Blackjack no longer needs to be played in smoky land-based casinos amongst other patrons. Additionally, blackjack players also don’t have to play against the computer in some electronic version of what blackjack is supposed to be.
Now that live dealer options for table games like blackjack are widely available, blackjack enthusiasts can play online with real live dealers. Online players can watch these real-life dealers shuffle and deal physical cards in real time, all streamed in high definition to their mobile phone or desktop computer.
In this piece, we’ll walk you through how to play at online live blackjack tables, discuss some of the best live dealer blackjack casinos, and explain why live online blackjack is the absolute best way to play blackjack in 2024.
More on Online Live Blackjack
- What Is Live Dealer Blackjack?
- Live Dealer Blackjack vs. In-Person Blackjack
- Top Live Blackjack Online Casinos
- How We Rank the Best Live Blackjack Casinos
- How to Play Live Blackjack Tables
- Comparing Land-Based vs. Online vs. Live Online Blackjack
- Live Dealer Blackjack Game Types
- Live Online Blackjack Rules
- Online Live Dealer Blackjack Bonuses
- Tips for Playing on Mobile
- Two Tips to Consider Before Playing Live Blackjack
- Online Live Blackjack FAQs
What Is Live Dealer Blackjack?
All the basic rules and strategies of standard blackjack apply to online live dealer blackjack. The difference is that live blackjack occurs in a studio and streams to your device so you can watch and bet as the action unfolds in front of you. Most streams occur in a studio in the state you’re playing in, as gaming commissions can be a bit funny about that.
After you place your wager on the screen, the dealer deals the cards. You can use buttons to execute blackjack options like hit, stand, or double. If you win, your online balance increases. If you lose, well, away it goes.
Unlike live casino games such as roulette or baccarat that don’t involve the player making game-affecting decisions, blackjack requires the player to decide about playing their hand. So, online live dealer blackjack often limits the number of players per table.
Some live dealer blackjack games have found a way around this limitation by offering Bet Behind, which allows you to wager on somebody else’s hand. While this option helps involve more players, it leaves you at the mercy of the player in charge of the bet.
Live Dealer Blackjack vs. In-Person Blackjack
Since online casino operators have been able to reap substantial cost savings by not having expensive casino floor space, labor, security guards, and a surveillance department, they can pass a lot of these savings on to the player.
We will discuss some of the ways these casinos have chosen to do that and some of the things you can find in a brick-and-mortar casino that you can’t get when playing on your phone.
By weighing the pros and cons of each style, you can pick the one that’s right for you.
Advantages of Live Dealer Blackjack Tables
With the cost advantages discussed briefly above, online casinos can offer huge online signup bonuses, ongoing promotions, giveaways, and promotions on a scale you would never see in a land-based casino.
They can offer more live dealer blackjack games and variations of those live dealer tables. Perhaps most importantly, they can offer the best rules for the lowest house advantage. They can keep the minimums very low and reward us for exactly how much we play, with no floor person watching six games and attempting to flirt with the cocktail waitress, making a vague guess at our average bet or length of play.
Playing live blackjack online also means not driving an hour or two through traffic, not looking for a parking space that isn’t in the next county over, and, of course, being able to play whenever and wherever we wish.
Advantages of In-Person Dealer Blackjack
The blackjack tables in a brick-and-mortar casino are a very social place. Conversations between players and dealers over games of blackjack have helped form lifelong friendships for as long as the game has been around. The in-person element is hard to beat, leading us to believe that a chat box in the corner of the screen is unlikely to replace that magic any time soon.
There is an energy and excitement in a real casino an online platform just can’t replicate. Live dealer blackjack helps a bit, but it still lacks that anything-could-happen-and-probably-will feeling.
And, of course, nobody’s bringing around those watered-down-but-still-free drinks if you’re playing online. You will have to get up and fix your own if you’re playing on your tablet on the couch.
Top Live Blackjack Online Casinos
We looked at the top six online casino operators and what they offer, both as far as live dealer blackjack and initial casino signup bonuses.
FanDuel Online Casino
FanDuel Online Casino has one of the best welcome bonuses for those in New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. It’s a Deposit $10, Get $20 in Site Credit & Play It Again $1,000 offer with this link.
The operator will rebate up to $1,000 in losses for your first 24 hours of play, and they don’t have crazy conditions where only slots count or live dealer games are excluded.
On top of that, the operator has lots of live dealer blackjack games from Evolution Gaming studios. Options include Infinite Blackjack, Live Dealer Blackjack, Power Blackjack, Free Bet Blackjack, and our favorite, 50-cent basic blackjack.
BetMGM Casino
BetMGM Casino’s welcome bonus in West Virginia is worth up to a $2,500 initial match on your first deposit plus $50 on the house and 50 free spins. In New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, the match is worth up to $1,000 plus $25 on the house.
Unfortunately, the bonus is only for slots and only specific slots at that. It remains to be seen how this unusual move will play out in what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive consumer spaces in the history of online marketing. Hopefully, BetMGM Casino will realize they are driving profitable table game players right into the arms of their competitors.
Aside from its bonus, this online casino offers many different games, like Speed Blackjack, Lightning Blackjack, and Power Blackjack. It does allow play on live dealer games to count towards MGM Rewards, and it also has occasional promotions, giveaways, and tournaments, so it’s not a complete loss.
Borgata Online Casino
MGM owns Borgata, so, unfortunately, we face the same issues here as well with the Borgata Online Casino welcome bonus. New users in New Jersey can register today using the Borgata Casino bonus code NYPBONUSBOR to land a 100% deposit match worth up to $1,000 plus $20 on the house.
However, it’s worth signing up with as the operator emails lots of offers specifically for discounts and freebies at the Borgata. It basically has the same live dealer games through Evolution Gaming as BetMGM Casino, so it isn’t short on live dealer blackjack options.
Golden Nugget Online Casino
With the Golden Nugget Online Casino welcome bonus, New Jersey players who register using this link can deposit $5 to get $50 in casino credits, which includes play on live dealer blackjack.
Players based in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia can also register using this link and deposit $5 after signup to score $50 in casino credits.
While it doesn’t have a lot of live dealer blackjack variations, Golden Nugget Online Casino makes up for it by having 11 basic blackjacks at various table minimums and an infinite blackjack if all the seats are taken at those.
Caesars Palace Online Casino
The Caesars Palace Online Casino promo code NYPCASINO2500 unlocks up to a $2,500 match on your initial deposit, but it requires an equally large 75x play-through before you can withdraw those bonus funds if you are a blackjack player.
The operator also offers 2,500 Caesars Rewards Points when you wager at least $25. You’ll also appreciate the email offers for all of their 50+ regional properties.
You can also use promo code NYPLAUNCH to get a $10 on Registration + 100% Deposit Match up to $1000!
Caesars Palace Online Casino has all the live dealer blackjack variants you could want with Power Blackjack, Speed Blackjack, and Lightning Blackjack.
DraftKings Online Casino
DraftKings Casino’s signup bonus is Get $35 in Casino Credits + a 100% Deposit Match up to $100.
DraftKings Casino also has many games like Power Blackjack and Infinite Blackjack, but the real dealer high-limit games are what sets the operator apart. You’ll find lots of $25, $100, and $250 minimum tables, where you can find a seat and bet up to $5,000.
How We Rank the Best Live Blackjack Casinos
Not all live dealer blackjack tables are created equal. We made our top picks by considering factors ranging from game variety and security to sign-up bonuses, ongoing promos, and payment methods.
Here’s a closer look at how we rank the best live blackjack casinos. This info should solidify your confidence in our picks and even help you analyze the casinos using your own judgment.
Game Variations
We want lots of different live dealer games available to have some options when we play. If something isn’t going right with the game we are playing, knowing that other games are available to play can help us not steam or tilt. We can go play another variation of blackjack or maybe play some roulette games as long as it’s doing anything but sitting there, losing hand after hand and growing more frustrated.
Reliability
Nobody wants to be betting real money, perhaps a lot of it, and lose the connection with twenty against a dealer 6. No one should tolerate glitchy games when real money is on the line. We want casino operators with years of experience and a track record that shows they take reliability seriously.
Bonuses
Live blackjack games have a very low house edge when you play them correctly. When we add bonuses and promotions, we can get even more of an upper hand. If we can play even or very close, we may have more winning sessions, accumulate comps and merchandise for next to nothing, and play longer.
Payment Methods
A casino’s payment methods may or may not be favorable to you depending on your preferences.
If the casino takes PayPal and that’s the way you prefer to deposit and withdraw, that’s great. But the more deposit and withdrawal methods, the better it is because if you need to change your method.
Reminder: whichever way you initially deposit will be how the casino sets up at least that amount for withdrawal. Deposit $500 with PayPal and win $1,000? You can’t take that $1,000 out in Skrill. At least the original $500 must go back through PayPal.
Payout Speeds
There is no reason we shouldn’t be able to have instant deposits and withdrawals that take no longer than 48 hours. The technology is clearly out there, and most real money online casinos can make it happen. Don’t settle for a casino that will hold onto your withdrawal for four or five days or hold up your deposits.
Safety & Security
Any licensed US operator will be relatively safe and secure regarding being honest and not disappearing your funds to the Caymans. But what about data privacy and the selling of your personal information? After some recent high-profile hacks, you should be right to worry about your credit card number, SSN, and address.
We want robust and active internet security to protect our personal info, and we need clear and easily understood statements about what information the casino keeps and what it might sell to 3rd party vendors to protect us from unscrupulous operators.
How to Play Live Blackjack Tables
Blackjack is a simple-to-understand game. Thus, it is enormously popular with both online and land-based gamblers. You want to get as close to 21 without going over while still beating the dealer’s hand.
The face cards are worth ten; everything else is worth its face value except the ace. Aces are either one or eleven, whichever makes your hand better. After the players place bets, you will be dealt two cards initially. Players take turns acting before the dealer.
The dealer acts last. You can hit, stand, split, or double if you or the dealer are dealt an ace and a face card. If you get it, you automatically win 3 to 2 of your original wager. If the dealer gets it, he wins, and every player loses.
You can draw as many cards as you like until you go over 21. If you go over 21, you lose. The dealer must hit 17 and then stand.
Comparing Land-Based vs. Online vs. Live Online Blackjack
Online live casino operators have made sure to make the live dealer games as close as possible to the real casino experience, not only with a real dealer but with real cards dealt from a blackjack shoe. No random number generator is in sight when it comes to live games.
Standard live dealer games play just as the real-world casino versions do. Other live dealer variations add many new and exciting wrinkles to the game, but you always have the option to bet on the standard version.
Play Land-Based Blackjack
When we think about land-based blackjack, we think about the energy and the vibe. The social interactions between players trying to beat the dealer and the conversation and visuals from a real live casino filled with people. And the drinks– don’t forget the free drinks.
Play Online Blackjack
When we think about online blackjack, we usually think about the ultra-low limits, the simplicity of just hitting a casino app button and the game being there, and the ease of earning points and bonuses that might not be possible if we played in a land-based casino.
Play Live Online Blackjack
When we think about live dealer online blackjack, we think about the best of both worlds. There is no RNG chip deciding who gets a blackjack, and you don’t have to drive out to the casino. We get a live dealer to chat with and people to play with, but no drunks or people blowing smoke in our faces.
We can still get a reasonably low table minimum and hopefully still earn reward points, though be sure to read over the terms and conditions for more details.
Live Dealer Blackjack Game Types
Live dealer blackjack has a few terms and variants that may not be familiar to regular online blackjack players or those who generally play at brick-and-mortar casinos, so we will go over some of the more common ones for you.
VIP
VIP tables can run from a $100 minimum up to Evolution’s top-of-the-line Salon De Prive. We aren’t sure what “Salon De Prive” means, but it probably translates to something like a whole lot of dough as table minimums are several thousand dollars a hand. You will also need an account balance of at least $10,000.
For that, you get a private table and anonymity as the table generally will not be open for others to play or even watch. If you want to show off your high roller status, you have the option to set it as open.
Party
Welcome to the party! Blackjack Party gets not one but two live dealers to entertain you, and entertain you they will. It’s usually for lower stakes, with a laid-back vibe and a jamming soundtrack. This one is for the social crowd who likes to chat and have a good time while they play.
It has infinite room for players in the Bet Behind, and you can bet behind more than one of the seven seated players to spread your luck out while you wait for a coveted seat. Evolution Gaming offers an enjoyable version of Blackjack Party.
Common Draw
A couple of peculiarities here. First, the live blackjack dealers deal only one set of cards for everyone to use, and they don’t deal themselves a hole card.
Then, you can select how you wish to play your hand. The dealer will complete your task until they have completed all possible options with that hand such as split then double or hit then hit again. Then, they’ll draw a hole card and continue the hand as usual. The computer will track whether you would have won or lost, depending on your chosen option.
Bet Behind
When it comes time to play blackjack in a live casino, you should be prepared for Bet Behind. Many, if not most, live blackjack games will have only 6 or 7 seats, and the players in those seats will decide how to play the hands. You are relegated to the Bet Behind Wager if you are not one of those players.
You can choose one or more seats and place your wager on that hand, but you don’t have control over how that hand is played. It can be a bit frustrating, but it’ll give you some stake in the game as you wait for a seat to open in due time.
Perfect Pairs
The perfect pairs side bet is often available on live dealer games from Evolution Gaming. It’s just a side bet that pays if the player is dealt a pair for their starting two cards.
You could be dealt a simple mixed pair, which pays 5 to 1. The colored pair is two cards of the same value and color but not the same suit and usually pays 10 to 1. If you have two matching cards of the same suit, that is a perfect pair and will pay 30 to 1 or sometimes 25 to 1.
Pre-Decision
Pre-decision isn’t a different type of blackjack variant or even a side bet; it’s just a handy feature that lets you decide what to do with your hand before it is your turn. That way, the game isn’t held up by everyone waiting to play their hand in turn. This feature speeds up the gameplay and makes things less of a hassle.
Live Online Blackjack Rules
Even the standard six-deck version of blackjack that we are all familiar with can sometimes have different rules. Below, we’ve outlined some common rule changes you may see while playing live dealer blackjack.
Double Any 2
Double any two is precisely what it sounds like; you can double any of your first two cards, except, of course, that would be too easy. In most casinos, you can’t double your blackjack. We guess Double Almost Any Two didn’t fly with the marketing department.
Double 9-11
If you are only allowed to double nine through eleven, the house edge increases by about one-tenth of a percent. While not terrible, it is never a good idea to give the house a bigger edge than you have to.
Hit Split Aces
If you can find a game where you can take more than one card on split aces, by all means, play it. This rule change takes almost .2% away from the house edge.
Resplit
The most common rule is that you can resplit hands except aces up to four times. But resplitting is only about .05 of a percent change in the house edge, so it’s not a make-or-break decision.
Side Bets
Casinos love side bets. They love them because they have a high house edge and don’t slow the game down too much. As a player, you should be very wary of side bets. Some like Perfect Pairs on a double-deck blackjack game will have a house advantage of nearly 20%. Even less egregious ones like the three-card side bet are well over 5% against you.
Surrender
Late surrender is commonly found on Evolution gaming tables, allowing you to give up half your bet after the dealer checks for blackjack. If you use this feature correctly, you can subtract .06% from the house edge.
Five Card Charlie
If you see Five Card Charlie online, you should immediately check all the other rules because this game with standard rules is simply too good to be true. Five Card Charlie, where you are an automatic winner if you draw five cards without busting, takes almost 1.5% away from the house edge. Considering that the beginning house edge is only about .44%, you can see why it is unlikely that you will come across this game without a time machine.
Online Live Dealer Blackjack Bonuses
Besides looking for advantageous rules, the number one thing we can do to keep the house edge low and increase our chances of winning is to take full advantage of online casino bonuses.
Sometimes, an offer will be in the form of an initial deposit bonus. Other times, live dealer play, roulette, blackjack, or craps might have game-exclusive bonuses.
Tips for Playing Blackjack on Mobile
Playing live blackjack on a mobile device can present some unique challenges and often requires some preplanning to avoid awkward situations.
Confirm Trusted Connection
We want to ensure we have a secure and trusted connection, especially when playing over Wi-Fi. A man-in-the-middle attack might compromise our passwords or even drain our funds.
We aren’t able to use VPNs when playing online as it messes with the geolocation services that casinos require to prove our location, so we also need to be aware of that fact and ensure cellular traffic can get through.
Play at Reliable Online Casinos
For your safety, please only play at licensed and regulated online casinos based in the U.S. Some of the things these offshore operators get up to are just crazy. There is simply no need to send wire transfers to Aruba unless you are booking an oceanfront suite for the week.
Keep Your Mobile Devices Charged
It should go without saying, but your mobile device must be charged and ready. There were some old scams where people would turn off their phones if they had a lousy hand and wanted out of it, so know that if you lose the connection or your phone goes dead, the casino will not refund your money on that hand. If it happens frequently, they will become suspicious, so don’t try to cheat the system.
Two Tips to Consider Before Playing Live Blackjack
Here are two tips to consider before playing live blackjack:
Betting Limits
Betting limits on live dealer blackjack are generally much, much smaller than in land-based casinos. However, they’re usually bigger than the ones we see in regular online blackjack, which can sometimes be as low as ten cents.
Ensure you have the appropriate bet size for your bankroll, never bet over your designated bankroll, and never play with money you can’t afford to lose.
Speed Levels
When we use technology like Bet Behind to bet on four or five hands at a time, or the pre-decision button where we can get many more hands per hour, things move fast. The fast-paced nature of live blackjack can lead to you losing more in a shorter period, so it’s important to remain aware of your bets.
Play to your bankroll, not to a time period. If you want to play for an hour but are out of money after 40 minutes, it’s time to stop. Reassess how much of a bankroll you will need next time you play.
Online Live Blackjack FAQs
You’ve got questions about live blackjack online, and we’ve got answers.
Is live dealer blackjack safe & legit?
Yes. There’s live dealer blackjack at U.S. legal online casinos that have been thoroughly vetted, investigated, and awarded a license only after months of combing through their software code, finances, and employee backgrounds. Then, there is the blackjack on a live video stream on TikTok from somewhere in the mountains of Cambodia without extradition. We encourage you to choose legal U.S. online casinos that have the appropriate licensing in their jurisdictions.
Can I play online live blackjack for free?
Even online casinos incur costs for hosting live dealer blackjack, meaning it’s rare for operators to offer free blackjack or blackjack in demo mode. Try looking for games with low minimums as some are at a dollar or even lower.
What mobile devices can I play live casino games on?
Live dealer games and the technology behind them have quickly expanded to be available on tablets, phones, and other mobile devices.
While you will need a processor that handles streaming and a mobile device with a resolution where you can view the stream, almost all mobile devices made in the last few years should be compatible.
If you wish to see if your device can play live blackjack online, you can visit the Evolution Gaming page to review demos.
Is online live blackjack rigged?
This is another one of those not-quite-right questions. If you play live dealer blackjack online, the house does have a built-in house edge. If you play perfectly, using a basic strategy card, this house edge could be as low as .2% or as high as 1.5%.
This amount will increase significantly if you play poorly based on hunches or guesses. If you play long enough, the house will win; if you play badly enough, the house will win much sooner.
The house doesn’t need to be dishonest or rig games. They can simply tweak the basic rules to increase their house advantage. In this way, they can win more even faster and still keep their cherished gaming licenses.
We should be much more concerned with some of these rule changes than with any nefarious goings-on with legally licensed U.S. online casino operators. For instance, only paying 6 to 5 on blackjack increases the house advantage by over 500% in some cases.