Live Blackjack

Blackjack attracts more casual players than any other card game and it does this because it’s relatively simple to pick up and play. However, jumping straight into a game without any prior knowledge could be costly, so before you dive in, take a look at this guide to the basics. We’ll look at everything from the essential rules of Blackjack, to the strategies that can help you get to grips with the live dealer version of the game.

• Number of Live Dealer Blackjack Games Available: 30+
• Platform: Playtech.
• Min-Max Bet Limits: $1 to $10,000.
• Watching Mode: Yes, you can watch live games without betting.

Test your Blackjack skills against a host of dealers across a range of Blackjack variants. You can bet anywhere from $1 to $10,000 per hand, play side bets such as 21+3 and Perfect Pairs, and become acquainted with dealers and players from all over the world.

You can see our top list of available Live Blackjack games below, all of which can be played right now by players in New Zealand:

Live Dealer Blackjack provides many features you just won’t find on traditional “virtual” table games. Sure, it’s a little slower and if you’re a grinder who likes to play multiple tables at once then you may be more limited. But you simply can’t beat the level of immersion, nor can you compare to the sense of community you feel by playing in real-time with players from all over the world.

Pros

• A Highly Immersive Experience.
• Real Cards, Dealers and Players.
• Like Being in a Casino, only you Don’t Have to Leave Home.
• Works on Mobile and Desktop.

Cons

• Little Slower than Virtual Games.

The rules of Blackjack are anything but complicated. However, there are a few important things that you need to consider before you get started.

• The Basics: A game of Blackjack begins when both the player and the dealer are dealt two cards, with one of the dealer’s cards being dealt face-down. The player acts first and tries to get as close to 21 as they can. The dealer acts afterwards and tries to beat them.
• The Moves: There are a few basic moves to consider when playing a hand of Blackjack, including:
  • Double: Your stake is doubled and you are dealt another card, at which point the hand ends.
  • Split: This can be triggered when a pair is dealt. It “splits” the pair into two separate hands, which are then played individually.
  • Insurance: A bet placed when the dealer’s up-card is an Ace. It pays 2:1 if they turn a 10, which would usually give them a game-winning Blackjack.
  • Surrender: The player “surrenders” their hand and gets some of their stake back.
• Side Bets: A side bet is offered in addition to a traditional game of It is something that players utilize with an additional bet, often placed as an ante, and one that comes with a list of payouts:
  • Perfect Pairs: Players are rewarded when their hand makes a pair.
  • 21+3: A three-card hand is made from the player’s two cards and the dealer’s single up-card. The stronger this hand is, the higher the payouts will be.
• Styles of Game: There are a few rules that can differ from one game of Blackjack to the next, even if it uses the same format and number of decks, this includes rules such as:
  • EU Dealing: The dealer only gets their second card after the players have made their decisions.
  • US Dealing: The dealer gets their second card at the same time that the player gets theirs.
  • Multi-Seat: A multi-seat game is one that allows you to play several hands at once by sitting in several different positions. This isn’t available on all Live Dealer Blackjack games and you may need to stay active to keep the seat.

Blackjack has some of the highest payouts of any casino games. In its original format, with a single deck, no side bets and traditional rules, Blackjack has an RTP in excess of 99.5%. There are a few things that can lower this, and we have discussed these below, but even with these active Blackjack still has a high RTP when compared to other games:

• Decks: Generally speaking, the more decks that are used, the lower the RTP will be, albeit only slightly.
• Unique Features: Some features, such as those used in games of Blackjack Switch, can actually improve the payout, but others can reduce it.
• Dealer Actions: All Blackjack games, including both virtual and Live variants, have dealer rules which determine when they will stand and hit. These have a big impact on payouts.
• Blackjack Value: Traditionally, Blackjack games reward a payout of 3:2 for a Blackjack. Many newer games in land-based casinos, however, have switched to a payout of 5:4, which reduces the RTP.

It’s often said that a game of Live Blackjack is about getting as close to the number 21 as you can. This is certainly part of the game, but in reality the real goal is to beat the dealer. If you have a higher score than them, or if you have a qualifying score and they go bust, then you win.

This is a small differentiation but it’s key and it could change how you play the game for the better. It’s also something that plays a big role in Basic Blackjack Strategy, which is used by all professional players.

This strategy is based on a series of moves, which themselves are based on probability. These rules will teach you which moves offer you the best chance of winning based on the starting strength of your hand and the dealer’s hand.

A few of the basic tenets of Basic Blackjack Strategy include:

1. Insurance - The irony about insurance is that players often take it when they have a strong hand, such as a 20. Basic Blackjack Strategy warns against this because Insurance will fail more times than it succeeds, and this applies even when you have a poor hand. What’s more, if you have 2 10s in your hand, then the odds of there being a 10 next in line are even slimmer than they would be otherwise.
   
   Even if you take these factors out of the equation, the law of probability dictates that Insurance will lose more times than it will win, which is why it’s never recommended.
2. Double on 11 - Experts often recommend that you always double when you have an 11. Not only are the laws of probability on your side, but if you do some simple math yourself you can see why it makes sense.
   
   There are 13 different valued cards for each suit and these are repeated. 4 of these, or just under a third, are valued at 10, a number that will improve your hand to a 21, the highest possible score. 6, 7, 8, and 9 can improve your hand to a 17, 18, 19, or 20, which are also strong. This means that more than half the cards in the shoe will give you a strong hand.
3. Low Stands - A casual blackjack player almost always focuses on their hand, and never the dealer’s. As a result, they would never consider standing on anything less than 16. However, there are times when it may be beneficial to do just that.
   
   Strategy dictates that standing on a score as low as a hard 12 (“hard” means the hand doesn’t contain an ace) is beneficial when the dealer has between a 4 and a 6. To try and understand this, let’s assume they have a 6. If they draw an 8, 9 or a 10, which accounts for 5 of the possible 13 cards, then they’ll hit 15 or 16, and because they need to draw to 17, they will draw again and risk going bust.
   
   You, however, can only really improve to a solid hand with a 6, 7, 8, or 9. Anything less will put you in a tricky spot; anything more will cause you to go bust.

All the Live Dealer Casino games at Online casinos NZ come courtesy of the Playtech Eurolive platform. This is an industry-leading platform owned and operated by one of the sector’s biggest and most trusted suppliers. It provides our games room with some of the best Live Dealer titles around, including everything from Roulette and Poker to Hi-Lo.

Now that you have a complete guide to ease you into playing Live Blackjack, the only way to improve your experience would be to grab a bonus to go along with it. Luckily, we have plenty of these available! If you visit the casino bonuses page you can see everything from Welcome Offers to Reload Bonuses and more. Take a look at the terms, find one that suits you, and make a deposit today.

Blackjack isn’t the only classic card game to have been given the Live Dealer treatment. You can play countless classics right here at Casino.com NZ, from card games like Live Hold’em Poker and Live Baccarat, to wheel-based games like Live Roulette.

All these top titles feature the same high-level of immersion you get from Live Dealer Blackjack, and there are many different features and variants to explore as well.

Blackjack is one of the first card games to be given the virtual treatment during the dawn of the online casino age. All things considered, it’s no surprise that Blackjack is one of the most popular games utilizing the Live dealer casino games format.

To see if that popularity is deserved, sign up today here at Casino.com New Zealand.