Live Blackjack Casinos

We know what it takes to make an online casino great. Our team has been testing the best online casinos in the business since 1999. Since then, we’ve helped millions of customers find their ideal site. During our time in the business we’ve seen the emergence of live dealer technology and its rise in popularity. Today, live blackjack is one of the best live casino games and, because of that, we’ve produced another expert gaming guide that explains the following:

• what live blackjack is
• why live blackjack is popular
• what games you can play
• where you can play live blackjack online

and much more!

As well as explaining everything you need to know about live dealer blackjack, we’ve got reviews and real-time updates from the best casinos online. Our top picks are all licenced in the UK and have generous bonuses, slick software, and, of course, plenty of live blackjack tables. So, if you’re eager to get started, let’s shuffle up and deal.

• What is Live Blackjack Online?
• Live Blackjack vs. Digital Blackjack 
• Types of Live Blackjack
• How Can I Find the Best Live Blackjack Games Online?
• FAQ

Live blackjack is, as the name suggests, a live casino game. The reason these games are called “live” is because you get to see the action play out in real-time. The results aren’t produced by random number generators (RNG). Instead, the cards are shuffled and dealt by real dealers in dedicated gaming studios. In other words, this is a live-action game that takes place online.

The obvious question that arises is, how? How does live blackjack work? The live casino games at our top-rated sites are real-money games. Because they incur certain costs that other casino games don’t, you won’t be able to play for free. Fortunately, minimum bets start at £0.10 so, in practice, almost everyone should be able to play live blackjack in the following way:

1. Take a look at our recommended online casinos and find a live blackjack table.
2. Open up the game and set your bet size using the onscreen overlay.
3. Place a chip in the digital bet box before the dealer calls time.
4. Watch the cards being dealt via the HD live stream.
5. Make your moves accordingly (i.e. stand, hit, double down, split).
6. Wait for the dealer to complete their moves.
7. If you win, the system will credit the money to your account.

As you can see, the process of playing live blackjack is the same as it would be in any other setting. However, what you’ve got here is an interplay between the onscreen overlay and what’s occurring in a remote location. The threads that bind these two things are RFID sensors. Everything that happens on the blackjack table is recorded by these sensors and stored in a database. This information is then cross-referenced with your betting data. If there’s a match (i.e. your hand is better than the dealer’s), you win, and a prize is credited to your account. Simple.

Live dealer blackjack is extremely popular and, over the last decade or so, the game has exploded. Today, you can play in a variety of ways. Below are some of the most popular live blackjack games online.

Classic live blackjack has three main rulesets: Vegas, Atlantic City, and European. We won’t delve too far into the nuances of each variant. However, the main differences involve when the dealer’s cards are revealed and the number of decks in play.

Vegas Blackjack = Four decks in play and the dealer’s two cards are dealt at the same time as the players'. One of the dealer’s cards is face-up, the other is face-down.

Atlantic Blackjack = Eight decks in play and the dealer’s two cards are dealt at the same time as the players'. One of the dealer’s cards is face-up, the other is face-down.

European Blackjack = Two decks in play. The dealer receives one card face-up at the same time the player gets their cards. The dealer’s second hole card is only dealt once the player has made their move.

If you’re a fan of side bets, you’ll love this live dealer blackjack variant. Classic rules are in play and the maximum RTP is 99.46%. However, your potential returns depend on the types of bet you make. Stick to the main bet and the RTP can be up to 99.46%. Side bets have a slightly lower RTP but a lot more payout potential. Live All Bets Blackjack contains the following side bets:

Part of Playtech’s Quantum series, this live casino game adds prize multipliers to the mix. Once you’ve made a bet, as many as three cards will be hit with a quantum strike. These strikes will add multipliers worth 3X, 5X, and 10X to random cards. If your hand contains any of these cards and you win, your prize will be boosted accordingly. If your winning hand contains all three quantum cards, you’ll win a payout worth 1,000:1.

This game makes full use of live blackjack’s real-time dynamic. Yes, the aim of the game is to beat the dealer and win some cash. However, the developers at Evolution Gaming also want you to have fun. Because of that, the game features music, flashing lights, and hosts that are always up for a party.

You never have to worry about not getting a seat at this table. Everyone gets to see the same cards being dealt via the live stream. However, Evolution Gaming’s innovative technology has made it possible for everyone to make their own moves via the digital overlay. Therefore, you’ve got one hand being played in different ways by a potentially infinite number of players.

This live casino game has been plucked straight from the Las Vegas strip and turned into an online proposition by Evolution. The main premise is that you can double down and split for free. If your starting total is 9, 10, or 11, you get a free chip to double down with. Similarly, any pair except tens can be split for free. Your free bet isn’t returned if you win, but the profit is. To compensate for this feature, the dealer pushes on 22 if the player has 21 or less.  

This live dealer blackjack variant is all about timing. It’s a little bit like Texas Hold’em poker in the sense you can apply pressure to the dealer when you have a strong hand. There are eight decks in play, but all 9s and 10s have been removed. However, the advantage you have is that you can increase your bet as the hand progresses.

The power of collective thought can be a powerful thing, particularly if you’re a novice. That’s the main reason Playtech developed Live Majority Rules Blackjack. Using live gaming technology to its fullest, this game sees players vote on the right move. Any action that attracts 50% or more of the votes wins.

The final feature of live online blackjack you need to know about is branded tables. Some of the best UK casinos have their own games made especially for their customers. For example, you can join Paddy Power or Betway Casino and play their exclusive live blackjack games. The rules aren’t different, but you do get a more intimate experience, as everything is tailored to the site you’re using.

Our top-rated online casino UK sites have you well covered when it comes to live blackjack. We suggest reading through our reviews before you jump into the action. Doing this will give you some perspective on what an operator offers in terms of bonuses, software, deposit options, and game selection. Once you’ve found an ideal site/s, add some funds to your account and try some of the best live blackjack games online.

FAQ

No. These games don’t use RNGs to ensure random results, but that doesn’t matter because the action plays out in real-time. The decks are shuffled by casino-grade machines and you’ll see dealers picking out the cards. What’s more, all the equipment used is checked and certified as fair by third-party agencies.

Yes. These are real-money live casino games. That means you’ll be playing for cash prizes each time you ante up. Depending on the types of bet you make, it’s possible to get returns of up to 2,000:1 playing live dealer blackjack.

The best live blackjack game is Quantum or All Bets, simply because they offer the largest payouts. However, clever innovations such as Majority Rules are extremely entertaining. Our top tip is to join our partner casinos and try as many live variants as you can in order to find your perfect match.

Always look at the dealer’s face-up card. If they have a high-value card, be prepared to hit more often. If they have a low-value card, be prepared to stand more often. Nothing is guaranteed in this game but that’s a blackjack