Live Dealer Blackjack Canada

Online Live Dealer Blackjack in Canada

Live dealer blackjack is available at most of the casinos we recommend. It’s one of the most popular casino card games because the results are down to more than luck – players need skill and discipline in order to win consistently.

The differences between live dealer and random number generator blackjack are mostly in the experience itself, rather than the rules or odds. To learn more about the online animated game please see our guide to Play Online Blackjack.

Just like in-casino and animated online games, you’ll find variations on themes, rules, and even deck counts within the offering of any single provider. Not all providers use the same rule set for any particular game, either, so it’s a good idea to check the rules and consult a good calculator to know your odds and the best strategy.

The most popular providers in Canada are:

• Evolution Gaming
• Extreme Live Gaming (Novomatic)
• Ezugi
• LuckyStreak
• Microgaming
• Playtech
• Authentic Gaming

Some allow banter between other players, the dealer, or both. The dealer will usually speak out loud, while your interaction will be in a chat box. Some VIP games allow one-on-one conversations with the dealer.

Many games will let you ‘bet behind’ a winning player – placing your stake on their bets – this is a good option if you want to fine-tune your betting strategy by following an accomplished bettor.

Whilst most RNG tables have 1, 3, or even 5 seats, the most common table configuration for live dealer games is 7 seats. If more than one seat is open, many providers let you take two spots if you like. If the table is full you’ll either need to find another table, wait your turn, or bet behind.

VIP players may wish to find a private table for one on one action with the dealer. Low stakes private tables are hard to find from decent providers. 888 and Unibet are good choices for privé play – each offers more than 20 tables for VIP players. Not all VIP games are single seat. LeoVegas’s Chambre Séparée is a notable exception – available in single and seven-seat configurations.

In addition to the table talk and seeing the cards being shuffled and dealt, another major difference in live dealer blackjack is the speed of the game. Expect the pace of each round to be much slower than you may be used to online – and much closer to the more relaxed rate of play you’ll find at most land casinos.

We’ve shortlisted the top five Canadian Live Dealer casinos, and for the most part, the ranking remains the same for the game of blackjack specifically.

We’ll add live casino bonus and promotion frequency to the criteria for blackjack and that moves 888Casino from the third position to #2, switching places with Mr Green for the runner-up spot.

LeoVegas still clocks in at number one with frequent promos, multiple providers and game variants, fresh games & new streams, as well as a longstanding focus on mobile gaming.

While we can suggest criteria for ranking online Canadian casinos based on their live dealer offerings, the nuances involved in choosing a favorite provider are down to individual players.

Some things to consider:

• Studio or casino floor games
• Language proficiency
• Table limits
• Theme
• Friendliness of dealers

Microgaming’s Playboy Live offers more than hype and sizzle!

More than 100 online casinos carry Microgaming live blackjack streams.

The games are high definition and can be played in multiple windows at the same time. Every second of every game is recorded while you play for instant playback. A full statistical analysis is available for every hand. Can’t find an open seat? The software will alert you.

Evolution Gaming dealers are found in more online casinos than any other provider. The dealers are friendly and proficient in English.

• Live Blackjack
• Bet Behind
• Perfect Pairs and 21+3 Side Bets
• Pre-Decision bets

Blackjack Party is a super social way to have fun for low stakes, with an unlimited amount of bet behind wagers.

Playtech and Evolution offer 8-deck games with 0.486 house edge while NetEnt’s 6-deck game demands a full half-point and Microgaming trails with 0.512% HE.

How to Play Live Dealer Blackjack Online

Check your internet connection. A quick and easy way to see your bandwidth can be found at Fast.com

1. Navigate to your favorite casino’s Live tab – You will need to be logged in with a real money account to see most live dealer suites
2. Choose your blackjack game or a blackjack lobby – most multi-provider portfolios will show a logo for the provider or an abbreviation denoting the games provider
3. Choose your table limits – The minimum bet is usually $5 per hand, but some offerings range from $1 to $1,000 as a minimum
4. Locate the options menu and adjust video quality if needed – most platforms will adjust automatically for sporadic or slow connections
5. Find an empty seat (or two if allowed and desired) or bet behind if offered
6. Check out the chat options and say hello to the dealer, other players, or both if desired and the options are offered. The dealer may welcome you to the table by voice
7. Place your bet on the main screen and any side bets you want
8. Be ready to act when the dealer gets around to you. This will keep the game flowing nicely for all players

You might be wondering…

Are there any good strategies for live dealer blackjack?

Basic and advanced strategies are needed to win more often. There are no systems that will guarantee a win, but a strategy is required in a land casino, while playing an animated game, and when playing at a live dealer casino.

If you’d like to test your basic blackjack strategy, take this illustrated 20-question quiz at blackjackinfo.com

You can also adjust the rules and use the original Blackjack Basic Strategy Engine here.

Card counting is nearly impossible and probably not worth the effort with 6, 7, or 8 decks in play. The cards are shuffled too often, and you probably don’t want to delay the game for other players. While bonuses are not likely to defeat the house edge either, they are more likely to give you a leg up than card counting will.

Mobile Play

Advanced streaming technology and the bandwidth to handle it have made the online live dealer blackjack experience evolve from “barely worth the effort” just a few years ago, to well worth the time in recent years.

The same can be said of mobile gaming. All of the studios and casino streams listed here offer tablet and smartphone players fully optimized games. Many can stream without lag or delay over a 3G connection and all will deliver a seamless game on 4G or better.

Android, Apple, Windows, and BlackBerry users can play the same uninterrupted games as desktop users on WiFi or hard-wired to the internet.

Evolution has been streaming in HTML5 since at least 2012 and as Flash is phased out over the next couple of years, all providers will be switching to the futureproof HTML technology for browser play.