The Best Live Blackjack Online Casinos in the US

The Legality and Safety of Live Blackjack in the US

The legality of live online blackjack in the US is regulated under the bracket of online casinos more broadly. Online casino gaming is currently legal in the following states:

• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Michigan
• New Jersey
• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia

Live blackjack and other forms of online casino gaming are differentiated from sports betting, which enjoys more widespread legality in the US. In each state where online casinos are legal, there are sites that are licensed by state regulators. These include the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, which in turn works with the NJ Casino Control Commission, and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

While it’s not illegal to play live dealer blackjack at other sites licensed in offshore locations, players will be subject to greater level of protection and safety if they stick to state-licensed sites. Still, online casinos registered with reputable regulators like the Malta Gaming Authority and UK Gambling Commision are perfectly legal to use.

How We Review the Best Live Blackjack Casinos

We get it, before you purchase your chips and hit the blackjack tables, you want to be sure you’re playing at a quality site. Here are the main factors our expert team considers when reviewing the best live blackjack casinos.

• Licensing and Safety – If a live blackjack site doesn’t have a valid license, our review stops there. It’s important to stick to licensed sites that are audited for game fairness, player welfare, and the protection of customer data using SSL encryption
• Live Blackjack Games Selection – Naturally the range of live dealer blackjack games on offer is a key consideration. We take note of the software providers featured and look out for reliable names like Evolution 
• Bonuses and Promotions – From welcome bonuses for new players to ongoing promotions for existing customers, the best live casino blackjack sites have great deals on offer
• Bonus Terms and Conditions – While a big helping of free spins or bonus credit can look great on the surface, player-friendly terms and conditions are super important. We scour the T&Cs and alert you to anything you need to know regarding wagering requirements, time limits, or anything else
• Other Games – Most fans of live blackjack tables enjoy variations like infinite blackjack, along with other table games like live roulette. As well as reviewing all the site’s live casino options, we check out the variety of slot games on offer, as well as other options like bingo and Slingo
• Banking Options – Whether you’re happy sticking to bank cards or prefer to use an e-wallet like Skrill or Neteller, the best live blackjack sites have plenty of payment options to choose from
• Mobile Functionality – Ideally, an online casino will have a native app available through the Apple and Google Play app stores. Failing that, we ensure the mobile experience is smooth sailing through a browser
• Site Design and UX – Laggy navigation and buggy games are a huge turn off, which is why our assessment of site design and user experience is another crucial part of our reviews. We want to see plenty of filtering options to help players find the games they’re looking for, and other helpful tools like a detailed FAQs page
• Customer Service – Occasionally, the answer to your query won’t be covered in the FAQs. In this case, it’s important to have help on hand through a live chat service, email, phone, or all of the above. We’ll let you know what the office hours are so you know when to expect a reply from the on-site team

Live Blackjack Explained

Blackjack is a famous casino game all around the world with a somewhat foggy history, although it’s thought its origins lie at the beginning of 17th century Spain. What is absolutely true is that the modern game has developed from earlier versions called twenty-one or Vingt-Un, with the American rules established in 1825. The object of the game is to beat the dealer’s hand by getting as close to 21 as possible without going over through the following betting calls: 

• Hit – Take another card. You can do this until you go over 21
• Stand – Stick with what you have and don’t take another card
• Double Down – Double your bet and get one final additional card
• Surrender – In some live blackjack games, you can choose to surrender half your bet without playing
• Split – If your first two cards are the same value, you can split them into two separate hands and place a duplicate bet

How to Play Live Blackjack

Now you’ve got the basics down, here’s a run through on how a blackjack hand plays out.

1. Place your bet – Start by choosing how much you’d like to bet on the upcoming hand. Most of the time, the payout is 1:1, meaning you double your money if you win.
2. Receive your cards – The croupier then deals two cards to each player. The value of your hand is these two cards added together. Each face card counts as ten. Ace is either 1 or 11. If you receive an ace and a ten straight off the bat, that’s a natural blackjack, the best hand in the game, and the payout is 3:2.
3. Decide on your play – Based on your cards, decide whether you’d like to play as normal, split, double down or surrender. Sometimes you can also place a side bet.
4. Hit or stand – As you receive extra cards, decide when to stop. You need to get as close to 21 as you can without going bust. Players can see the dealer’s first card, so this will help influence your decision.
5. See if you win – Once you stand or go bust, the dealer will reveal their hand and see who wins the round.

The Live Blackjack House Edge

The house edge refers to the advantage that the casino has over the player during a game like blackjack. Every casino game, whether online or in a real casino, has a house edge — after all, it’s how the casino makes money! The edge will be expressed as a percentage — let’s say it sits at 3%, this would mean 3% of all wagers are kept by the house on average over the long term, with the rest paid back out in winnings.

As blackjack is partially a game of strategy, it has less of a fixed house edge than other games such as slots and roulette. The blackjack house edge is generally considered to be around 2%, but can be reduced to around 0.5% with successful strategy — one of the lowest around.

The house edge of blackjack also varies depending on the number of decks being used. Generally speaking, the house edge is lower when fewer decks are in play. This is because blackjacks are more frequent and you’re more likely to receive 10-value cards on top of double-downs. 

Most blackjack games use six to eight decks, but there are plenty of games of single deck blackjack available to play online — although the lower house edge may be counteracted by lower payouts for achieving a blackjack.

More modern variants of blackjack can be harder to calculate in terms of the house edge, when you’re throwing different rules into the mix. Evolution’s multiplier-filled Lightning Blackjack Live has a published RTP of 99.56%. However, this is just for the first hand, before the 100% ‘lightning fee’ is applied to each initial bet in a game round to counterbalance the potential for multiplied payouts.

The Best Live Blackjack Games 

Far from hosting just one game, the best sites offer numerous ways to play live blackjack. Evolution currently reigns supreme in terms of the software developers providing these games to live dealer casinos, but the likes of Playtech and Pragmatic Play are beginning to make their mark on the US market as well.

Live Blackjack

Straight up live blackjack is the best option if you’re looking for an authentic casino experience. You can play at a pace that’s similar to a land-based casino table, all while lounging out in your own home.

Lightning Blackjack

If you feel like upping the ante, Evolution’s Lightning Blackjack game is definitely worth a go. Set in a stunning Art Deco studio, this game features randomly generated multipliers between 2x and 25x on each winning score.

Speed Blackjack

Another innovative offering from Evolution, Speed Blackjack is ideal for players who enjoy a fast-paced game. Have you ever felt it tedious waiting for each player to complete their turn? In Speed Blackjack, the next card goes to whoever is ready first.

Infinite Blackjack

In Infinite Blackjack, an unlimited number of players can join a live dealer blackjack game at any given time. This stands in contrast to other live blackjack games where only seven or so players can take on the dealer at once.

Live Blackjack Betting Strategies 

Following established betting strategies is a great way to get a feel for blackjack. After all, it’s one of the few online casino games that involves a fair bit of skill. Of course, there’s plenty of luck along the way, but you can influence your fortunes more than you can in a game of roulette, for example. 

Using a strategy chart is one way to learn all the best moves to make depending on the cards in front of you. Additionally, there are some common blackjack strategies you can memorize to improve your gameplay:

• Double down on hard 11s
• Always split 8s and aces
• Never split 10s, 4s or 5s
• Always hit a hard 12 against a dealer’s 2 or 3 upcard

Betting Systems

Players can also follow established casino betting systems that can be used across multiple live casino games, including blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. These systems center around the player’s stake sizes, rather than the actual decision making.

• Flat betting – A handy way to manage your spending, flat betting involves placing the same stake every round. Players calculate their flat bet stake using a percentage of their bankroll. 
• Negative progression – Systems that involve increasing the bet after each loss, such as the Martingale and Fibonacci.
• Positive progression – Systems that involve increasing the bet after each win, like the Paroli method.

Live Blackjack vs RNG Blackjack 

Anyone who wants to play online blackjack games can choose between live games, where real dealers are streamed around the world, and games that use a Random Number Generator (RNG). 

In an RNG game, it’ll just be you playing by yourself on a simulated table. It’s a much less immersive and interactive format. There’s no right or wrong option to take — many players prefer RNG blackjack because they can play at their own pace and enjoy a more relaxing experience.

There are also many reasons why players may prefer to play real-time live blackjack instead:

• Entertainment value – With experienced croupiers running the show from stunning studios around the world, live blackjack is an entertaining experience that’s as close as you’ll get to playing in a land-based casino.
• Interactivity – Players have the option to use that chat function to converse with other players and the dealer, just like in a real casino.
• Betting limits – Betting limits tend to be higher at live dealer tables, so they’re the best option for high rollers. That said, RNG table limits should be more than high enough for most players.
• Speed – Live blackjack games stick to a steady pace — if a player misses the betting round, the game moves on anyway. That means you can dip in and out as you please, and you won’t be waiting around for other players. If you like a particularly fast-paced game, Evolution’s Speed Blackjack deals the next card to whichever player is ready first.

Live Blackjack Casino Bonuses 

Casino bonuses are often tailored towards slots rather than live dealer blackjack games. That said, live blackjack players can still benefit from the following types of rewards.

Matched Deposit Bonus 

With a matched deposit bonus, the casino matches a percentage of your first deposit in bonus funds. Let’s say you claim a 100% matched bonus and you deposit $10 — you’d receive an additional $10 to play on eligible games when claiming a matched deposit.

No Deposit Bonus

A no deposit bonus gives you the chance to dive right in with free spins or bonus credit straight after signing up. It’s the perfect opportunity to try out a new site and some live dealer blackjack games before committing any of your own cash.

Low Wagering Bonus 

While most casino bonuses come with restrictive wagering requirements, a low wagering bonus makes the process easier by not requiring you to rollover your bonus amount so many times. We typically consider a low wagering bonus to be 20x and under.

Free Spins 

Free spins can only be used on slot games, so they’re not directly applicable to live blackjack. That said, most fans of live casino games enjoy a spin on the slot reels once in a while, and free spins offer the perfect opportunity to try before you buy.

Live Blackjack Bonus Terms and Conditions

Before you claim a welcome bonus or existing customer offer, it’s important to read the terms and conditions carefully. Here are the main T&Cs to keep an eye out for at live casino blackjack sites.

• Minimum Deposit – To qualify for a bonus, you’ll need to deposit at least the stated amount
• Playthrough Requirements – To convert any bonus winnings into withdrawable cash, you’ll often need to bet a certain amount of your own money. 30x playthrough requirements on a $20 bonus would mean you’d need to wager $600 to withdraw the bonus funds
• Time Limits – Bonuses at blackjack sites have time limits, which apply to claiming the bonus, using it, and fulfilling any playthrough requirements
• Payment Exclusions – When there’s a minimum deposit required, certain payment methods may be excluded. e-Wallets like Skrill, Neteller and PayPal often don’t make the cut
• Game Restrictions – Be sure to check the eligible games associated with an online casino offer, as there may just be one or two included
• Game Contributions – Wagers that contribute towards playthrough requirements may not count in full. 100% of slot wagers typically count, but blackjack can be as low as 10% or even 0%
• Winnings Caps – Winning caps refer to a maximum amount you can win from a bonus

Play Live Blackjack on the Go

The good news for mobile users is that you can enjoy just as much of a top quality blackjack experience on your phone as you can on any other device. Every online casino has a mobile-optimized site, fitted with the same range of games you would find on desktop.

There are numerous benefits of playing blackjack on your mobile. You can play on the go in any location, fire up the game with the touch of a button, and enjoy easy access to your mobile payment apps when making deposits and withdrawals.

Live Blackjack Casino Apps

The best live blackjack sites offer dedicated apps for iOS and Android users. Apps offer faster loading times, slicker interfaces, and the option to enable push notifications to hear about the latest offers. Top US online casino sites like BetMGM and DraftKings offer live games through their mobile apps.

Live Blackjack Banking Options

Before you can play live blackjack for real money, you’ll need to deposit some funds into your account. Here’s a list of the most common banking options at live dealer blackjack online casinos.

Alternative Live Dealer Casino Games 

If the idea of playing real-time online casino games with a real dealer appeals to you, there are lots of other classic titles worth checking out.

Live Roulette

Like blackjack, roulette is a centuries-old game that features in every land-based casino. It’s no surprise, then, that many live blackjack fans enjoy a few spins of the roulette wheel. If you’re looking for the most authentic experience possible, Evolution’s multi-camera Immersive Roulette is a great option. However, if you fancy mixing up the usual gameplay, Evolution’s Lightning Roulette and XXXtreme Lightning Roulette throw some huge multipliers into the mix, with exciting results.

Live Baccarat

Live baccarat is another popular casino game that features at virtually every live dealer casino. It’s a comparing card game where the player bets on either themselves or the banker to get a hand closest to nine, or for it to be a tie. There aren’t so many whacky variations in baccarat, but players can choose between the three traditional variations — punto banco is the most popular, followed by chemin de fer and baccarat banque.

Live Game Shows 

If you fancy stepping away from the green felt and trying something completely different, we highly recommend getting involved in a live game show. Hosted by a charismatic live dealer, you’ll have the chance to win big money prizes as you navigate these whacky and eccentric games. Playtech’s The Money Drop Live is based on the hit TV game show, while Evolution’s Cash or Crash sees you take to the skies in a blimp as you try to stay afloat and climb the paytable.

Start Playing Live Blackjack at the Best Live Dealer Casinos 

Now you’ve got a feel for the basics of blackjack gameplay, the benefits of live dealer casinos, and what to expect in terms of bonuses and additional features, it’s time to pick a site and get started. Browse our list of approved live casino blackjack sites and use the comparison tools to find one that fits the bill. Once you’re set, click through to register and claim a welcome bonus.