With the advent of online casino live dealer games, playing live casino blackjack has become an increasingly popular.
Playing live blackjack with a real-life dealer, not to mention being able to see the cards and the bets of the other players who are sitting at the same online casino blackjack table as you is a match made in heaven for casino players who enjoy playing live blackjack casino online but also love the interaction with other people.
If you are used to playing regular online blackjack, you will find live blackjack online to be a lot slower. But few people find that to be a problem as it just adds to the overall atmosphere of the game.
Top 5 Live Blackjack Casinos in United Kingdom
How to start playing live blackjack
In order to start playing blackjack live, all you have to do is open an online casino account. Then deposit some funds and head on over to the live dealer section of the website.
You will see that there are a number of blackjack tables with varying stake sizes. You should decide which one you would like to join and simply click on your preferred option.
It is sometimes the case that the tables are full so just wait for a few minutes, and try again when a place becomes available.
Once you take your seat you will just need to wait until the next game, and you will be dealt your cards automatically.
How To Play Live Casino Blackjack With Real Dealers
Time needed: 14 minutes
In order to start playing live blackjack online, just follow these simple rules
- Choose a legit online casino to play
It goes without saying that you should only play live blackjack UK at a reputable casino, one which has a sound reputation, and which looks after its players.
If you don’t already have an online blackjack UK account, take a look at our recommended list where every online casino has been carefully vetted to ensure that they each offer players a superb gaming experience. - Register an account and grab your bonus
Once you have decided on a live casino to play real dealer blackjack, all you need to do is follow the simple steps to open your account and deposit some funds to play live blackjack.
Check to see which bonuses are available but make sure that you check the terms and conditions to ensure that any play on live blackjack counts towards the wagering requirements. - Try to beat the dealer and most of all, have fun
All that is then left for you to do is sit back and relax, savour the experience of playing live dealer blackjack, interact with the dealer if you feel like it and take a look at the hands of the other players, it will be an eye opener for you, that’s for sure.
Live dealer blackjack – Basic rules
Live dealer blackjack is usually played with 8 decks of cards. The aim of the game is for the total value of your cards to be closer to 21 than the cards of the dealer.
If yours or the dealer's cards amount to higher than 21, the hands will be bust.
The cards, Jack, Queen and King count as 10 with the other cards counting as their face value.
Game play and game rules
All the players involved in the blackjack game are dealt 2 cards, face up.
The dealer deals himself 2 cards, one face up and the other face down and if the up card is an ace, players will have the option of buying insurance in case the dealer has a 10 or a face card which results in him having blackjack.
When a player is dealt 2 cards of the same value, they will have the option to split, which basically means that the 2 cards are separated with a second card dealt to each with the same stake on each hand.
If the 2 cards which you have been dealt total 10 or 11, you will be given the option of doubling which means that your stake is doubled, and another card is dealt.
When you are not sure of any of the game play, play a game of free online blackjack for a bit of practice.
Live dealer blackjack RTP
If you are playing live casino blackjack using the perfect blackjack strategy, the RTP is a very attractive 99.29%.
If you are not familiar with RTP, it means ‘return to player’ and is the percentage of every £100 which is returned to the player over an extended period of gameplay.
Please note that the figure of 99.29% only applies if you are playing perfect strategy. If you are playing online casino blackjack willy nilly, without any strategy in place, the RTP figure will be far lower than that.
Blackjack strategy: Hit or stand?
The perfect live blackjack strategy is based on showing the player exactly what action they should take. It depends on which cards they have been dealt when compared to the cards of the dealer.
For example:
- Make sure that when you have been dealt a pair of 8’s or Aces, always split.
- Do not split if you have a pair of 10’s or a pair of 5’s.
- If you have been dealt a hard 12 and the dealer has an up card of 2 or 3, always hit.
- The dealer’s up card is 9 or less and you have a ten, double down.
- If the dealer has an up card of 10 and you have a hard 16, stand.
The difference between live dealer blackjack and regular online blackjack
If you are playing live blackjack for the first time but like to play online blackjack, the first thing you will notice is that the game play is far slower.
When a player has been dealt a card, he or she will have 30 seconds to decide what action to take.
If you have a few players siting at your table, it is not hard to realise that a game can sometime take a few minutes to complete.
The other big difference is obviously the fact that the dealer is a real person.
There is a conversation box where you can chat and ask questions. But it can get a little cringy watching players trying to chat up the attractive female dealer.
The benefits of playing live casino blackjack with real dealers
There are many benefits of playing live casino blackjack online with real dealers. Playing regular online blackjack after a live play experience can often be a little deflating.
Here’s a list of the most common benefits.
- The game is played at a slower pace which give players the opportunity to enjoy the experience.
- There is a social aspect to the game as opposed to just playing against the computer software.
- You can see the bets which the other players sitting at your table make.
- Plenty of time to implement the perfect blackjack strategy.
FAQs
There are several UK online casinos that offer live blackjack, including well-known brands such as 888 Casino, PlayOjO casino, Fun Casino, and All British Casino. Each of these casinos provides a variety of live blackjack games with different betting limits, dealers, and gameplay options to suit players' preferences. To find out more about the best online UK casinos offering live blackjack, be sure to visit our top list and choose your favourite casino to start playing today!
Although some UK casino players may experience luck and win money based on pure statistics, it's possible to beat live blackjack using skill alone, with no reliance on luck.
The dealer.
The hand of a player who is dealt 5 cards without going over a total of 21.
Yes, always hit.