There are many options when it comes to playing blackjack, from going head to head with buddies, visiting a real casino or playing online but one of the newest options is to play live dealer blackjack. Here we take a look at what it is, how you play it and what the pros and cons (compared to standard online blackjack) are.
Live dealer blackjack is a form of online blackjack offered by some of the best online casinos and blackjack sites. While “regular” online blackjack is an automated game that relies on RNG (Random Number Generator) software to simulate games, live dealer blackjack uses – as the name suggests – a real life dealer and real cards, with the game being played out live in real time.
Optical recognition software allows you to interact with the casino just as you would in real life, whilst you can also chat to your dealer and fellow players too. The dealers – invariably good-looking young women in revealing dresses – are situated either in a custom-designed studios or, sometimes, in genuine casinos (though in dedicated rooms rather than at public tables). The games are transmitted live and provide a more authentic casino experience and, due to improvements in technology and reducing costs, they are growing in popularity.
Play is identical to standard online blackjack, as are the rules, although there are some differences which we highlight below as we take a look at the pros and cons of playing live dealer blackjack.
Pros
– For those who question the fairness, randomness and honesty of online casinos, live dealer variants offer improved transparency
– The games offer more atmosphere than RNG games
– Some online casinos have extra bonuses for live dealer blackjack
– The pace of the games is more like in a land-based casino, meaning your money can last longer
Cons
– Because live dealer games are “real” games, they require a dealer and a table, meaning there are not unlimited places at the blackjack table. You may have to wait for a place to become free, especially at lower stakes tables.
– Whilst the pace is more realistic, if you’re trying to wager through a large blackjack bonus quickly this is a negative.