on

In fact, people played blackjack with a live dealer as early as the 17th century and it was popular in all gaming halls in Europe. However, live online blackjack appeared relatively recently but has already won worldwide recognition. As in a land-based casino, the game is managed by a professional croupier, not a random number generator. Like its blackjack counterpart, Live Dealer Baccarat is spread over a real felt. It uses physical playing cards to determine game outcomes. Using the standard 5 percent commission rule, the house edge for winning banker bets is just 1.06 percent. For player wins, it’s 1.24 percent. There are plenty of blackjack variations to choose from. The most popular ones are: European Blackjack, Spanish 21, Blackjack Switch, Pontoon, Face-Up 21, Blackjack Surrender, and so on. In addition, there are live dealer games where you have to compete against the real croupier. Benefits of Live Dealer Blackjack. The live dealer blackjack experience has completely changed the way that online blackjack is played, and the general consensus is that players really enjoy this new delivery method. There are some significant benefits to playing the game with a real dealer, and we will have a look at some of the top benefits here.

Live dealer blackjack Any live casino worth playing at will have a range of live blackjack tables to choose from. It’s a table game favourite of most players after all. When you play a game of live blackjack you are playing physical cards, dealt by a real human dealer.

Online blackjack has been available for over a quarter century. It has long provided the ability to play this game without leaving the house.

Of course, internet blackjack isn’t the only way to enjoy hands from home. Live-dealer blackjack also allows you to log hands through your smartphone or computer.

The live version offers the added advantage of bringing the brick-and-mortar casino into your living room. Therefore, you get the best of both worlds: convenience and a live atmosphere.

Given the benefits of live blackjack, it’s worth pondering if this variation will make traditional online real money blackjack go extinct.

This page discusses more on live-dealer blackjack, why it’s popular, and if its growing popularity will ever completely end the online version.

The Basics of Live Dealer Blackjack

Live-dealer blackjack features some of the same characteristics as the traditional internet version. It lets you play online and features virtual chips and betting options.

However, live blackjack also presents distinct differences from standard online play. First off, it includes a human dealer, real cards, and a real table. All of these elements make the live dealer version feel as if you’re playing in a land-based casino.

Of course, the action is merely being streamed to you from a casino studio. Nevertheless, you’ll feel more like you’re in a brick-and-mortar setting than if you were to just play virtual blackjack.

Live Blackjack Dealer

The social element is another unique aspect about live-dealer blackjack. You actually get to chat with the dealer via the provided box.

You simply type in whatever you want to communicate to the dealer. Assuming your question/comment is appropriate, the dealer will respond verbally.

Finally, live blackjack has limited seating. Each table only seats seven players—just like in a brick-and-mortar casino.

However, many live gaming sites offer a feature called bet behind. The latter allows you to wager on a seated player’s action if enough seats aren’t available.

How Popular Is Live Blackjack?

Live-dealer gaming experienced a slow start when it launched in the mid-2000s. Now, however, it’s definitely one of the most-popular ways to gamble online.

You can enjoy a large variety of live casino games, including baccarat, Caribbean stud, European roulette, three-card poker, and more. Of course, live blackjack is at the top of the list.

More people play blackjack than any other live-dealer casino game. They appreciate the combination of blackjack’s skill level, the online convenience, and a live atmosphere.

This game is so popular that you may have trouble finding an open table when visiting a live-dealer casino. At this point, you’ll either need to visit a different site or use the bet behind option.

Of course, slots still rule online gaming world. But live blackjack has definitely earned its place among the popular internet games.

Why Is Live Dealer Blackjack So Popular?

Live-dealer blackjack has gained favor with players for plenty of reasons. Most notably, it provides a different experience than what’s available with traditional online blackjack. Regarding the latter, you’re dealing with a virtual table, cards, chips, and atmosphere.

Additionally, software deals the games. You don’t get a chance to see a human dealer handle the cards and chat with you.

Live blackjack also features an atmospheric advantage over the internet version. It actually takes place in a brick-and-mortar studio rather than through a virtual setup.

The live-dealer variation includes a social element that isn’t normally available with online gaming. You can chat with the dealer at any time about a number of subjects.

Live blackjack also offers far more convenience than brick-and-mortar casinos. You get the land-based experience without having to drive or fly to the nearest casino.

Live Dealer vs. Online Blackjack

Online and live-dealer blackjack have one major similarity in that they both take place online. As you’ll see below, though, they feature notable differences when compared each other.

Live Blackjack Offers More Atmosphere

Game developers do their best to make virtual blackjack look like the real deal. They use high-quality graphics to create a detailed blackjack scene.

But no matter how polished the graphics, you’ll always feel like you’re playing virtual blackjack. The latter just can’t replicate what’s available through the live dealer variation.

When playing live blackjack, you’re looking at a real table and cards. You may also see a casino studio in the background that includes multiple tables and dealers.

Online Blackjack Features Smaller Minimum Bets (On Average)

You only need to bet $1 to play traditional online blackjack. Gaming sites don’t have to pay dealers to run these tables, meaning they can operate virtual blackjack for next to nothing.

Live blackjack games, on the other hand, cost more to run. They do rely on a dealer and are thus more expensive on the casino’s part.

That said, operators may require anywhere from a $1 to $5 minimum wager. The latter still isn’t bad compared to land-based casinos, but it’s more than some internet players want to risk.

The Live Version Lets You Chat With the Dealer

The big knock against traditional online blackjack is that it doesn’t offer any social elements. With the traditional internet version, you’re merely playing games by yourself against a software-generated dealer.

Of course, online blackjack has always been about convenience more than anything else. But sometimes, you may feel like getting social aspects out of your online experience.

Here’s where live-dealer blackjack gains value. It allows you to chat with the croupier and even comment to fellow players through the chat box.

Internet Blackjack Lets You Control the Game Speed

You don’t have all day to make decisions in live-dealer blackjack. Instead, each casino gives you a limited amount of seconds to place bets and make decisions.

If you go over the timer during a betting round, then you’ll be forced to sit out a hand. Basically, you have no control over the game’s speed.

Virtual online blackjack differs by giving you all day to decide on hands and bets. Therefore, you never need to hurry when making decisions. Furthermore, you can take lengthy breaks before or in the middle of hands.

The Live Game Has Limited Seating

In a live blackjack game, the dealer needs to physically deal the cards. The seating is limited so that dealers don’t have to deal countless hands in each round.

A live-dealer blackjack table features up to seven seats. Once the seats are filled, you’ll need to find a different table.

Online blackjack, in contrast, doesn’t have limited seating. Instead, it can run as many games as the casino’s servers can handle.

Online Blackjack Games Are Always Open

Some live-dealer casinos run 24 hours a day. However, other live studios shut down during non-peak hours to save on paying dealer salaries.

You don’t ever need to worry about internet blackjack tables shutting down, though. After all, online blackjack is available 24/7 no matter the situation.

The only time that internet casinos close down is if they experience some kind of technical difficulty. Given that this is rare for most gaming sites, you shouldn’t ever have any trouble finding a quality online game.

Will Live Blackjack Be the Only Online Version Someday?

You can see that there are plenty of advantages to live dealer blackjack. This version offers human interaction, real tables/cards, and an atmosphere that can’t be beat by internet blackjack.

Given all of this, it’s no surprise why live blackjack continues gaining popularity with each passing year.

But will it completely eliminate the need for standard online blackjack?

I can’t see this being the case anytime soon—if ever. Internet blackjack brings its own benefits to the table, including low stakes, 24/7 availability, and complete control over the action.

The latter is very important if you like taking frequent breaks. It’s also crucial when you feel like playing at your own pace rather than what the dealer dictates.

Traditional online blackjack will always maintain a place in the gaming industry. It appeals to a certain type of player who values control and cheap stakes over a social atmosphere.

Conclusion

Assuming you haven’t played live blackjack, then you should definitely consider giving it a try. This is especially true if you enjoy playing in land-based venues, yet can’t always make the trip to a local casino.

Live-dealer blackjack provides unique advantages that set it apart from the standard online version. It brings the brick-and-mortar casino to your phone without any traveling involved.

That said, live blackjack delivers a special quality to the gaming world. Nevertheless, it won’t obliterate online blackjack any time soon.

The latter plays a definite role at gaming sites thanks to its low minimum bets, laidback atmosphere, and lack of a timer on decisions. That said, you’ll have the chance to enjoy both live dealer and online blackjack for years to come.

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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.

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

Play Now
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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?

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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:

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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:

Is Live Blackjack Legal in the Canada?

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Live blackjack dealer cheating
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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:

Play Now
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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.

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 GamingEvolution GamingNet EntertainmentExtreme Live GamingVisionary iGaming
Tables100+100+10+20+20+
Blackjack Pays3:23:23:23:23:2
Decks886 (Mid-shoe machine reshuffle)86 (Shuffle Master i-Shoe)
Dealer Hits Soft 17
DoubleAny 2Any 2Any 2Any 2Any 2
Double After Split
Hit After Splitting Aces
Resplit Allowed
Surrender Allowed
Insurance Offered
House Edge0.48%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)
LanguagesEnglish
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 LocationsSpain
Belgium
Latvia
Philippines
Romania
Live studios:
Malta
Latvia
Romania
Canada
Land Based Casino Stream Locations:
Belgium
Spain
USA
MaltaLondon
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
BetConstruct(Blackjack) · Peek
· Late surrender
· Double any two cards
Can Online Casinos Rig Live Dealer Blackjack Games? · 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.

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Visionary iGaming

Blackjack

The early payout game is a ‘Blackjack Unlimited’ variant, where an unlimited number of players can bet on three hands at once. The main difference in this variation is that the process of playing the hand is semi-automated in that it follows the basic strategy for playing (although you can choose to opt against it if you like.

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%

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Visionary iGaming

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.

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Evolution Gaming

Blackjack

Blackjack Party has the same rules as regular blackjack however the presentation is more like a TV set with a dealer and a co-host creating a much more lively experience. This dynamic, along with the pumping music and bubbly chat makes for a chilled and fun environment.

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.

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Evolution Gaming

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%
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Playtech

Grand Blackjack

Playtech VIP live blackjack offers blackjack players higher limits than the regular or lounge Playtech blackjack tables do. Currently only available during peak times, Playtech Blackjack VIP is a 7 seat multiplayer live blackjack game.

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%
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Playtech

Blackjack VIP

Streaming directly from Playtech’s European studios, Playtech Lounge Blackjack offers lower limits as well as the choice between US or European style of blackjack deal. Playtech Lounge Blackjack is a 7 seater multiplayer table and is available 24/7.

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%
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Playtech

Lounge Blackjack

Select Playtech blackjack games that are now streamed from Playtech’s live studio in Romania are presented as Playtech Blackjack Soho. The Playtech Blackjack Soho tables are new for 2018 and are available 24/7 as 7 seater multiplayer options.

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%
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Playtech

Blackjack Soho

Playtech Blackjack Soiree is aimed more at high rollers but with a low enough minimum bet to make it accessible to players looking for a slightly richer game than standard Playtech’s standard blackjack games. While many of the basic rules stay in line with Playtech’s standard live blackjack rules, there are some interesting variations here that may interest experience blackjack players in particular.

Playtech Blackjack Soiree rules include:

  • 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
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Playtech

Soriee Blackjack

Playtech’s Royale Blackjack is another new live dealer blackjack variation aimed at VIP players and high rollers.

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%
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Playtech

Royale Blackjack

As the name suggests, Playtech Transylvania Blackjack offers a cool and dark variation on Playtech’s standard live blackjack platform. The game features seven seats with play behind as an option.

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%
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Playtech

Transylvania Blackjack

Playtech’s Unlimited Blackjack can be played simultaneously by an unlimited number of players. As a result, some of the basic game rules are a bit different to other Playtech blackjack games and include:
  • 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)
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Playtech

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

BlackjackExtreme 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%

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Extreme Live Gaming

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
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Ezugi

American Blackjack

The rules for European Blackjack are well known, especially on online casinos. The house edge for European Blackjack is 0.62% with the most optimal strategy.

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
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Ezugi

European Blackjack

Hybrid Blackjack offers a live casino and virtual casino experience in one. Once the seats on a table are filled, players can still sit alongside the players and have cards virtually generated. The rules for Hybrid Blackjack are the same as the rules for Blackjack Unlimited except that splitting to more than two hands is not allowed.

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.

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Ezugi

Hybrid Blackjack

Blackjack Unlimited is a variant of blackjack where there is only one spot and an unlimited number of players can bet on the hand. Actually, other versions have up to three spots that you can bet on but in the case of Ezugi their game only has one.

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.

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Ezugi

Unlimited 21 Blackjack – Auto Split

Offering a variety of different themed tables, Ezugi has some great options when it comes to live blackjack.

Asia Gaming(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

Blackjack Online Live

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.

Live Dealer Blackjack Rigged

While there is no definitive winning strategy, you can still apply our basic blackjack strategy charts to avoid any mistakes.

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