By now, you must have heard about live dealer blackjack, one of the hottest trends in online gambling.

Live Dealer Blackjack Basics
Live Dealer Blackjack Basics
  • Defining live dealer games
  • How do live dealer games work?
  • Casinos to try live dealer blackjack
  • Is it really worth a try?

Seeing the unshakable popularity of online casinos games, it was only natural that operators and game designers have joined forces to elevate them to a whole another level. Players’ needs are constantly changing and the casinos try really hard to adapt, in order to keep their customers. What could’ve sounded better than bringing the live casino experience to the players’ home? By introducing live dealer casino games, the operators attempted to accomplish exactly that. So how do live dealer casino games work, if they do at all? Let’s peek behind the curtains!

Defining live dealer games

The most obvious difference between online casino games and live dealer games is the presence of a real, trained dealer. Instead of algorithms, a flesh and blood dealer runs the game, just like in brick-and-mortar casinos. The dealer shuffles the deck, spins the wheel, which means that there’s no need for the random number generator (RNG) used in online casino games. When you decide to play at a live online casino, you’re basically opening a live-stream. In most cases your computer’s camera is switching on as well, so the dealer can see you and communicate with you.

How do live dealer games work?

Live dealer games are streamed from a secure location. The technology used is much more expensive for the operators than the usual games. The reason for this is that live dealer games require much bigger scale setup. First of all, they must rent a big studio, which has at least three rooms: one for the tables, another for the servers, and one more for the analyst. For the best possible experience, they also need to employ cameramen, an IT expert, a pit boss, and obviously the dealers.

If you open a live dealer blackjack game, you’ll see some minor deviations from the way the game is played in brick-and-mortar casinos. First of all, since you’re not present at the studio, you’re using your computer to place your bets. Everything that happens is encoded by a Game Control Unit (GCU), helping the dealer’s work. Another obvious addition is a scanner next to the shoe, used by the dealer to scan all dealt cards. Nowadays, all this technology surrounding the live dealer tables is almost unnoticeable.

At most online casinos you’ll find live blackjack, roulette, casino Hold’Em and baccarat. Live roulette and blackjack are the two most popular, so you should be able to find these games at most recommended casinos. Some of them offer more variations of the games, differing mostly in bet limit, and the number of decks in use.

Live dealer blackjack vs. Online blackjack

Live dealer blackjack has its obvious advantages over classic online blackjack. When playing live you see every move at the table, such as shuffling and dealing out the cards. Furthermore, if you experience any problem, it’ll be sorted out immediately, exactly like in brick-and-mortar casinos. The pit boss, or pit manager, appears in the rare cases when a mistake happens. He or she will order the employees to clarify or sort out the problem. These are all huge advantages over online casino games.

If you want to give a chance to live dealer blackjack, make sure to try it a secure online casino. A highly recommended place to try live blackjack is READYtoBET Casino, as they offer three live blackjack pits with a huge number of tables. At READYtoBET you can claim up to €600 on your first 4 deposits.