Best Live Dealer Blackjack Casinos 2024

Step #1: Place Your Bet

First, you choose how much to wager. The wagering amounts will vary between games but you should find a table that fits with your bankroll.

Step #2: The Dealer Deals the Cards

The dealer will now deal two cards to themself and each player. All player cards are dealt face up, while only one of the dealer’s is face up. If the dealer’s face up card has a value of 10, players will have the option of taking the insurance side bet.

Step #3: Play Your Hand

Depending on the value of your hand, you can choose to hit (take another card), stand (refuse to take another card), doubledown, or split. If you have 21, you have blackjack and win an extra payout. If you hit and go over 21, you lose. Otherwise, you need to wait for the dealer’s hand.

Step #4: The Dealer and the Result

After you have busted out or opted to stand, the dealer will take their turn. The dealer will either hit or stand. If the dealer busts out, you win! If the dealer stands and has a number higher than yours, you lose. If you and the dealer have the same hand value, it’s a draw (called a push) and your wager is returned.

When to Hit in Live Dealer Blackjack

Depending on what the dealer is showing and the casino’s rules, a general strategy would be to ‘hit’ when your cards total fourteen or less.

When to Stand in Live Dealer Blackjack

A player would “stand” when they’re confident they have a high enough hand to beat the dealer, typically on hands that total fifteen or more (depending on what the dealer is showing.)

When to Double Down in Live Dealer Blackjack

As an example, a player should generally “double down” if their hand totals 10 or 11, as the odds of the next card being a ten or face card is in the player’s favor in the long run. Remember – doubling down doubles a player’s bet, and they only get one more card. If the player gets a good card and win, they win double, but if they get a bad card and lose, they’ll lose double.

When to Split in Live Dealer Blackjack

A split is only an option when a player is dealt a pair. For example, if a player was dealt two 8s, they could split these. They would then have two hands worth 8 each, and receive an additional card for each hand. They’d then play these hands the same way they’d play one – choosing to hit, stand, double down, or even to split again.

The Dealer Plays by Pre-Determined Rules

In most cases, a dealer must stand on 17. So, if they’re showing a 7 and hit a 10, they can’t take any more cards.

Typically, dealers are also required to hit until they reach 17, meaning they’re required to hit on high hands like 16 and 17.

Assume Face-Down Cards are Worth 10

If a dealer is showing a 6, your hand is in great shape because most blackjack rules force a dealer to hit on 16. So, if their other card is a king, queen, jack or 10, they’re hitting with a good chance they bust (go over 21).

If a dealer is showing a 2-5, your hand remains in great shape for the same reasons noted above.

Leverage Other Game Features

When dealt two of the same card, you have the option of splitting them and playing two separate hands, which does require another bet. For example, if you have two 8s and the dealer is showing a 6, splitting makes a lot of sense because of the better odds.

You can also double down, which means doubling your hand on that bet and committing to receiving only one more card. This type of aggressive wagering allows you to capitalize on your best hands.

Don’t Buy Insurance

When a dealer is showing a face-up Ace (i.e. is a 10 or a face card away from a blackjack), players will be offered the option of purchasing ‘insurance’. Insurance is a separate wager that protects you in the event that the dealer does indeed have blackjack.

While it may seem like a good deal, our experts recommend never buying insurance. It increases your wager size, and the house has nearly a 6% advantage on these bets. Stay away.

Spanish 21

Spanish 21 is a unique version of blackjack in which all the 10 cards have been removed. Unlike traditional blackjack, players will win on 21 even if the dealer also has blackjack. Some versions of Spanish 21 even use a unique deck of cards!

European Blackjack

European Blackjack is almost exactly the same as traditional blackjack but with one key difference. The dealer only draws one card at the start of the round and will only draw their second card after the players have completed their actions. This does slightly affect your strategy, so be sure to do some extra research before playing European Blackjack.

Pontoon

Rather than a variation, Pontoon is essentially Blackjack’s cousin as they have a shared ancestor. The rules of Pontoon can vary, but the dealer normally has no face-up cards and Pontoon, a hand with a value of 21, pays out 2 to 1.

Quantum Blackjack

Quantum Blackjack is available exclusively at live casinos and brings a lucrative twist to the classic. At the start of a round, three cards are drawn which are assigned a multiplier (3x, 5x, 10x). If your winning hand has one of these cards, your payout will be multiplied by that amount!

Blackjack Switch

Blackjack Switch is an innovative variation in which players get two hands at a time. While you have to wager on both hands, you can swap cards between them to your advantage. This adds a deeper layer of complexity to the game, but savvy players can really use this to their benefit!

Zappit Blackjack

Have you ever been dealt a bad hand? Of course you have! That’s why we love Zappit Blackjack as you can replace your bad hand with a potentially winning hand. If your hand has a value between 15 and 18, you can ‘zappit’ and get a brand new hand!