How to Play: Live Blackjack Tips

The insurance bet is a rip-off, and every good blackjack player knows that. In pretty much every case available, insurance bets are statistically horrible. Most calculations show that the blackjack insurance bet RTP is a hefty 7%. That’s very significantly worse than any other move you can make.

The odds for the insurance bet are 2:1. Say you’ve made thirteen $1 insurance bets in a game. Based on the odds, you are likely to win 4 of these bets, which means you win $8 in total returns, $4 of which are actual profits. However, you lost 9, for $9 of losses. It’s simply not worth it.

The only scenario in which you should play insurance in blackjack is if you’re positive the dealer has an Ace as their face-down card. That can only be known with some extremely skilled card counting, which is next to impossible in live online blackjack.

5. Find a Table That Pays 3 to 2 for Blackjack

You will find plenty of different live blackjack tables where different variations are played. No matter what the blackjack variation is, always see that you select the table where blackjack pays 3 to 2, and where the dealer stands on soft 17. These are the two most important things when searching for a live table. Blackjack is a game with a pretty low house edge, but if you don’t choose your table smart, the house edge may rise considerably and you will be at a greater disadvantage.

There are other rule variations that can affect the house edge to a tiny degree. However, 6:5 blackjack tables will completely tank the RTP and make it impossible to play blackjack profitably.

6. Study Blackjack Stats and Card Counting

Blackjack can be an infinitely deep topic. Finding out all there is to know is quite hard – and way beyond the scope of this page. However, here is a comprehensive collection of blackjack tips, resources, and information. It compounds information from across the internet into one easily-digestible list. If you want to deepen your knowledge of blackjack strategy and card counting, you’ll have more than enough to do.

Needless to say, card counting is another big thing for serious 21 players. It’s a complicated topic, and you can find tips for getting started here. No matter how you look at it, this technique is the only way to actually mathematically beat the casinos, and there’s written and statistical evidence of that. Be aware of a few things, though:

• Counting cards can get you removed from most casinos, live dealer ones included. As such, properly hiding it is essential.
• The effectiveness of card counting online blackjack is dubious at best. It may work to an extent at live dealer games.
• Don’t worry about these advanced blackjack strategies before you master basic ones.

7. Use Online Live Casino Bonuses

We just said card counting is the only way to beat the casinos, but that’s not strictly true. Blackjack bonuses at online casinos are another one, and we’ll explain how.

As we mention in our strategy guide, card counting doesn’t actually increase your chances of winning. It allows you to increase the stakes when the current shoe is favorable to you. Ultimately, this leads to having more profits than losses. In other words – it’s impossible to consistently win more rounds than you lose. However, it’s quite possible to win more money than you lose. It’s an important blackjack tip that most guides seem to ignore.

Casino bonuses can give you free funds to play blackjack with. This means that any losses are not actually losses because they don’t go out of your pocket. A proper blackjack strategy can get help you keep more of it while you complete the wagering requirements, though. You still want low requirements and high wagering contribution for blackjack, of course.

As such, we highly advise all our readers to take full advantage of any live blackjack bonus offers and promotions. Here are some great examples:

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8. Practice, Practice, Practice

Blackjack charts and tips are easy to find these days, aren’t they? However, statistics show that over 99% of blackjack players don’t even follow basic strategy fully. There are many reasons for this, but superficial knowledge is the main one. Essentially, players think they’re playing perfectly – but they’re not.

To avoid this, you can’t just read blackjack tips and tricks and think you’ve mastered the game. You need practice, and you need a lot of it. You want to understand why certain moves are optimal and why certain tips exist at all. Drill yourself until basic strategy, bet spreads, and rule considerations become second nature.

Of course, we won’t just leave you hanging – Live Casinos is here to help. If you want blackjack practice tools and drills to play blackjack for free, check out our live casino training software page. It contains great resources to help you practice blackjack without risking any real money.

9.  Play Blackjack with Surrender

The surrender option in blackjack favors the player. Optimal blackjack strategy charts do, in fact, include surrendering at times.

If you’re not familiar, the surrender option in blackjack allows the player to give up on their current hand and receive half their stake back. Obviously, it’s used for cutting losses if the round isn’t going great for you. You can find a more comprehensive guide on the surrender rule in blackjack here.

Blackjack tables with surrender enabled have a smaller house edge by around 0.1%. That’s pretty significant in terms of 21, so avoid rulesets that don’t allow surrendering.

10. Pick the Right Casino

Most live online casinos might look similar to the untrained eye. However, if you want a profitable, fun, and smooth experience of playing blackjack, you’ll need to know where to look.

First of all, you want a casino site with the best blackjack games. This depends on partnered software providers. They’re easy enough to find if you follow our live casino game reviews. They’re also merely the first step.

You also want security, customer service, pepper licensing and legal status, and so on. Multiple factors go into finding the best live casinos, and we can help guide you with our reviews and ratings. For now, however, here are some quick suggestions:

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4.6/5

November 2024

The Energy casino is a great example of what solid foundations can achieve if there’s also a willingness to grow. It’s one of the most respected gaming brands around with a multi-software live casino library and a basketful of other perks. Top-notch.

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4.6/5

November 2024

BetUS is a long way from being a top-tier live casino site. No BetUS live casino bonus is a bummer. However, it does tick some boxes and can provide for a pleasing live dealer session across baccarat, roulette and blackjack tables. For a more lavish experience, you will need to switch websites.

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Other Useful Tips

Our top 10 blackjack tips are merely the beginning. THere’s a lot more to learn on Live Casinos, which you can do by following the many useful links found across this page. Beyond that, you can also read:

• A huge collection of blackjack tricks and advice from the blackjack tips Reddit, Forums, and other sources.
• Tips for managing your bankroll at a live casino
• Introduction to the Early Payout move in blackjack
• Guide to side bets in blackjack
• Tips and advice for mistakes to avoid as a blackjack beginner

FAQ

• How do I increase my chances of winning blackjack?

If you’re playing using a basic blackjack strategy chart, your chances are as high as they possible can be. Not even CArd Counting actually increases the chances of winning a hand – it affects your long-term profits instead. Either way, even the best blackjack pros don’t win more than just over 40% of their hands.

• When should you not take a hit in blackjack?

• What number should you stop at blackjack?

Stopping at 17 is pretty much a must. Also, never stop at 11 or under. Beyond that, the move you should make depends on the dealer’s up-card. Refer to our blackjack strategy guide for more details.

• Is there a trick to winning blackjack?

Yes and no. The basic gist is to stick to the strategy chart, which guarantees you’re making the best possible moves. Beyond that it comes down to luck or advanced blackjack strategies such as card counting.

• Is it better to play blackjack with a full table?

Yes, technically it is. However, this only really matters if you’re still learning or trying to count cards. You can find more details and a full explanation under tip 3 on this page.