bet. In reality, over the long-term, this strategy can adversely impact a player’s profit and is best avoided.

SPLIT

In the scenario where a player is holding a pair of equal value cards, they can decide to split them into two hands for the price of an additional wager. Keep in mind that once split, there is a chance of landing 21 but not a Blackjack.

STAND

This scenario is when a player decides not to receive another card (hit), and stay with the hand that they’re holding.

SURRENDER

A player may have the option of giving up (surrendering) their hand if they believe that the hand dealt has a low probability of winning. Although this strategy will cost you half your bet, it can be useful in protecting your bankroll, especially over the long-term.

The Best Way to Win at Standard Online Blackjack Live Dealer

Aside from the strategies mentioned in the previous section, a question remains. When do you stand, hit, split, surrender, or double down? The answer is that Blackjack is best played with a mathematical strategy that considers the value of the dealer’s face-up card and the value of your two cards. This strategy will determine your course of action and cut down the house advantage as follows:

Some Blackjack players use the technique of card counting, where they try to keep a tally of all the low and high cards that they’ve seen to lower the house advantage – as the name would suggest counting cards that are dealt.

It can be challenging given that many Blackjack games use up to 8 decks of cards, and makes counting cards much more difficult playing online blackjack – but as there is no competition directly against other players, some players do count cards online to win.

VARIANTS OF LIVE DEALER BLACKJACK GAMES

There are several variants of live Blackjack online with slightly different rules. For example, in one variant, the house must stand on a hand of 17, while others state that the house must hit on soft ones.

While there are too many variants to mention, we’ve given you a few popular ones below, which have an impact on the strategy, house advantage, and profit potential.

Different live blackjack tables may focus on these varieties more than others with live casino game operators offering many of the below.

BLACKJACK SURRENDER

There is a minor difference to the standard Blackjack that we’ve looked at. In this game variant, a player who doesn’t like their starting hand can choose to give up (surrender) rather than play and get back half their stake. This could save you money in the long-term if applied correctly.

PONTOON

This variant of game is interesting because it allows you to double your bet every time you hit. However, it is not possible to stand on any hand lower than 14.

DOUBLE EXPOSURE

In this variant, both of the dealer’s cards are face-up instead of just the first one as in standard Blackjack. While the pay-out remains the same, the trade off is that the dealer wins on any tie except for Blackjack. Also, pay-outs on natural Blackjack are lowered to even money to maintain the house edge in this game variety.

CLOSING THOUGHTS ON ONLINE BLACKJACK LIVE DEALER

Standard online and live Blackjack are an exciting game of chance and strategy, more so than other popular casino games like Baccarat or Keno, and easy to learn and play. You can narrow the house edge by following a strategy based on mathematical probability. There are several variants of Blackjack, including Pontoon, Double Exposure, and Blackjack Surrender, amongst others and many of the top live blackjack games will offer all varieties for players with interactive gameplay through the use of live dealers.

When signing up an online Bitcoin or USD casino that offers live blackjack, American players can receive a welcome deposit bonus, good for games that might include Blackjack. You should check the T&Cs first to be sure.

FAQs

WHY SHOULD I PLAY AT A LICENSED BLACKJACK CASINO?

Playing online blackjack at a licensed online casino in a reputable jurisdiction offers players added peace of mind since operators must treat their players fairly and transparently. Licensed and regulated casinos can easily be checked with the local gambling commission to ensure they’re safe to play at.

WHAT IS BLACKJACK?

Blackjack is a famous card game where the objective is to beat the dealer by coming closest to 21 without going over. It is a game based on both luck and strategy. There are several variants of Blackjack with slightly different rules, pay-outs, and house edges.

There are a wide variety of blackjack games available for those looking to play blackjack online,

IS BLACKJACK EASY TO PLAY?

Yes – while there are some rules and strategies to learn, live Blackjack remains a relatively easy game to play. You can refine your strategy by playing it for free until you feel ready to play for real money.

Live blackjack rules are exactly the same as regular table rules too as they’re the same game, so there is no difference to playing at live blackjack tables to regular tables – the only difference is that live casino lobby games will have a person to do what a machine otherwise would leading to some unique features.

IS ONLINE BLACKJACK LIVE DEALER FAIR?

Yes – the value of each card dealt is determined by a random number generator (RNG). It prevents a casino from fixing games to make you draw losing cards. Live blackjack FAQ options in these games will explain how many of these live blackjack titles work.

CAN I USE A STRATEGY TO WIN AT BLACKJACK?

Yes – a big part of Blackjack is the strategy that you use, which can reduce the house edge and perhaps even help grow your bankroll over the long term.

CAN I PLAY LIVE BLACKJACK WITH DOLLARS (USD) OR BITCOINS (BTC)?

Yes – You can find Blackjack casinos here on our pages that accept both USD and BTC deposits and withdrawals. There may be slight differences in wagering requirements for different payment methods, but are easily accessible on all platforms including mobile devices for live blackjack and other games too.

CAN I GET A WELCOME CASINO BONUS TO PLAY LIVE BLACKJACK?

All of our online casinos offer a welcome deposit bonus package suitable for different types of games including live blackjack. You should read the T&Cs to make sure that Blackjack qualifies for the promotion, and to check any wagering requirements that come with first deposit bonus options and how to used these deposited funds.