A Guide to Live Blackjack in 2022

The Rules of Blackjack

The majority of blackjack games tend to follow the same standard rules. The player plays against the dealer with the use of at least one deck of cards. To win, the player must try to get 21 – or as close to 21 as possible – to beat the dealer’s hand without going bust. Whenever the player or dealer exceeds 21, their hand goes bust, which means it automatically loses.

To start a round, the dealer will serve two face-up cards to the player and take a face-up and facedown card themselves. The player’s face-up cards combine to determine the hand’s value. Each number card is worth its face value. As for the picture cards (Jack, Queen and King), they all are worth 10. Every Ace in Blackjack can be worth either 1 or 11. Thus, in order to form Blackjack (the strongest hand in the game), the player is required to link an Ace with either a picture card or 10. Blackjack beats all other hands, unless the dealer also has blackjack, in which case, the round ends as a push (bets are returned).

After the player receives their two face-up cards, they will have the choice to take an action. The actions that the player can take include standing, hitting, doubling down, splitting and surrendering. That means the following:

• Hit – the player decides to take on another card. The player can continue to hit as many times as they like but must be cautious not to exceed 21.
• Stand – the player is happy with their hand and does not want to add any additional cards to it.
• Double Down – the player decides to double their bet and take on a single additional card. After receiving it, the player automatically stands.
• Split – the player decides to split their hand – provided that their two cards have equal value. In doing so, the player doubles their bet and plays their split cards as two separate hands.
• Insurance – the player decides to place an insurance bet, which costs half of their stake and pays 2:1. The player can only place this if the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace. The player wins if the dealer reveals Blackjack.

With these basic rules, you should be able to play the majority of live blackjack games on the net. Blackjack has many variants, so you are likely to find games with slight differences in certain rules. For instance, different live dealer blackjack games will use a variable number of decks, pay differently, have their own rules on splitting and doubling down and so on. Thus, it is advised to take a look at the rules of the blackjack game before you start playing for real money.

Live Blackjack Payouts

There are many different live dealer blackjack games that with have their own values for payouts. However, in standard blackjack games, the payouts follow a strict protocol. Typically, a standard win (beating the dealer’s hand), pays even money. As mentioned before, Insurance bets pays 2:1. Whenever a player lands Blackjack, the payout is 3:2. This may vary from one live blackjack game to another, but that is the standard form of payouts.

The Live Blackjack Experience

Ever since online gambling sites introduced Live Casino, players have found live table games extremely attractive. The idea behind live dealer games is to give the player the full casino-like experience whilst playing online. Live Casino is streamed using HD cameras and a professional dealer to provide a smooth gameplay.

A large portion of players enjoy blackjack as the game is not based on luck alone. Players can influence the outcome of each round. In roulette, for instance, the ball lands on a coloured number completely by luck. In blackjack, a player can choose to hit, stand, double down or split, giving them the power to affect the outcome of a game. When using basic blackjack strategy charts, players increase their chances of winning by following a strategy that is based on mathematical statistics.

Live Blackjack Games

As mentioned before, there are many different variants when playing live blackjack. Due to its popularity, blackjack has been developed into many different games with alternative rules, numbers of cards used, payouts and more. The basics of blackjack – beating the dealer’s hand and not exceeding 21 – remains the same for most games.

To paint a picture, we have selected three separate live dealer blackjack games. Below, you can catch up on how these games differ and why live blackjack is one of the most popular forms of the table game to play.

Live Infinite Blackjack

One of the most popular live blackjack games is Live Infinite Blackjack. Unlike most RNG blackjack games, or blackjack played inside a casino, Live Infinite Blackjack stands out because it allows an unlimited number of players to join a single table.

Most blackjack tables allow up to seven players to join a table. However, in Live Infinite Blackjack, all players are welcome to join. Each player receives the same identical cards. The dealer proceeds to play out the round, with each player choosing how they will play the hand. One of the most appealing things about Live Infinite Blackjack is that you can rest assured that there is always a place for you at the table to join.

Live Blackjack Party

Live Blackjack Party is one of the most enjoyable seven-seat table games in the Live Casino. Not only do you get to enjoy the thrill of the card game, but the table is a social hub as well. There are two live dealers, who discuss news, gossip, general topics and much more. One evening, you could be playing and discussing the queen’s speech. Another day, the topic could be Mexican food. When playing Live Blackjack Party, you enjoy conversation as well as excitement. It is the super interactive way of playing blackjack online with a bit of conversation.

VIP Live Blackjack

VIP Live Blackjack is the game to play if you enjoy blackjack and the luxurious presentation of a casino. As the name suggests, VIP Live Blackjack is for players that enjoy beautiful scenery and placing high stake bets. Standard blackjack tends to have either a red or blue basic background. VIP Blackjack is usually set in the lobby of a casino, with art nouveau and other artistic architectural structures in the background.

Blackjack Strategies

In order to win a live blackjack, using basic strategy will drastically improve your chances. Learning blackjack strategy is not too difficult, especially if you are using strategy charts. Strategy charts will tell you exactly what action to take depending on your two initial cards and the dealer’s face-up card.

When a round commences, the dealer will serve two face-up cards to you and take a face-up card and face-down card themselves. Usually, it is advised to expect the face-down card as being a 10-value card. Depending on what you are dealt, blackjack strategy will tell you to either hit, stand, double down or split.

Using blackjack strategy charts is not cheating. In fact, in some land-based casinos, they give handouts of the charts. The only thing to consider is that the strategy charts will vary from one game to another.

Gamble Responsibly

Playing blackjack online is only enjoyable when you win cash. However, as all seasoned players know, you are not going to end up a winner every single time. It is important to know how to gamble responsibly. The best way of doing this is to set a bankroll and stick to that budget to avoid spending more than you can afford. That way, if you do end up losing, at least you will have only lost the amount that you set aside for playing with.

Closing Remarks

To play Live Blackjack, it is advised to sit at a table first and look at the rules that the table has. Once you know how to play the blackjack game, it will be easier to keep track of your wins and losses. Live Blackjack is the ultimate go-to for blackjack players that enjoy playing from home but want to experience the casino-like feel.