Online blackjack is a fun and incredibly convenient way to get a blackjack game any time you want one. But if you’ve ever been to a casino in person, you know that there’s just something special about playing with a live dealer. The ambiance of the casino is just the best. There’s the hum of sounds around you as chips clack and cards slide across felt. The low key, friendly chatter back and forth with the dealer as one hand after the other plays out, and the occasional cheer when someone lands a monster payday.

suited dealer shuffling cards in hand standing in front of a blackjack table over a black background and flaming orange foreground

What is Live Dealer Blackjack?

Live dealer blackjack online is created in a space that’s a cross between a recording studio and a casino. There’s a human dealer, real cards, and a real felt-topped gaming table. The dealer has a camera pointed at him or her, capturing every action in the game, and showing the cards that are dealt live on stream. You, as the player, are still at home, looking at the live stream and making decisions.

For example, you might click to ante up and see the dealer deal out a ten and a 3 to you. At your computer, you click to take a hit. The dealer sees what you’ve picked and deals out another card. You’re on a hot streak! It’s the best card possible: the eight you were hoping for. You’ve got 21! Ignition Casino then pays you out and you can head to the next hand.

Advantages of Live Dealer Blackjack

You see actual cards dealt in real time by a human being, just like in standard casino games, but you don’t have to ever leave your couch. You also don’t have to get dressed or make a trip to a physical location. We know that, for some players, getting dressed up for a night out is part of the fun, but for those of you that would just as well play in your sweats, live dealer blackjack online is the answer.

There are some definite other advantages, too, like the fact that you get to pick your dealer! We give you the option to select your blackjack dealer for your game. You can scroll through the headshots and settle on a dealer that suits your tastes. Mostly you’ll see women (including some definite cuties), but we have male dealers as well.

Since we’re talking about actual human beings, you can chat with them during your games, too. You might even be able to chat with other players! Having the best time? You can tip your dealer. It’s a lot less lonely than playing at real online tables that don’t have a live human dealer. You’ll feel like you’re at a comfy casino seat, talking with the dealer as the hands roll by. If you’ve been stuck at home for a long time, it can be a nice way to at least feel a little bit like you’re out somewhere fun.

How Live Dealer Blackjack Works

In case this sounds like magic, we assure you, it’s just a combination of smart technology and the classic casino experience. One of the keys is that live dealer blackjack online uses special cards which contain microchips. As the dealer pulls them off the deck to deal them out, they’re detected and recorded by Ignition Casino software that gets data from a card scanner. That way, everything is trackable.

The dealers at our live online blackjack tables also see which action you click on, which lets them know whether you’re going to hit, stand, take insurance, or surrender. The computer is between the two of you, but the game is always the same as it’s been for ages. If you’ve adjusted to computer blackjack, however, you’ll notice that live real online tables go at a more human pace instead of rapid machine speed. It’s a different kind of game for a different kind of feeling and experience.

You can learn more at our live dealer blackjack online guide.

Live Dealer Blackjack Strategy

Live dealer blackjack online is best played using a similar strategy as you would at any other online blackjack table. Stick to the well-known betting guidelines for a game with our ruleset (plus a little bit of intuition here and there), and you’ll be good to go. The basic strategy is as follows:

  • If you have 8 points or less, take a hit. You need points and can’t rely on your live dealer to bust.
  • If you get 9-11 points take a hit and consider doubling down.
  • If you have 12 points and dealer shows 4, 5, or 6, just stand. Otherwise, hit.
  • If you get 13-16 points in your hand and the live dealer is showing 7 or above, take a hit. If the dealer has less, just stand.
  • If you have 17 or more points, it’s time to stand under the ruleset at our casino site, no matter what the live dealer has (or how cute they are). You don’t want to be chasing higher totals here – it’s too likely that you’ll wind up busting out and not making money.
POV of a hand reaching towards the sun over a picturesque mountainous landscape with lakes

Live Dealer Blackjack Bets

1. Live Dealer Blackjack Back Betting

Now that we’re not playing against the computer, there’s another factor to consider: the other players! While some tables have unlimited players live, you may find yourself at a standard 6-player blackjack table, able to see hands playing out for each of the players seated alongside you.

From time to time, you’ll also see another player in your game kicking some serious ass at blackjack. If that’s the case, then back betting allows you to go along for the ride. This means that you can bet on their hands right with them. They make decisions, but your money is at stake as well as theirs. Make sure you like their style, because once you’re back betting on a hand, you can’t stop the action in that round. You’re in it until the other player completes the round. It’s a fun way to join up with other players that know their stuff and that are on a serious hot streak.

2. Live Dealer Blackjack Rummy Betting

Rummy betting is a kind of side bet that is sometimes available in casinos like ours that offer live dealer blackjack online. This side bet pays off 9:1 when your initial two cards plus the dealer’s up card make a rummy. A rummy can be made three ways: 1) all three cards are of the same suit, 2) all three cards are of the same rank (all 2s or all 7s), 3) the cards form a straight (e.g. 8, 9, 10).

We know that online blackjack sometimes needs to be spiced up a bit, so adding extra betting makes every deal that much more fun. If you’re having trouble winning at blackjack, side bets can be the wild card way to snag a win anyway.

3. Live Dealer Blackjack Pairs Betting

This is a second kind of side bet available at our real online tables for blackjack. This one is even simpler than rummy betting, because it pays off when you’re dealt two cards of equal rank in your first two initial cards. If you see a pair there and you’ve made this side bet, you’re getting paid 11 to 1 on your money. Players familiar with Perfect Pairs will feel right at home, although the payout structure is different here. Some cards are a real bummer to see in online blackjack, but when you’re getting a bonus cash payout from your pairs, it’s not so bad after all. It’s just another way to make live dealer blackjack online that much more lively.

4. Live Dealer Super 777 Progressive Jackpot

The Super 777 Progressive jackpot is a side bet players can make only in live dealer blackjack. Just press the J button at the top left of the player chip wager. Once that bet is active, you’re in the running for the jackpot.

The jackpot pays out when you get dealt three sevens. Three multicolor sevens get you $100. Three red sevens get you $1,000. And three sevens of diamonds will win you the entire six-figure jackpot. One of our big winners on this jackpot was Bryan F., who made a $1 side bet and won $293,000 when those three lucky sevens came down on the felt.

Ready to Hit the Tables?

Now that you know the skinny on live dealer blackjack action at Ignition Casino, head over to the live blackjack section and find a friendly face from among our dealer team. You’ll be seated across from your pick in just a few moments.

The real live casino experience is just a few clicks away!

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