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Live dealer blackjack is one of the best additions to the online gambling market since the first online casino was launched in the 1990’s. Most online casinos now offer blackjack which is streamed with top-quality software, but now, thanks to our site, you can find the best of these sites that offer live dealer blackjack tables!
In most ways, it’s the same as sitting down at your local casino and playing a few hands of blackjack, except without having to leave your house. You can now even play on the go, with your tablet or smartphone, and win real money wherever you go. Live online blackjack has finally arrived and once you’ve tried it, you’ll never go back to your old casinos again!
Live Blackjack for Canadians 888 Casino. One of the most reputable global online casino brands, their presence in Canada certainly doesn't fall short from high expectations. 888 casino uses Evolution Gaming software to power it's live. Blackjack Simulator is always free — that’s the best. Sometimes you have no money to gamble — it is OK, you may play blackjack online just for fun, with no cash involved! Test some new strategy, have game experience and fun playing online blackjack. The virtual blackjack is also instantly available online for 24 7.
Live BlackJack on Online Casinos for US Players
With any of the blackjack games, which can include Pontoon, 21 Burn Blackjack and Pirate Blackjack, players can enjoy smooth play and games that feature side bets for more chances to win. Drake Casino welcomes new players with a superb 300% match bonus that can offer up to $6,000 in free money on the first three deposits. Free Blackjack Games If you’re into Blackjack, you’ve come to the right place. We have hundreds of different games displayed, including European Blackjack, Vegas Strip and Perfect Pairs, meaning you'll be able to enjoy a complete Blackjack experience without leaving the comfort of your home.
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A live online blackjack game needs to strike a balance between two extremes. It physically cannot have all of the factors that go into a game in the real world but, at the same time, the designers are pushing to get away from the standard digital-only format. At the moment, they seem to have found a great compromise. You still have an image of a table that exists only in cyberspace, except the events unfold in real time in front of your very eyes with a real-life dealer running the show.
The way it works is you have a box which is streaming from a real-life casino, so you can see him deal the cards in front of you and also interact with him via a chat box, while you make bets in your virtual lobby. This combined makes for a live blackjack game that runs smoothly, plus, as you can see him, there is no margin for corruption. As well as this, you may also be joined at the live table by several other players who could be playing from anywhere in the world!
The live blackjack you see on this site is guaranteed to be a live broadcast of a well-trained dealer, who is specifically running your live blackjack game from a remote location. You can even chat with them directly via the chat box if you are not convinced.
Blackjack with live dealers like this brings you as close as possible to the fun and exciting casino experience you would expect in bricks and mortar venues. As such, it really feels like they have beamed a real casino directly into your home!
In addition to blackjack, most of these sites have other live table games like live roulette and live dealer baccarat, which are also worth trying if you like all types of table games.
Live Blackjack for US Players
Even though they make up the largest market for live dealer blackjack, United States players have fewer options to play live dealer blackjack than players in some other countries. This is largely because of the hostile legal environment in the United States since the passage of UIGEA (the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) of 2006.
It is worth noting, that UIGEA doesn’t make it illegal for all U.S. citizens to gamble online and casino players can try legal online live blackjack games at operators active in New Jersey and Pennsylvania who have legalised online casino. State laws vary, so we recommend that you consult a reputable source of information about the laws in your state for more information. You can find some information on the legality in different states here.
At this time, Microgaming is one of the largest suppliers of live dealer games, but they don’t accept players from most US states.
The best way to learn which live dealer casinos accept US players is to follow the advice on this site or visit the homepage of the individual casinos. We offer pages about which live dealer casinos are available for US players, which should be a good starting point.
As live blackjack for US players is a very competitive market, you need be sure that you are finding one that is extremely experienced. That is why we would recommend casinos run by well-known providers for some time and played by thousands of Americans. As such, we would say these have the best live blackjack platform available for US Players.
Live Blackjack Games Free Play
The reasons for this are down to the styles they offer. Their blackjack variations offer the most player-friendly rules in the industry. These rules include the option to double after splitting and to double on any two cards. As well as this, the dealer also stands on soft 17, which favors the player. The house edge for these games is 0.41%, but only if you’re following perfect basic strategy.
Live Blackjack in Other Countries
Each country has their own unique set of laws and rules concerning online gambling. These laws create a situation where some live dealer casinos are available in some areas and not available in others.
You need to research the laws in your country before playing for real money.
If you don’t know which online casinos offer live blackjack in your country, a quick and easy way to find out is see if you can make a deposit. If you can get money into an online casino, it means they offer live games where you live.
This doesn’t always mean it’s legal, but players in most countries don’t have to worry about criminal prosecution. Most countries are more interested in the owners and operators, not the players when they start trying to shut down online casinos. At the same time, please consider that this doesn’t mean that you’ll be safe just because other players have been.
Contact an attorney or lawyer if you have any concerns or questions.
Game Variations
One of the things you’ll enjoy playing at live dealer online blackjack, which you often don’t see in a land-based casino, is the wide range of different options and rules.
We suppose it’s similar to visiting a bunch of different land-based casinos with each offering different rules and setups. However, even then, there is still likely to be a much wider variety of options available online.
It is also much easier as you haven’t the need to travel hundreds of miles between different places, as the best online casino will offer loads of options for live blackjack all in one place. As well as this, you can also switch casinos quickly and easily if you get bored of games on one site.
Here’s a list of some of the available options for online live dealer blackjack play:
- The number of decks – Most online games use 6 or 8 decks, but you can also find 7 deck games occasionally. These are put in play to prevent card counting mainly, but they can have a knock-on effect other on rules, like when to Surrender for example.
- Stand or hit a soft 17 – Just like at your local casino, the dealers will hit or stand on a soft 17 based on the house rules.
- Regional rules – Although blackjack is generally the same in every country, there are some differences between European and American blackjack. These reflect the options you have in-play. You can find out specifics about this here. As well as this, there may even be slightly different rules when playing at Vegas Strip and Atlantic City tables too. It’s important to read up on the rules before you start playing.
- Other rules – Other rules include the ability to double on any two cards or just on certain totals, how many times you can split if you can hit split aces and whether or not doubling down is allowed.
Betting Limits
Every casino, both online and land-based, sets its betting limits based on a number of factors.
Usually, casinos also have posted betting limits at their tables and real limits that they’re willing to use for true high rollers.
You probably won’t see a sign stating that a casino will accept a million dollar bet, but you can probably find some casinos that will. If you want to play at a higher limit in a land-based casino, you need to ask the dealer or the pit boss.
When you play online it can be harder to get the limits raised. You can contact the support department, but don’t count on it doing any good. As such, your best bet is to simply find a casino with high limits from the get-go.
Some of the highest live dealer blackjack limits can be found at European online casinos such as Guts Casino and RedBet Casino. They both offer the ability to wager up to $2,000 per hand. However, the highest one I’ve seen is the $10,000 per hand offered by Ladbrokes Casino.
But be aware, If you play just 50 hands per hour it means you’ll be betting approximately $100,000 per hour at $2,000 a hand, and $500,000 an hour at $10,000 a hand. So be careful when you start playing at the highest limits.
Software Providers of Live Blackjack with Real Dealers
Just like you can find online casinos that use software from a wide range of vendors, you can find live dealer blackjack games offered by many different software companies. The most popular live dealer companies are listed below with a short summary covering the games they offer. You can also find more details about each provider on our live blackjack comparison page
Evolution Gaming is one of the most well-known live gaming software providers. They currently offer four different blackjack games, including two different VIP tables. Some of the rules and options available on one or more of the four variations of Evolution Gaming blackjack include double on 9 to 11, double on any, private table, ability to hit split aces, ability to re-split hands and surrender, with some casinos offering side bets too.
Microgamingoffers a single live dealer option that is a 7 seat multiplayer game using an 8 deck shoe. The dealer stands on soft 17, players aren’t allowed to double after splitting, but can only double totals of 9, 10, and 11, and are allowed to hit split aces. Along with Evolution Gaming listed above, Microgaming is one of the two biggest and most popular live dealer options.
Playtechoffers five different live dealer blackjack games. Their standard game uses an 8 deck shoe, which has 7 seats and offers a Perfect Pairs side bet, allows players to split only once. There is the option to double on any two cards, and you can double down after splitting. They also offer a game called Ultimate Blackjack, which they once called Unlimited Blackjack. It’s dealt from an 8 deck shoe and is designed to offer play from one to as many players who want to join, as opposed to having a set number of players at the table.
Live Dealer Blackjack versus RNG
Other than the visual difference, playing against the computer or a live dealer is much the same. The rules are usually the same, the betting limits are usually the same and of course, how the game of blackjack is played doesn’t change.
When the computer or the software is running the game, it uses a random number generator program, often called an RNG, to determine which cards are played.
Each card in the shoe is assigned a unique number and these numbers are placed in a unique order for each shoe based on the RNG.
Here’s an example:
In a shoe that holds eight decks of cards, you’ll have 416 unique numbers. This is because 52 cards per deck times 8 decks equals 416. These can be numbered in order but can depend on the combination the software programmer decided to use, but it makes no difference to the odds anyway. However, usually, the ace of spades from the first deck is numbered 1, with the ace of spades from the second deck being number 52 and so on.
Before each hand, the RNG runs and places each of the 416 cards on a stack, which we think of as the shoe. As each random number is presented, the card matching that number is placed on the stack until all of the cards are on the stack. In the case where the same number is generated more than once, it is ignored until the next stack is built.
When the software starts dealing the hand the top card of the stack, it is either burnt or dealt to you. If the first card was burnt, then you receive the second card. The next card is dealt to the dealer and the deal continues as normal.
As you can see, this is almost exactly what happens when a shoe is manually shuffled by a dealer or a shuffling machine. The difference being that the RNG does a better job producing random shuffles than the dealer or machine.
So what’s the difference between playing using the RNG software and a live dealer game?
In the end, you won’t find much difference. Your results should be close to the same in the long run.
With both options, card counting doesn’t come into play. Read the section on card counting below or go here for more information.
The main difference is that you can play quite a few more hands per hour using the RNG software compared to playing live dealer blackjack.
It depends on what you desired outcome is, but playing live dealer play with the same bankroll, rules, and bets, will generally let you play longer on average than playing against the computer.
If you assume a house edge of 1%, 50 hands per hour at a live dealer table, 100 hands per hour at the computer table, and an average wager of $100 per hand, you’ll lose on average $50 per hour playing against a live dealer and $100 per hour playing against the computer.
One difference between the two experiences is while playing live dealer, you can play your favorite games play a game with the cards being dealt by a beautiful dealer, who’s usually female. This may be a positive or a negative depending on your preferences, but sometimes a bit of human interaction, even if it’s across the Internet using cameras, is a nice refreshing change to normal online gaming.
Another difference is when you play against the computer, it’s almost always you against the machine, one on one. Even if you’re able to place more than one bet, you’re just playing heads up against an invisible dealer.
Many live dealer blackjack games are set up more like traditional blackjack games with numerous places around the table for other players.
When you play at a table with other players you have to wait for them to act just like in a land-based casino. This can slow the game down a great deal and become irritating if one of the players is slow or has a poor Internet connection.
Ultimately, it is fair to say the pro’s of live dealer blackjack outweigh the cons, but really, it is all about personal preference.
Card Counting and Live Dealer Blackjack
Many blackjack players know that the only way to beat the game, in the long run, is to change the house odds in some way. The most common way for blackjack players to change the odds is to learn how to count cards.
Most blackjack games played online use a random number generator and the cards are basically shuffled after each hand. This makes it impossible to gain an edge by counting cards.
When you play on a live dealer blackjack game, as it looks just like a game you can play at your local casino, many players ask if it’s possible to gain an edge by counting the live dealer game online.
However, the short answer to these players is no.
We suppose it is theoretically possible to reduce the house edge by counting, but the reality is the casinos know counters exist and know that they can easily use computer programs to track the cards while playing at home. So, they’ve made their games in a way that means counters can’t beat them.
The main thing online live dealer casinos do to combat counters is to shuffle the cards more often. Most state they shuffle the cards as often as they deem necessary, while some state they shuffle after four decks have been dealt from an eight deck shoe.
This creates a level of deck penetration that makes it practically impossible to overcome by counting. In addition, you might not be able to tell when a new shoe is put into use, but this depends on how that specific table is laid out and how the camera angle is used in the different software solutions.
Free Live Dealer Blackjack
The best way to play blackjack is with real money, but some live casino sites may let you try their games for free. You’ll usually only be able to get a limited demonstration though.
Live casinos have a limited number of seats and resources, and they want them occupied and used by players who are playing for real money. Some casinos might do it, but the only way to know for sure if an online casino offers free live dealer blackjack is to log into your account and try to play.
If you’re just looking for free blackjack games, digital examples are out there and nearly almost every online casino offers free blackjack play on their non-live dealer games. However, you don’t get all the perks you do from a live blackjack game.
This is because live dealer games cost the online casinos more money to run than their normal games. The added cost of paying the dealers and support personnel, plus the expense of the cameras and streaming feeds all take away from the bottom line, casinos are businesses and they want to make money.
This is the main reason the casinos only want real money players at their live dealer games. Blackjack is traditionally a low house edge game anyway, so if they add the cost of offering the game for free, it reduces the edge further.
When an additional player is added to the normal blackjack games run by software, the extra expense is almost zero. The cost of the software and bandwidth has already been paid, so a casino has to have thousands of free players on the regular games before it costs them extra.
The casino knows that if they can get thousands of players to try their blackjack game for free, some of the players will make a deposit and play for real money, easily covering the small added expense.
Bitcoin Live Dealer Blackjack?
One of the recent fads in the online gambling world is the ability to use Bitcoin to play. While a few online casinos that exclusively use Bitcoin have been launched, many traditional online casinos have started accepting it along with their other deposit methods.
This means that if you want to play live dealer Bitcoin blackjack, it is now easier than ever and most also offer live dealer play.
Once you make a deposit, it doesn’t matter what method you used, as the gameplay will be the same. When the Bitcoin is deposited, it’s converted to the standard currency you play in. For example, If the site supports wagering in US dollars, then the Bitcoin is converted to dollars before you start playing.
If you want to play solely in bitcoin, the aptly named Bitstarz is an example of an online casino that exclusively accepts Bitcoins for deposits and offers live dealer blackjack in various formats.
Summary
Live dealer blackjack play isn’t for everyone, but it does offer a great alternative to traveling to your nearest casino to play a few hands. Plus, at online casinos, you can usually find better game selections, as well as always a free seat. It has much more to offer that it’s virtual counterpart, with a much more realistic and satisfying method of gameplay.
The latest development among new online casinos seems to be that many of them are now focusing first and foremost on live dealer casino, while other games come second, this is a natural development and something we have foreseen for a while.
There is sure to be some very exciting advances in live dealer blackjack in the near future, but in the meantime, we hope you enjoy playing it as it is as much as we do!
Live Dealer Blackjack FAQ
How Can I Play Live Blackjack Online?
Playing Live Blackjack online couldn’t be easier in this day and age. There are countless casinos online where you can play the game online, in great quality and in various different styles. Depending on where you are from, will depend on what live blackjack is available to you, but luckily, we have your back. You can find our top picks for online casino sites above, but we also have some pages dedicated to regions specific Live Casino Blackjack. As such, you can check out our US Friendly Blackjack Page, our Canada Blackjack Sites page or our European Blackjack Page, to find the best casinos for wherever you are from!
Can You Count Cards In Online Live Blackjack?
Although it may seem that in theory, as it looks just like the casinos that you play in a real life, that it is possible to count cards, it is actually not. As casinos are aware that players in their own home can use software to track the cards, they have put systems in place to prevent this from happening. The cards are shuffled far more regularly than in real life casinos, usually, after 1-4 decks have been played, so a full shoe is never played all the way through. You can learn more about card counting here!
Can You Play Blackjack For A Living?
It is possible to play Blackjack for a living, but we do not recommend quitting your day job just yet. It takes years of practice, a head for numbers and a fair bit of luck. There is, of course, numerous people who have made a living by it, but it is not easy and takes a lot of sacrifices to accomplish the goal. For us, we would always recommend playing for fun and winning a bit of cash on the side, rather than dedicating all your time to it and ALWAYS make sure you are betting within your means.
Can You Make a Living Playing Blackjack Online?
It is even harder to make a living from Blackjack online due to the fact that if you are playing Live Dealer Blackjack, the decks are shuffled much more regularly, and if you are playing virtually, then it is completely random. Although some people play Live Dealer Poker online for a living, Blackjack is much harder to do so with. Again, the same goes as for Blackjack for a living at all, don’t quit your day job just yet, as it will take a huge amount of skill and luck to become comfortable enough from playing online blackjack and you are best suited to do it for a bit of money on the side. Also, DON’T ever spend more than you can afford to lose under any circumstance, as this is even easier to do so online as it is much easier to get carried away from the comfort of your own home. You can read more here about playing for real money online!
Is Online Live Blackjack rigged?
It is incredibly unlikely that any type of online casino game is rigged, even less so the Live Blackjack games, as everything is recorded and streamed live, so there would always be evidence. There is also no need for casinos to do it due to the VERY high turnover they receive. There has been no recorded evidence that supports a casino doing anything untoward in the past, but if it did come to pass and they were caught, it would be all over the internet, the company would be sued, fined then shut down and those responsible would be prosecuted. There are various organizations in place that are specifically to prevent these things happen and if you think there is something afoot you can contact them to assist you. We also always recommend making sure that you only sign up at a reputable casino and which have all the necessary certifications on their page. Your best bet is to read casino reviews before signing up at any casino, our site is the perfect place to find a great casino and any casino you find on our page will be trustworthy and of the highest quality, you can find reviews here or read more about blackjack being rigged here!
Responsible Gambling
Gambling can be addictive and problem gambling can lead to other issues. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem you can get help. The first place to look for help is http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/
Signs of problem gambling include hiding your gambling activities from other people, gambling with money you can’t afford to lose, like your rent or house payment, and feelings of anxiety when you lose. Many other signs may be less noticeable. If you’re worried that you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please seek help immediately and research ways to spot possible gambling problems in yourself and others.
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Most online casinos offer a service that allows you to be placed on a list of players who have self-excluded themselves from playing. Contact the support department of any online casino where you’re considering playing for additional details about being placed on the excluded list.
You can learn more about responsible gambling and how to set your limits when playing live online blackjack at GambleAware.co.uk.
Last updated on the 20th August 2019
If you've ever played blackjack online before, I think you'd agree that you're always wondering:
Is this game rigged?
How different is this compared to playing at the casino?
Well online casinos have heard your thoughts and have come up with a solution to ease your concerns by providing a much moretransparent and real experience to substitute that annoying RNG dealer.
Live blackjack dealers.
Live Dealer Blackjack Free
In this article we're going to look at how live blackjack works, how they compare to RNG blackjack and where you can playsafely for real money.
Live Dealer Blackjack Sites
Live Blackjack for US Players
Bovada
As seen in our complete review of Bovada, they are the most recommended casino for US players due totheir longstanding reputation.
They currently use Visionary iGaming software to power their live dealers which has a decent selection of live games as wellas mobile compatibility.
BetOnline
While we didn't review them as high as Bovada, BetOnline are a decent alternative and utilize the exactsame software (Visionary iGaming). Established since 2004, their reputation took a hit in 2017 but they have bounced back strong and have provided a great service ever since.
Their live blackjack options include:
SportsBetting.ag
While not as well known as the above two options, SportsBetting.ag is a sister site to BetOnline and offers the exact sameservice but with a different skin/layout.
Their live blackjack options include:
Is Live Blackjack Legal in the US?
Live Blackjack for UK Players
888 Casino
One of the most reputable brands in UK since 1997, 888 casino uses Evolution Gaming software to power it's live dealers which allows them toprovide an impressive 50+ blackjack tables.
888 also provide private blackjack tables to assure that no matter how busy their site is, there is always a table to playlive blackjack on.
Their tables include:
Casino Cruise
A relatively new casino to the industry (established since 2014), we have decided to list them here because they have builtquite the reputation for providing a great all around service.
They primariy use Evolution Gaming software to power their live dealer games however they also use Net Entertainment as wellto add more diversity to their live dealer gaming catalogue
Their live blackjack options include:
Live Blackjack for Canadians
888 Casino
One of the most reputable global online casino brands, their presence in Canada certainly doesn't fall short from high expectations. 888 casino uses Evolution Gaming software to power it's live dealers which allows them toprovide an impressive 50+ blackjack tables.
888 also provide private blackjack tables to assure that no matter how busy their site is, there is always a table to playlive blackjack on.
Their tables include:
Mr Green Casino
Mr Green Casino is fast becoming one of the most popular live blackjack destinations for Canadian gamblers. Their slick and modern interface makes for a very seamless experience with a combination of multiple software providers bringing a large diversity of games.
Their live blackjack options are powered by both Evolution Gaming and Net Entertainment to bring the best experience possible for it's customers
Their live blackjack options include:
Play Blackjack For Free
Is Live Blackjack Legal in the Canada?
Live Blackjack for Aussies
BitStarz
BitStarz uses Evolution Gaming software and provides a great diversity of blackjack tables in a variety of betting ranges.Boasting over 50 tables for live blackjack alone, they also have live dealers for Baccarat, Roulette, Pokerand various other novelty games. Their live dealer experience is top notch and they also have a if you wantto try Their customer support is impeccable
Their live blackjack options include:
Joe Fortune
While not as entertaining as BitStarz, Joe Fortune provides an alternative live dealer experience targeted towards the limitedAustralian Market. Powered by Bodog software, they offer 19 different live blackjack tables of varying bettingranges as well as Roullette and Baccarat.
Their live blackjack options include:
How Does Live Blackjack Work?
The latest evolution of online casino gaming allows you to play blackjack against a real physical dealer which you can seeover a live video stream in real time.
So just like visiting the local casino, the live action thrill is much more present as you can chat and interact with not only the dealer, but otherplayers and viewers on the table.
All of this is provided to you through a live stream on your desktop or mobile device however the dealer, and any other playerswill NOT be able to see you which should ease any privacy concerns.
All of the actions the dealer makes are visible and as he/she deals the cards, you will prompted on your screen on what optionsto take. This is achieved through microchips that are attached to each card so the software knows what the valuesare and can track your chosen actions accordingly.
RNG Blackjack vs Live Blackjack
RNG Blackjack
RNG (Random Number Generated) blackjack are the standard computerised games that are found at all online casinos.
These are powered by software that perform intricate mathematical algorithms to simulate the shuffling of multiple cardsso that the result is a fair system that mimics playing with actual cards.
The benefits of playing RNG blackjack is that you can play at a much faster pace (or slower if you prefer) than normal andmost online casinos offer a multitude of variations to choose from.
Now is it possible for these type of games to be rigged? Absolutely. This is why we list reputable online casinos only on blackjackinfo where their games are audited by third parties to ensure fairness.However, the live blackjack option certainly does give more comfort because you can visually see the cards beingdealt by a human dealer
Live Blackjack
Live dealer blackjack allows you to play against a human dealer in real time so there is no RNG used. The gamingexperience is much more realistic as you can interact with the dealer and other players on the table through alive chat function.
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The negative aspect of live blackjack is that you can't decide how fast/slow a pace you want to play because there are otherplayers on the table waiting for you to make a decision. Each casino will have some sort of visual indicator toshow you how much time you have remaining to make a decision. If time expires then the lack of response is interpretedas a stand.
Also note that streaming the live feed of the dealer requires a lot of data so be sure to have a stable and fast internetconnection or it may turn out to be a more frustrating experience instead.
Live Blackjack Variations
Just like in normal RNG online blackjack, the type of live blackjack variation and rules offered depends on the softwareprovider the casino chooses to use.
Live Blackjack Software Compared
| Playtech Live Gaming | Evolution Gaming | Net Entertainment | Extreme Live Gaming | Visionary iGaming | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tables | 100+ | 100+ | 10+ | 20+ | 20+ |
| Blackjack Pays | 3:2 | 3:2 | 3:2 | 3:2 | 3:2 |
| Decks | 8 | 8 | 6 (Mid-shoe machine reshuffle) | 8 | 6 (Shuffle Master i-Shoe) |
| Dealer Hits Soft 17 | |||||
| Double | Any 2 | Any 2 | Any 2 | Any 2 | Any 2 |
| Double After Split | |||||
| Hit After Splitting Aces | |||||
| Resplit Allowed | |||||
| Surrender Allowed | |||||
| Insurance Offered | |||||
| House Edge | 0.48% | 0.73% | 0.44% | 0.62% | 0.69% |
| Min. & Max. Bet Range | £/$5-£/$20k | £/$3 - £/$20k | £/$5 - £/$10k | £/$5 - £/$10k | $0.50 - $2.5k(early payout tables) $5 - $100(Blackjack HD & American Blackjack) |
| Languages | English Russian French Spanish Italian Romanian Mexican-Spanish Mandarin | English Danish Swedish German Flemish Finnish Norwegian French Spanish | English German Dutch Italian Norwegian | English Italian German | English Spanish |
| Studio Locations | Spain Belgium Latvia Philippines Romania | Live studios: Malta Latvia Romania Canada Land Based Casino Stream Locations: Belgium Spain USA | Malta | London Gibraltar | San Jose Costa Rica |
Let's go over a few of the popular providers so you can see the difference
Visionary iGaming
Here are the rules for the regular table :· Blackjack pays 3:2
· Dealer hits on soft seventeen
· Peek
· Late surrender
· Double any two cards
· Play of multiple hands is allowed
The house edge for this game is 0.58%. While late surrender and the ability to double after you split are nice, the dealer choosing to hit on soft seventeen is a significant disadvantage for the player.
There is also the option to back bet behind other players, but this is generally not recommended because if they make a poor decision you are stuck with their choice.
'>Blackjack
However unlike most other blackjack unlimited implementations, the player’s options are slightly limited as you are unable to take more cards than basic strategy dictates. So you are allowed to stay when basic strategy urges a hit, but you are not allowed to hit when basic strategy tells you to stay.
This version is called early payout because you also have the option to exit the hand prematurely and get paid a certain amount. Presumably the payout option is always less than the expectation of the hand and the player should refrain from taking it, although if the payout is close to expectation it is possible that some hands (stiffs for example) might eventually become worth less than the payout at higher counts.
Compared to other online live dealer games, the Early Payout game allows players to play a lot of hands per hour. You can play three hands simultaneously, and you get in significantly more rounds per hour as well.
The rules are as follows:
- Total Decks – 6
- No Peek
- Deal Hits on Soft 17
- No resplitting allowed
- Double on any 2 cards
- Insurance pays 2:1
The house edge of this blackjack variation comes to about 0.69%
'>Early Payout Blackjack
Visionary iGaming is the only software provider that powers the live dealer games of all US casinos and interestingly usesonly 6 decks as opposed to the usual 8 seen in other providers.
They have two variatons called Normal and Early Payout which also allow for Side Bets which can make things interesting.You can read more about Visionary iGaming here. They have a house edge of around 0.58% (RTP 94.2%) for their regular tables.
Evolution Gaming
The rules are as follows:- Uses classic seven seat tables
- Cards are dealt from an 8 deck shoe
- Shoe is manually shuffled (around halfway through)
- US style deal (dealer cards are one face down, one face up)
- Dealer must stand on all 17’s
- Doubling after splitting is permitted
- Doubling any two cards is permitted
- No hit on split Aces (one card per Ace only)
- Re-splitting is not permitted
- Insurance is available
- Bet Behind is available
- Side bets available: 21+3, Perfect Pairs
With these rules in mind, the house edge comes out to be 0.73%. The 21+3 side bet house edge is 6.29% and the Pairs side bet house edge is 4.10%. They also provide a feature called pre-decision where you can, similarly to poker, make a decision while waiting for your turn to speed things up.
'>Blackjack
These are generally low stakes (£0.50 – £25) tables with 7 seats available although an unlimited amount of viewers are allowed to bet behind any player they choose.
'>Blackjack Party
My personal favourite, Evolution Gaming has live dealer studios based in Latvia and are known for providing highly energeticand entertaining dealers. Their platform was built specifically to provide casinos with live dealer games.
While Blackjackinfo is filled with information about strategy, sometimes all you want is fun and Evolution Gaming poweredcasinos are the best at providing an entertaining live blackjack experience.
They use 8 decks and have a house edge of about 0.73% (RTP 99.27%) with the options for side bets called Perfect Pairs and21 + 3. You can read more details about their rules and variations in our complete review here.
Playtech
Streaming directly out of Playtech’s Riga studio, Playtech Grand Blackjack, along with Playtech Royale Blackjack uses the US style of blackjack deal. Grand Blackjack is available 24/7 and is a multiplayer 7 seat game.Playtech Grand Blackjack rules include:
- Uses an 8 deck shoe
- Dealer must stand on all 17’s
- Double after split is permitted
- Doubling any two cards is permitted
- Hitting on split Aces is not permitted
- Re-splits are not permitted
- Insurance is available
- Side bets on offer include: 21+3 and Perfect Pairs
- Bet behind is available
- 10 Card Charlie applies
- House edge: 0.48578%
Grand Blackjack
Playtech Blackjack VIP rules include:
- Uses an 8 deck shoe
- European style of blackjack deal
- Dealer must stand on all 17’s
- Doubling after split is permitted
- Doubling any two cards is permitted
- Hitting on split Aces is permitted
- Re-splits are not permitted
- Insurance is available
- 10 Card Charlie applies
- Bet behind is available
- House edge: 0.29593%
Blackjack VIP
Playtech Lounge Blackjack rules include:
- Uses an 8 deck shoe
- Dealer must stand on all 17’s
- Doubling after split is permitted
- Doubling any two cards is permitted
- Hitting on split Aces is not permitted
- Re-splits are not permitted
- Insurance is offered
- Side bets are offered including: 21+3 and Perfect Pairs
- 10 Card Charlie applies
- Bet behind is available
- House edge: 0.48768%
Lounge Blackjack
Playtech Blackjack Soho rules include:
- Uses an 8 deck shoe
- Dealer must stand on all 17’s
- Doubling after split is permitted
- Doubling any two cards is permitted
- Hitting on split Aces is not permitted
- Re-splits are not permitted
- Side bets offered including: 21+3
- Bet behind available Player Pair, Dealer pair, 21+3
- House edge: 0.48578%
Blackjack Soho
Playtech Blackjack Soiree rules include:
Live Blackjack Games Free To Play
- Uses an 8 deck shoe
- Minimum bet is set at £/€/$50
- Maximum bet is set at £/€/$10,000
- Dealer window is 30 minutes
- Players can request a new dealer after 30 minutes or keep the same dealer
- Players can request a shoe change via the dedicated Playtech Blackjack Soiree Host
- Players can request the shoe be reshuffled
- Side bets are available including 21+3 and Perfect Pairs
- Insurance is available
- Blackjack pays 3:2
- Multi seat
- Bet behind available
- US style of blackjack deal
Soriee Blackjack
Playtech Royale Blackjack rules include:
- Uses an 8 deck shoe
- American dealing style
- Multi-seat
- Bet behind available
- Blackjack pays out 3:2
- Insurance pays out 2:1
- Side bets available including 21+3 and Perfect Pair
- Dealer must stand on all 17’s
- Doubling any two cards is permitted
- Insurance is available
- House edge: 0.48578%
Royale Blackjack
Playtech Transylvania Blackjack rules include:
- Uses an 8 deck shoe
- Dealer must stand on all 17’s
- Doubling after split is permitted
- Doubling any two cards is permitted
- Hitting on split Aces is not permitted
- Re-splits are not permitted
- Insurance is offered
- Side bets are offered including: 21+3 and Perfect Pairs
- 10 Card Charlie applies
- European betting style
- Bet behind is available
- House edge: 0.48768%
Transylvania Blackjack
- The game automatically splits certain hands
- In the case of a split, you have the option to split or to fold
- If you fold your bet will be returned to you minus 20%
Additional rules in Playtech Unlimited Blackjack:
- Dealer draws until 16 and always stands on any 17
- Re-splitting is not permitted
- Only one extra card is drawn for split Aces
- Doubling after splitting is permitted
- Dealer does not check for blackjack in any case
- When doubling: If the dealer gets blackjack, you lose both your bets if the dealers first card is of 11 value (ace).
- You get your double bet back if the dealer fist card is value 10 (dealer gets blackjack)
Unlimited Blackjack
Playtech have been a software provider for online casinos since 1999 and have rapidly expanded their catalogue to includelive dealers.
To stand out from it's competitors, Playtech look to be the first in implementing live blackjack dealers for specific languages.They currently have a staggering 500 dealers who are well trained and cater to audiences from the UK, Italy, Spainand Romania.
They have several blackjack variations but their regular tables use 8 decks with the option to sidebet on Perfect Pairs.
Sparing no expense, Playtech built a large studio of 8,500 square metres in Latvia back in February 2017 and have clearlyset their goal to be the leader in the live dealer space.
Extreme Live Gaming
Extreme Live Gaming Blackjack rules are as follows:- Uses an 8 deck shoe
- Vegas rules apply (2 cards for dealer)
- Dealer offers insurance on ace up card before checking for blackjack
- Insurance pays 2:1
- Blackjack pays 3:2
- Tied blackjack is pushed
- Dealer must stand on all 17s
- Players can split pairs
- Split pairs can get unlimited cards
- Split Aces can only get one card each
- Any pair may be re-split
- Aces can only be split once
- Players can split any two cards of the same rank
- Double down on any first two cards
- Doubling down not permitted after split
The house edge comes to 0.62%
'>Blackjack
Founded in 2013, Extreme Live Gaming has a studio based in London and offers live blackjack with 8 decks similarly to otherproviders.
What sets them apart however is their 'LiveBox' product which streams a feed from an actual land based casino where you canplace bets alongside people inside the venue itself.
Unfortunately this is only available for their roulette games but it will be interesting if they ever provide this experiencefor blackjack at some stage
Ezugi
This is the classic blackjack that is utilized at most online casinos using Ezugi and has tables with various betting ranges from €10 – €1,000, €20 – €2,000 and €50 – €5,000. The house edge with the most optimal strategy is at a very low 0.11% due to the early surrender option that is rarely seen anywhere.- Dealer stands on soft 17
- Early surrender against ace available
- Eight decks
- Dealer peeks for blackjack with aces
- Doubles possible on any two cards.
- Doubles after a split is possible
- Re-splitting not allowed
- Back betting is allowed
- Insurance for blackjack is available
Extra Features:
- 21+3 Side Bets
- Perfect Pair Side Bets
- Bet Behind
American Blackjack
The rules for Ezugi’s European Blackjack are as follows:
- Dealer stands on soft 17
- Early surrender against ace available
- Six decks
- Dealer peeks for blackjack with aces
- Doubles only possible on hard 9, 10, & 11
- Doubles after a split is possible
- Insurance for Blackjack is available
Extra Features:
- 21+3 Side Bets
- Perfect Pair Side Bets
- Bet Behind
European Blackjack
This does have a minor 0.05% increase in the house edge bringing the house edge of Hybrid Blackjack to 0.59% assuming that you employ basic strategy. Unlike Blackjack Unlimited, where there is only one hand played, with Hybrid Blackjack you have a full table but players can bet on existing spots and control their hand’s destiny without being forced to follow the decisions of the spot holder.
'>Hybrid Blackjack
Despite the fact that everyone is playing the same hand, people are allowed to play their own hand how they want it and if they choose to stay while someone else chooses to hit that card does not affect them. The rules for Ezugi’s Blackjack Unlimited are as follows
- Dealer Stands on Soft Seventeen
- Double After Split Allowed
- One Card Only to Split Aces
- Eight Decks
- Double Any Two Cards
- European No Hole Card
- No Surrender
- Blackjack Pays 3:2
- Insurance available
Extra Features:
- 21+3 Side Bets
- Perfect Pair Side Bets
- Bet Behind
One advantage to the Blackjack Unlimited variant is the game speed. Because there is only one hand to play rounds are significantly faster than at a normal table. Unfortunately, they do cut off what appears to be three decks out of eight.
The documentation suggests a house edge of 0.43%, which is not accurate unless the dealer peeks for blackjack. Assuming you can resplit to four hands and the game is played with the European No Hole Card rule the house edge is actually 0.54%
The house edge on the Perfect Pair side bet is 4.1% and 6.29% for the 21+3 side bet.
'>Unlimited 21 Blackjack – Auto Split
Offering a variety of different themed tables, Ezugi has some great options when it comes to live blackjack.
In fact, they are one of the only providers who offer the early surrender option which can be found in any of their American Blackjack tables with a very low 0.11% house edge
You can read more about Ezugi and their catalogue of games here
Is Live Blackjack Rigged?
Considering all actions the dealer makes is visible to multiple players/viewers, it would be extremely difficult for a casinoto rig blackjack.
HOWEVER:
Having said that there was an incident that went viral in February 2017 where video footage of a dealer dealing cards in a peculiar mannerlead many to believe BetOnline was intentionally cheating.
There is no concrete evidence that this was either an accident made by the dealer or purposeful second dealing. It does makeyou wonder though, since it's so easy to record video footage of gameplay, why would a casino even attempt to rigtheir games in a manner like this?
Live Blackjack FAQ
No. While they all practically offer the normal RNG style blackjack, it takes a lot of resourcesto provide a solution for live blackjack so many of the smaller casinos are unable to provide it
No. Casinos have shuffle policies in place to avoid players gaining any advantage through card counting. Blackjackapprenceship.com has a great article about this as to why it's not effective
Yes. Although the interface can get a little bit annoying on a small screen, there are several casinosthat do provide live blackjack solutions for mobile
If you've ever been curious where twitch streamer sodapoppin plays, he plays at BetOnline which is a US casino brand.
While there is no definitive winning strategy, you can still apply our basic blackjack strategy charts to avoid any mistakes.