Which is The Best Live Dealer Blackjack?

By now, there exists a wealth of live casino software providers out there, each offering more or less the same product with a variety of different, unique features. As live dealer games grow in popularity, so too do the number of software providers offering the live dealer service. Undoubtedly, the most popular and most commonly found game is blackjack, which you will find at just about every online casino that offers live games.

While all live dealer blackjack games, at their core, are the same, there are so many fine details that most do not take into consideration before signing up at a site, depositing, and beginning to play. The following will discuss the different software providers and explain what makes them unique, what you may like and dislike, and what can be improved. All told, this article will serve the purpose of allowing you to make a more informed decision when choosing the live dealer casino at which you would like to play. This post was based on analysis done by another live blackjack site.

Evolution Gaming Blackjack

Evolution Gaming (you can check our review here) was founded in 2006 and from day 1 was dedicated to developing and advancing the live dealer industry online. At first, they focused mainly on a European audience, but as time wore on their reach continuously expanded and continues to do exactly that to this very day. In terms of live dealer blackjack, there are few providers who can deliver a better offering. Not only is their software found at a bunch of casinos, it is often regarded as being the best in the industry.

Evolution live dealer blackjack features some of the best stream quality you will find. We could go on and on with regard to the quality of the streamed games, but there is nothing else we need to say. The games are streamed at the same level and with the same quality as video streaming services such as Netflix. The tables themselves come in a variety of colors, but they are all formatted the same. There are seven seats for players and every position is equipped with two side bets, perfect pair and 21+3. Blackjack pays 3 to 2, insurance pays 2 to 1, and there are eight decks used, and dealers are not required to hit on a soft 17.

All things considered, we really do not have much to complain about when it comes to Evolution’s live blackjack. They do offer their games with dealers that are English, Swedish, Russian and Italian-speaking and the quality of the dealers is beyond reproach. It is clear that they are from Europe and other foreign places, but their English is great and they conduct themselves with the professionalism you would come to expect from any casino dealer. What’s more, it doesn’t hurt that the dealers are all quite attractive.

Lucky Streak Blackjack

Lucky Streak was founded in 2015 and is a relative newcomer to the live dealer online casino industry. Though the company itself is based out of Israel, the sole live dealer studio Lucky Streak offers is located in Lithuania. Judging only from the limited number of online casinos at which the software is featured, it is clear to see that Lucky Streak is still figuring things out. At any given time, they will only have an average of two tables running at once. The dealers only speak English, however something you will not find at most other sites is the ability to change the language of the on-screen prompts, tabs, and clickable buttons.

As for the quality of the stream, it leaves a little to be desired. The images are a bit grainy and quite honestly do not compare to some of the high definition streams offered by other software providers. Apart from low definition stream, we can say that the stream functions without freezing and the cards utilized have numbers and letters large enough that it makes up for the low quality stream. The dealers are friendly and are quick to interact with players, but are sure to maintain their professionalism.

As far as variety is concerned, there isn’t much to speak of. As was mentioned above, there is usually only two tables running at any single time and they both run the same game, just at with different betting ranges. Lucky Streak follows closely in the footsteps of Evolution in that their blackjack games use eight decks, blackjack pays 3 to 2, and insurance will net you 2 to 1 odds. Dealers are not required to hit a soft 17, and each playing position brings with it a total of three side bets; perfect pair, bet behind, and 21+3.

At the end of the day, Lucky Streak brings with it a quality live dealer service. Their actual streaming could be improved to some degree, but everything else makes it clear that Lucky Streak is a quality software producer.

Ezugi Blackjack

Ezugi was founded in 2013 by online casino industry veterans and has been dedicated to offering live dealer games to players from around the world. Though they were only founded a few years ago, the fact of the matter is that Ezugi offers features that other software providers cannot or do not care to. Amongst some other features, the biggest draw to Ezugi is that they offer games with dealers who speak a variety of different languages. With streaming services in Central America, Europe, and Asia, native dealers are a mainstay of Ezugi and probably the biggest draw for a lot of their customers. Their dealers speak Turkish,  For players from the United States, the only Ezugi games available are those legally offered online in the state of New Jersey.

As for the live dealer tables and the streams, there is nothing to complain about. The dealers are attractive, informative, and interactive, and the quality of the stream will rival any online sports or television program you have ever used before. Something that proves Ezugi’s eagerness to innovate is the fact that there are a few different types of blackjack available to play, including standard, Unlimited Blackjack, Hybrid Blackjack, and Blackjack Bet Behind. Hybrid blackjack allows for an unlimited number of players to take action on a single hand, while Bet Behind Blackjack sees an unlimited number of players able to latch onto one seated player. In other words, you are at the whim of the seated player’s decisions and will win or lose your bet based upon his or her actions.

As for the blackjack table rules, blackjack pays at 3 to 2, insurance pays at 2 to 1, dealers are not required to hit on a soft 17, and there are a total of eight decks used at standard tables. As for side bets, you will find perfect pair and 21+3 betting options.

Extreme Live Gaming Blackjack

Extreme Live Gaming is a company that was founded in 2013 and is still based out of London, England. While that is the case, Extreme Live Gaming has a license out of Malta and is staffed with dealers who are both excellent at their craft and extremely friendly. The dealers primarily speak English, but Extreme Live Gaming offers German and Italian tables as well. Their studios are based out of London, which makes sense considering that is where the company is based.

As for the quality of the stream itself, it is excellent to say the least. The stream is shot in high definition and goes as far as allowing you to choose the exact quality of your stream, ranging from 360 to 720p. What we really enjoyed about the stream is that all of the relevant table information is listed right in the upper corner so that there is no question. Blackjack pays at 3 to 2, insurance pays at 2 to 1, there are eight decks utilized at a single table, and dealers are not required to hit a soft 17. Another thing we noticed is that the pace of play is a bit higher with Extreme Live Gaming than most other live dealer software providers. Something we aren’t exactly in love with is the unusually high house edge, which currently sits at .73%. Usually, you will see house edges between .50% and .65%. In the long run, this does not necessarily bode well for players.

It is clear to see that Extreme Live Gaming is a somewhat small operation, considering the fact that there is only ever a table or two running at a given time. Overall their offering is solid and we have little complaints, but when you look at the finer details a few things begin to stick out, namely the house edge. Understanding that Extreme Live Gaming software is only available at a few sites, we would like to see them increase their presence.

Playtech Blackjack

Playtech is a software producer that was founded in 1999 in Estonia and is now considered to be one of the top live dealer software providers in the world. Their stellar track record accompanied by a unique offering that many other producers, quite frankly, do not come close to matching are just two of the reasons people the world over prefer Playtech over any other software provider.

Overall, the quality of the stream is great. The settings of the game are such that it resembles the floor of a functioning brick and mortar casino, with other tables in the background as well as all the sounds you would hear on the casino floor. The dealers themselves are fine; professional as ever and encouraging/sympathetic when they need to be. We will say that a few dealers are not as friendly as you will get from other live dealer casinos, but that was not so bothersome as their professionalism was top-notch. As far as variation, you will get only Euro and Vegas Blackjack styles, with both types of table being comprised of seven seats. For those who are unaware, Vegas Style Blackjack is where the dealer takes two cards, whereas Euro Style is where the dealer takes only one.

Playtech keeps in line with unofficial industry standards in that their live dealer blackjack games use eight decks, blackjack pays at 3 to 2, and insurance at 2 to 1. Dealers are not required to hit soft 17s and side bets include perfect pair, bet behind, and 21+3.

In addition to all of this, we absolutely loved the fact that live dealer blackjack is available in a total of six different languages, including French. It is important to note that just because an online casino offers Playtech live dealer blackjack, that does not mean they are going to offer that blackjack in all the available languages. Be sure to check this out before playing. The native languages are generally offered at locally licensed countries in places like Romania and Italy. 

As much as we would like to suggest Playtech improve its offering, they are an industry leader for a reason—they know what they are doing. Immediately after playing you will understand why so many people absolutely love what Playtech has to offer.

Portomaso Gaming Blackjack

Portomaso Gaming is a company that was founded and is currently based on the island of Malta. What makes Portomaso unique is that they were the first software producer to make live dealer games by way of HTML5. Without knowing too much at all about computer code, HTML5 is a type of code that is low on bells and whistles but high in compatibility. So while the interface itself is nothing to write home about, you can rest at ease knowing you will get the same gameplay experience online as you will on just about any mobile device. After all, Portomaso is a live dealer software producer that has always sought out the mobile market as their primary target.

The quality of the streams is decent, but for the reasons mentioned above this is to be expected. As for the house rules, blackjack pays at 3 to 2, insurance at 2 to 1, and dealers are not forced to hit on a soft 17. There are 21+3 and perfect pair side bets, but players are not able to play multiple tables at once. This is nothing more than a drawback of HTML5, unfortunately.

What we like about Portomaso is the fact that games can be played on mobile devices. Whether you are using a mobile phone or a tablet, live dealer blackjack is available for you to play. What’s more, because of the low frills, high functionality of HTML5, you can rest-assured knowing that you are going to have a solid gameplay experience. All things considered, if you are not going to be playing on a mobile device often, there are providers who might have Portomaso edged out a bit.

NetEnt Live Blackjack

NetEnt, which was founded as Net Entertainment, first take shape in the mid-1990s and has been a mainstay in the online casino industry ever since. The company was founded and is based out of Scandinavia and has an excellent track record that has followed the company in its 20+ year lifetime. Being that NetEnt is and has been known for offering a top-notch online casino experience for years now, it should come as no surprise that their transition into the live dealer space brought with it almost immediate success.

The NetEnt streams are amongst the best in the business in that they are crisp, clear, and smooth. The dealers themselves are almost always attractive and friendly, and they really do their best to make you feel welcome. What really seperates NetEnt live dealer blackjack from the offering of so many other software providers is the fact that they are able to offer the game in a number of different languages. In fact, you can play NetEnt blackjack in Italian, English, Dutch, Norwegian, and German.

As for the house rules at NetEnt live blackjack tables, you must first know that there are only six decks of cards utilized. Dealers are not required to hit on a soft 17, blackjack pays at 3 to 2, and insurance at 2 to 1. What we liked most of all, and what most people are probably unaware of, is the fact that NetEnt has amongst the lowest house edges on its live tables. While most other software providers will have a house edge at 0.60%+, NetEnt boasts a house edge that sits at just 0.50%. That is, in many respects, unheard of.

Comparison of Rules