Live Dealer Blackjack Online in NY
Live Dealer Blackjack Online in NY
Live dealer casino games have taken the online casino experience to the next level. Unlike the standard online casino games that rely on random number generators to provide the outcome, live dealer games emulate the action from physical casinos.
There’s you, the real human dealer, other casino patrons, real cards and real action streamed in HD quality to your computer or mobile device.
Among all live online casino games, live dealer blackjack is a leading option. It brings the same fast-paced nature, a low house edge, and various betting options to the realm of online casinos.
If live dealer blackjack piques your interest and you are looking to learn how to play in the event that New York legalizes online casinos, this page has you covered.
How live dealer blackjack works
Live dealer blackjack is a fairly simple game to master. But, before you get to the actual gameplay, you need to complete a couple of steps:
- Head to the website for the online casino of your choice and select the registration button.
- Create your account by supplying details such as your name, email, address, phone number, and last four digits of your Social Security number.
- Navigate to the cashier and make a deposit. Live dealer casino games online are only available to play for real money, so don’t expect any demo versions.
- Browse the live casino lobby for blackjack games and choose the game you wish to try. Mind the betting limits, side bets, and other gameplay features when making your decision, such as the blackjack payout rate, when the shoe gets shuffled, whether you can double down after splitting, etc.
- Start playing live dealer online blackjack.
Live casino blackjack works just like any other version of the game, for the most part:
- Take a seat at the table — After selecting a game, you’ll need to choose a seat at the table. If the table is fully booked, you’ll have to wait in the queue. However, you can also find live blackjack versions with unlimited seats to avoid waiting.
- Place your bet — A blackjack game begins with you placing a bet for the upcoming hand. The bet needs to be within the table limit that you can see on the screen.
- Receive the cards and make your move — The live blackjack dealer will take one face-up card and one face-down card and deal you two face-up cards. Once you get your cards, you’ll have to decide what to do. Since the game’s goal is to get 21 or as close to 21 as possible without going over, you’ll have to decide whether to ask for another card (hit) or stick with the ones you already have (stand). Face cards have a value of 10, numbered cards have the value of their number and aces can count as either 1 or 11. Also, based on the version of live dealer blackjack and the cards you receive, you can double down, surrender, split the hand, use insurance bets or place side bets.
- Wait for the dealer’s play — Once players have received their cards and have played their hands, the dealer acts. There are certain rules dealers have to follow, such as hitting on 16 or soft 17. It’s good to be aware of these rules as they can affect the house edge.
As briefly mentioned, there are side bets for many versions of live dealer blackjack, such as 21+3, Bust It, and Perfect Pairs. Even if a table is fully booked, it may still offer the Bet Behind option, which lets you bet on the cards dealt to a player at the table as if they were dealt to you.
Best live blackjack casinos in NY
If real money online casinos in NY are legalized, here are some sites that will offer good options for live blackjack online:
DraftKings Casino
- DraftKings Blackjack: Minimum bet, $1; maximum bet, $5,000
- DraftKings Blackjack 1: Minimum bet, $30; maximum bet, $5,000
- Infinite Blackjack: Minimum bet, $5; maximum bet, $2,000
BetMGM Casino
- Blackjack Live: Minimum bet, $1; maximum bet, $1,000
- Infinite Blackjack: Minimum bet, $5; maximum bet, $2,000
- Unlimited Blackjack: Minimum bet, $1; maximum bet, $2,500
Caesars Casino
- Live Blackjack 1: Minimum bet, $30; maximum bet, $2,500
- Live Blackjack 5: Minimum bet, $50; maximum bet, $5,000
- Infinite Blackjack: Minimum bet, $5; maximum bet, $5,000
BetRivers Casino
- Live Dealer Blackjack
FanDuel Casino
- Blackjack Live 1: Minimum bet, $25; maximum bet, $5,000
- Live Blackjack 4: Minimum bet, $250; maximum bet, $5,000
- Infinite Blackjack: Minimum bet, $5; maximum bet, $5,000
Live dealer vs. standard online blackjack
Live dealer games bring a more personal and immersive gambling experience to the digital world. With online live dealer blackjack, you’ll face an actual human dealer, unlike RNG-run blackjack games where the computer simply displays the cards.
With live blackjack, you’ll get a chance to interact with other people at the table via online chat, which is not available with standard online blackjack games.
The level of interaction, the multiple side bets — including the Bet Behind option that lets you play even if the table is full — and the experience that resembles a live casino make live blackjack the top choice for many.
However, some aspects of standard online blackjack still make it a viable choice. Namely, the diversity of games is far greater than that of live dealer blackjack. With digital blackjack, you can try titles such as Zappit Blackjack, Blackjack X-Change, and many others that you won’t find in live dealer form.
Moreover, standard online blackjack games are always available 24/7, while some live tables may have more limited hours. Naturally, this depends on the online casino and the game provider.
Finally, players can usually try out standard blackjack games in demo mode first before risking any of their funds. By contrast, you will not be able to play live dealer blackjack for free online.
| Live Dealer Blackjack | Standard Online Blackjack |
|---|---|
| No free play | Free play |
| HD Stream | Better variety |
| Live chat | More diverse betting limits |
| Immersive gambling experience |
Tips for playing live dealer blackjack online
One thing to remember when playing live online blackjack in NY (once legal) — there are no guarantees that you’ll win every time, regardless of the strategy you employ. However, some things can help increase your chances of success:
- Never take insurance bets — The odds for insurance bets are not in your favor. The payouts are only 2:1, and that is if the dealer gets a blackjack. Even if the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, the second one needs to be a face card or a 10, and there are 16 of those in a single deck.
- Split your aces — Since aces can count as either 1 or 11, it’s best to split them and play two hands, each with an ace.
- Try to avoid 6:5 payouts — With this version of blackjack, instead of the classic one where the blackjack pays 3:2, the house edge increases to 2%. In classic 3:2 versions, the house edge can drop to 0.5% with an optimal betting strategy, depending on the other rules.
- Mind the timing — In live dealer blackjack games, you’ll have around 15 seconds to bet, so make sure to keep an eye on the clock.
- Learn the table etiquette and rules — Make sure to go over the rules of the specific live dealer table to learn about payouts, side bets, and etiquette before you take a seat.
How do I know the deal is fair?
For peace of mind, it’s always best to play at a licensed and regulated online casino. If New York legalizes online casinos, that means playing at one that has received the approval of the New York State Gaming Commission for fairness and security.
What’s more, these licensed sites will have partnered with reputable game providers, such as Evolution, Ezugi, Playtech, and others. Finally, in live dealer games, you can see what the dealer is doing all the time, especially when shuffling cards.