The subject of video blackjack vs. live blackjack in both online and live casinos is a hot topic. It is a blackjack discussion that has the effect of polarizing players into two distinct camps. Some won’t play even a single hand of video blackjack. Others swear by it and play nothing else. Here is a brief comparison of video and live blackjack, and a few pros and cons of each. Decide which version of the game is best for you before you play blackjack online for real money.

Differences Between Video Blackjack and Live Blackjack

Before looking at the pros and cons of these two types of blackjack, we should first provide a general overview of the two. The regular blackjack player will be familiar with the subtle differences but the newcomer might want to learn more.

Live blackjack is one of the oldest casino gambling games in the world. It originated in France as Vingt et Un, the French word for the number 21. From France it spread throughout the world, eventually making its way to the gambling halls of the American west. The game was immediately popular because it was easy to learn, and it also offered the skilled player a slight advantage.

Live blackjack as it is played in casinos throughout the world today is largely unchanged in its basic form. A blackjack dealer is used to deal players cards and oversee the actions in the game. All forms of live blackjack used to be dealt by hand. Today only a few single-deck or double-deck “pitch” games can be found in live casinos. The casinos long ago learned that these games were too advantageous for the player.

Live blackjack is most often dealt from a shoe which contains anywhere from six to eight decks of cards. This was done purposely to deter blackjack card counters, but it had the opposite effect. Card counting and blackjack became more popular than ever.

Video blackjack has it is offered in live casinos works on a different premise. The game is essentially a fancy type of computer software known as a random number generator, or RNG. The RNG is responsible for determining which cards the dealer and player are dealt. All casinos will tell you that the results are indeed random, and in most cases they are telling the truth.

However, some players distrust video blackjack because they cannot physically observe the cards as they are “dealt” at the virtual blackjack table. Truthfully, there have been are instances where online casino operators were found to be tampering with online software to arrange a larger edge for the house. When this happens today the online casino is caught and punished. It is not worth trying because blackjack already has a built-in advantage for the player that guarantees a win.

In video blackjack a new deck of 52 cards is used after each hand. This means that he cards are virtually shuffled and no shoe is used. As a result, card counting at video blackjack is impossible.

Two Types of Video Blackjack

We should take a moment here to make a distinction between two very different types of video blackjack. There is the kind that is used at online casinos which offer blackjack for real money. That is the type of situation we described above. There is also another kind. It can be found in live casinos. This is the video blackjack terminal or kiosk.

These machines are said to work on the same principle as the online blackjack games. The machines are powered by software that presents random results. These machines are becoming very popular with players. Casinos love them, too, because they eliminate the need to pay a live dealer. The player can buy chips, bet, and even cash out with no casino employee required.

Video Blackjack Advantages and Disadvantages

So, let’s now take a closer look at video blackjack in terms of its advantages and disadvantages. This will help us make a better video blackjack vs. live blackjack comparisons. Here we will be referring to the video blackjack that one encounters in online casinos.

The advantages are:

  • Convenience – play from home at any hour of the day or night
  • Lower table limits
  • Play multiple hands at the same time

The negatives are:

  • Less transparency
  • No interaction with other players or dealer

What about those video blackjack terminals in the live casinos?

Pros:

  • Player is in control – no human casino personnel required
  • Lower table limits
  • Easier way to learn the game

Cons:

  • Hard to find help when needed if a problem with the terminal occurs
  • No effective way to count cards
  • Concerns over the fairness of games

Live Blackjack Pros and Cons

Perhaps you are a purist that likes to play the live version of blackjack in a casino. This version of the game also has its pros and cons:

Pros:

  • Card counting is effective
  • Everything is transparent
  • More social

Cons:

  • Must travel to the live casino
  • Higher table limits
  • Other players decisions can affect outcomes

Which Type of Blackjack Should You Play?

Video blackjack vs. live blackjack. Which should you play? It’s a question that has to be answered by each individual player. In our opinion there are far more opportunities today for the person that is willing to play online blackjack.

Online casinos today are reputable. All you have to do is look at our list of recommended online casinos and you will find many suitable options. A large number of these online casinos will also give you bonus money just for signing up to play. It is also true that online casinos today are beginning to accept Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a form of deposit. That could be attractive if you want more anonymity when gambling online.

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