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How to Play: Live Blackjack Tutorial

Live dealer blackjack is perhaps one of the most played games online. With a very small house advantage and amazing gameplay offered, this type of game is preferred by any experienced player.

On this page, we'll explain how to play blackjack online in a live dealer casino. Live blackjack is easy to play and after learning the game rules and available moves. Any player can place their bets and enjoy the interactions at the table and the real-time play of an exciting and life-like blackjack game. New players should always take some time to see what version of the game is being offered in the live dealer casino and become familiar with basic game rules and some strategies that can help with winnings.

Learning how to play live blackjack is not a daunting task, but it is not something that should be overlooked. Any player that is new to live dealer gambling should ensure they completely understand game rule and betting options before taking a seat at any live blackjack table.

Basic Rules and How to Play

The goal when playing live blackjack is to have a hand that totals as close to 21 as possible without going over. All players are playing against the dealer in casino blackjack. Either the dealer wins or you do.

Every blackjack hand is the total sum of all cards currently held. The final outcome is determined by comparing your hand against the dealer’s.

Every card will have an assigned value and face cards are always worth 10. The ace will either be worth 1 or 11 points. Any card combination that includes an Ace is thus called “soft.” For example, an Ace + 7 hand is called a Soft 17. Why? Because in case you draw another card and go over 21, these initial cards can also be counted as an 8. In contrast, a Hard 17 can only ever be 17.

Players will look at their cards and determine what move to make. With live blackjack, there are a number of game options that can be employed. Players can stand if they feel their hand will beat the dealer, or they can hit and receive another card. There are also options to split pairs, double down and even take insurance if there is a chance the dealer has a blackjack.

For now, let’s go through the proper steps to play blackjack live.

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Online Blackjack Step-by-Step Guide

Find a good live blackjack casino and table. You will need a good site to play blackjack first. If you need help finding a good casino, check out our live casino guide. For specific recommendations, you can find our top 10 casino list here.
Take a seat at the table and buy in. Once you open up the game, you may need to take a seat. Some live blackjack tables have limited seats, others don’t. Either way, you use the chips to select your stake as per the table’s betting limits. Here are some great live blackjack games to play for real money.
Receive your initial hand and compare it to the dealer. You will receive two cards initially. These are often referred to as “hole cards”, and are the basis of your strategy going forward. the dealer will also deal two cards to their own hand. However, only one dealer card is revealed to the player. The other remains hidden until the end of the round.
Resolve potential Natural Blackjack. The term “blackjack” or “natural” refers to a player hand that immediately draws one Ace and one 10-value card. This hand totals 21 and wins the round outright. However, if the dealer’s up-card is a 10 or 11, they will “peek” on the down-card to see if they also have a natural. If they do, your bet is a “push” and the full stake is returned to you.
Make your Move(s). The dealer will then go from player to player and wait for their decision. Your options are to Hit, Stand, Double, or Split – you can find the details on what each does below.
Dealer Reveal. The dealer will then reveal their second card. If they get Blackjack, all players lose. If not, they will draw according to the table rules. Most tables have the dealer draw on any hand value under 17, and stand on 17 and over.
Round Resolved. If the dealer goes over 21 while drawing, all players at the table win (unless they also went bust.) If not, players closer to 21 than the dealer win while others lose.

Note

When playing the hand, there are different moves a player can make. Consider all of your options before making a decision.

What Moves Can You Make in Blackjack?

We mentioned the four different moves in blackjack players can make. Knowing how to play blackjack is all about understanding your impact as the player. Now, we’ll go into the details of how blackjack moves work and when you can make them.

Blackjack Moves

Stand – Standing in Blackjack simply means that you don’t want to draw any more cards that round. You can choose to Stand at any moment while it’s your turn, and most live blackjack games auto-stand you if you hit 21. The point of this decision is to avoid “busting” – going over 21.
Hit – To Hit in blackjack means to receive one more card from the shoe. You can hit whenever it’s your turn to play, regardless of your current hand total. That said, some games won’t allow you to do so if you have 21. Of course, you don’t want to hit if your hand is already close to 21, which is basic blackjack strategy.
Double – Doubling in Blackjack allows you to double your stake in the current round, potentially doubling your payout as well. When you can double in blackjack depends on the table rules, but most allow you to double on any hand total. However, you can only double directly after your initial 2-card hand was dealt. After doubling, you must draw one more card and then Stand. You cannot double down after hitting in the current round.
Split – If you have two cards of the same value in your hand, you can Split them. Splitting in blackjack essentially turns these two cards into two separate hands. You have to provide the stake for this additional hand, after which they can both win or lose independently of each other. Note: some tables allow you to “re-split” hands that were created after splitting. Some tables also prohibit picking to Double after a Split.

How Side Bets Work in Blackjack

Additionally, many live blackjack games these days have side bets. These are special wagers that you can place alongside the main bet. Side bets can win or lose independently of the main bet. They are made at the beginning of the round and resolved before its end.

Note that blackjack side bets may have different rules and limits, depending on the table. However, side bets are beyond the scope of this live blackjack tutorial. You can find more info about them here.

What is Insurance in Blackjack?

An Insurance bet in blackjack allows you to protect yourself from a dealer blackjack.

If a dealer shows an Ace in the initial draw, you are at risk of losing to a dealer Blackjack. Why? They only need a 10-value card, and 10-value cards are the most common in the game. In this situation, players can choose to take an Insurance bet.

An Insurance bet wins if the dealer draws Blackjack and pays 2:1. However, your main bet will likely lose in this scenario, unless you also have Blackjack. The Insurance bet can only be half the original bet. Not all table blackjack rules allow insurance.

Importantly, blackjack insurance is never a smart move. Statistically, it’s never worth it, and won’t pay off a majority of the time. If you know how to play blackjack or basic strategy, you will likely never play this bet.

Live Blackjack Guide – Further Reading

That covers everything you need to know on how to play blackjack online live. However, this is a complicated game, and you’re just scratching the surface. Luckily, Live Casinos is here to help you become a true master!

You can start by checking out our basic blackjack strategy page. It will get you started with the basics of how to win blackjack consistently. Then, you can also check out our collection of blackjack tips.

FAQ

Is blackjack easy to learn?

Blackjack is widely considered “easy to learn, hard to master.” That said, it’s still more complex than casino games such as roulette or baccarat.

How do you bet in blackjack?

You simply place your stake at the designated spot on the table. All bets must be within the table’s betting limits. You either place a bet in blackjack or you don’t play that round – it’s that simple. Side bets are optional, however, and can only be played if you already have a main bet.

What is an Ace in blackjack?

An Ace in blackjack counts as either 1 or 11 – whichever is more beneficial for the current hand. As such, any hand total that also contains an Ace is called “soft.” This means that the value can change for the Ace to avoid going over 21.

How does blackjack payout?

Industry-standard payouts for live blackjack are 1:1 for regular wins, 3:2 for Blackjack, and 2:1 for Insurance. Some tables offer worse odds, such as 6:5 payouts for blackjack. Avoid such tables like the plague.

How does Blackjack end?

Every round of the game ends when all the cards are revealed and compared. For this to happen, all player hands must either Stand or Bust by going over 21. The dealer hand must also draw until Standing or Busting, as per the table rules.

Live Casino Editor

Our Chief Editor is a live casino aficionado with years of playing casino games online under his belt. His vast knowledge of the industry’s ins and outs makes him a great leader of our LC team, while his penchant for learning new things has made him a great strategist. This has come particularly handy with our in-depth articles and editorials, where his expertise can shine to the fullest.