Live Blackjack Rules
If you’ve ever played either live casino or blackjack online, you will be well acquainted with the rules, as nothing has been changed for the virtual live blackjack games. However, if you are completely new to the game, here’s a quick breakdown of the rules. (You can find more detailed explanations as well as some useful tips and tricks in our main Blackjack article)
Live blackjack online is played against the house at a table seating between one and eight players. All players receive two cards face up, while the dealer takes one card face up and leaves another one hidden.
The goal of the game is to get as close as possible to 21 without going over (busting). Picture cards are counted as 10s, Aces are counted as either 11 or 1, while the rest of the cards keep their face values.
Gameplay
After everyone has received their two cards, they need to decide if they are happy with their current count (stand) or if they want to take another card (hit). Players can keep taking cards when it is their turn as long as their total count is under 21.
Once all players are done drawing, the action will move to the dealer. He or she will turn over the down card and, unless it is a blackjack (which means that all players that don’t have a blackjack as well will lose automatically), they will keep drawing for as long as their total count is 16 and will stop as soon as their count reaches 17 or more.
Players being dealt an Ace and a 10 or face card on their first two cards have a blackjack and will be paid 3:2 unless the dealer also has a blackjack. Otherwise, all winning bets are paid 1:1.
Tips for Live Blackjack Games
Most reputable online casinos these days strive to offer live blackjack tables due to the game’s popularity. Although blackjack is well loved by Canadian casino players as well, one thing that many players fail to realize is that, in a vacuum, a casino has an almost 8% advantage over a player.
This is not a negligible percentage at any rate, so you should always look for a ways to decrease it and negate the edge as much as possible. While this is not possible for most casino games, live blackjack is, luckily, not in that group. Following some rather simple tips, you should be able to significantly improve your winning odds.
- Casino bonuses are your friends. Online casinos usually offer some extra perks for players joining the live tables, so make sure to find out about these promos and take advantage of them whenever you can. Some extra bets on the house can go a long way towards building your bankroll.
- Learn the basic blackjack strategy. The basic strategy for live blackjack can be learned in under an hour and since you are playing online, you can also always have charts readily available at your side. While some players disregard this tip, you should understand that observing the rules of the basic strategy, you can decrease the casino edge to around 1-2%.
- Get informed about other tricks that you can use to your advantage. Know when to split your cards and when you should double. Also make sure to learn when you shouldn’t do it, because doing it too much can be as bad (if not worse) than not doing it when you should.
- Try to have fun. Having fun while playing will not only make the experience more enjoyable but should also help you win as you will have a better overall mindset. Playing when not in a mood will usually not end well.
Live Online Blackjack: Advantages and Disadvantages
Those who enjoy playing blackjack in the brick & mortar setting will certainly enjoy virtual live blackjack tables. With a direct stream from an actual casino floor, you will feel almost as if you were right there, placing your bets and playing with the chips.
Furthermore, the casinos we recommend for our fellow Canadian players have some of the best dealers around, which means that you will be treated well, not only in terms of games, but you will also be able to strike a conversation and have fun while playing with an actual person capable of responding to you.
On the other hand, live virtual tables are much slower than their digital counterparts. With actual cards involved, hands are not dealt as fast and this could bother some less patient players. If you belong to this group, then live blackjack tables are probably not for you.
Check out our best casinos in Canada to find the best live blackjack experience available on the internet and take advantage of special bonus offers made available to Canadian players. If you enjoy the game as it is, you will only enjoy it more with these extra perks given to you as a sign of gratitude for your patronage.
