How does a game of live Blackjack play out?

You’ve heard of Blackjack, but have you heard of live Blackjack? This is a recent evolution of the online format, bringing together online play with the presence of a livestreamed dealer to create a unique play experience.

If you’ve only previously played games of online Blackjack then it’s good to get an understanding of how a game of live Blackjack works before you try a round. That’s why we’re going to walk you through exactly how a live Blackjack game plays out today.

1. Joining the live Blackjack table

Like the first step of any other game, the first step of playing live Blackjack is to choose a game. Online casinos generally offer a variety of different Blackjack tables, with differences in the ruleset, betting limits and the dealer. This is when players can evaluate which tables best suit their particular preferences before clicking on a selection.

As live Blackjack games move in real-time, there is a chance that you might join a table which is already mid-game. In those circumstances, players need to wait until a new round starts in order to play, so there is a little patience needed if you find yourself waiting to play.

2. Placing a wager

Once the player joins an active table, they will be prompted to place a wager. In live Blackjack games, players interact with the game through their online interface, which allows them to select the chip value they wish to stake. This information is then relayed to the live dealer, who will place physical chips on the table to represent each player’s wager.

There is a set time limit on how longer players can take to decide their wager – in order to keep the game flowing at a steady pace – so it’s important to proceed in a timely manner.

3. Play begins

Once the time limit for the wagering period is up, the dealer will begin the game and deal out two cards to each active player. At the same time, they will commonly deal out two to themselves, although only one of these is placed face-up and the other is kept face-down.

At this point, play will proceed around the table with each player taking a turn – unless they received a natural Blackjack in the initial deal. For players who don’t get a natural Blackjack, there are a few actions to choose from, depending on the value of their hand and the strength of the dealer’s face-up card.

The main options are:

• Hit – requesting an additional card with the aim of increasing their hand value towards 21
• Stand – leaving their hand at its current value and ending their turn
• Double down – doubling their initial wager in exchange for exactly one extra card
• Split – dividing their initial hand into two, separate hands if their first two cards were a pair

When each of the players at the table has completed their turn – whether they choose to stand or go bust with a hand value over 21 – play switches to the dealer.

4. The dealer’s turn

This is where the dealer will reveal their second card, establishing their initial hand value for the rest of the table. If that hand is worth less than 17 then the rules dictate that the dealer must hit until they reach at least this value, creating the potential to go bust.

If the dealer goes bust then all remaining players who didn’t go bust themselves will receive a payout. But if the dealer’s hand doesn’t end up exceeding 21, then they will compare it to those of the players in turn, determining which are higher before making payouts as necessary.

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Really, a game of live Blackjack plays almost exactly the same as one in a land-based casino. The only real difference is the fact that players are not in the same room as the dealer!