Live Oracle Blackjack by Portomaso Gaming is a live dealer blackjack game released in 2016. It boasts an RTP of up to 99.70% with a minimum bet of $5 and a $500 maximum wager. The game is available on both desktop and mobile and streamed live from the Oracle Casino in Malta.
Live streaming blackjack games from an actual casino floor offers a wholly new level of authenticity. Portomaso has mastered this approach to making live dealer casino games. Most of their games are named from the real-life establishment it’s being streamed from. So far, the Oracle live blackjack game has proven to be one of the most popular.
Game Specifications | |
---|---|
Game name | Live Oracle Blackjack |
Game provider | Portomaso Gaming |
Game type | Blackjack |
Streaming from | Malta |
RTP | 99.70% |
Bet range | €5 - €500 |
Max win | 100:1 |
Side bets | Yes |
Supported platforms | |
Supported OS | |
Languages | English |
Portomaso’s Oracle series of live casino games was finally expanded to include live blackjack. If you’re not familiar with this developer’s work, our Live Oracle Blackjack review will serve as an overview. The main idea of Oracle games is to offer players a little slice of Malta’s famed Oracle casinos. Instead of a dedicated studio, Portomaso games stream directly from traditional casino tables in Malta.
The result is an interesting hybrid product in which you can share the table with actual casino-goers. In practice, this doesn’t disrupt the usual flow of an online blackjack game. Portomaso Live Blackjack is a fairly versatile title, though. If you wanted to shut off the hustle and bustle of a brick-and-mortar casino, it can be done.
The setting has other benefits as well. For instance, the dealers stand out among online blackjack games as real-life professional croupiers. This seems like a detail, but it all adds to the experience of what would otherwise be bog-standard live blackjack.
If you’re wondering how to play Portomaso Oracle Live Blackjack, you needn’t be worried. As we’ve already mentioned, it works out like it would with any similar title. You log onto one of the many Portomaso casinos, pick a table, and play. The only major difference is that you might notice that some of the other players are actual people. Others, as you might expect, are other online players. The number of seats per table is limited to 7. It’s also worth noting that the minimum bet is $5, while the max is set at $500.
At its core, the Oracle live blackjack is an 8-deck European blackjack. This means that the dealer initially draws only 1 card. In other words, they don’t peak for blackjack. Besides that, the dealer must stand on a soft 17 and must draw to 16. hose who are interested in a Live Oracle Blackjack strategy should know that the shoe is shuffled after 4 decks. This is one of the reasons experienced blackjack players rate this title so highly.
Interestingly, you can also Split up to 4 times per hand. You can also split Aces, but each split hand only receives one additional card after that. Doubling is allowed on any card total, and so is doubling after splitting. This ruleset is responsible for the relatively high RTP in Oracle Blackjack.
The payouts in Oracle Blackjack by Portomaso Gaming are pretty much industry standard. For a game like good old 21, this is very good news. Baseline payouts offer some of the best returns you’ll find on a casino floor. Combined with some exceptional rules, this game is very much worthwhile. The one exception is the Three of a Kind outcome in 21+3, which pays 25:1 compared to the standard 30:1.
Bet/Hand | Payout | ||
---|---|---|---|
Portomaso Gaming Live Oracle Blackjack Payouts | |||
Regular | 1:1 | ||
Blackjack | 3:2 | ||
Blackjack Insurance | 2:1 | ||
Perfect Pairs Side Bet | |||
Mixed Pair | 6:1 | ||
Colored Pair | 12:1 | ||
Suited Pair | 25:1 | ||
21+3 Side Bet | |||
Suited Trips | 100:1 | ||
Straight Flush | 40:1 | ||
Three of a Kind | 25:1 | ||
Straight | 10:1 | ||
Flush | 5:1 |
The main bet sits at an incredible 99.70% assuming optimal strategy. That’s high even by blackjack standards, which makes Portomaso Oracle Blackjack great for serious, profit-oriented players. Perfect Pairs is considerably weaker at 95.90%, but we’re used to that by now. 21+3 is at 96%, give or take, due to the reduced payouts for Three of a Kind.
Make sure to choose the game that suits your taste and budget. For more extensive guides on live blackjack basics, read this article.
The Portomaso Oracle Lounge stands out with sheer excellence, ranging from professional croupiers to a very narrow house edge. However, there are still some features that can make your experience a bit richer.
First of all, there’s the option to bet behind, allowing you to wager on the outcome of other players’ hands. Betting behind can function as either a side bet or something to do if there are no free seats available.
Moreover, Besides that, there are 2 options for side-bets.
You can also pick between two available view modes. The ‘Mixed-screen mode’ allows you to have an extended computer-generated overlay that displays the cards and bets. This can make the game much easier to follow, especially on small screens or with poor connections. Streaming quality is set automatically, though you can change it manually in the settings menu. Additionally, audio level sliders can be found in the lower right corner.