Blackjack

Live Dealer Blackjack

Experience a new way to play online blackjack with the Live Dealer version. Every session you play will have unique interactions with the dealer and players – should you choose to chat with them. To find a seat, simply look for the “Seat Open” icon and then you may virtually pull up a chair and join the game. This Classic version of six-deck blackjack has all the standard moves, including Hit, Stand, Double, Split, and Surrender, with the addition of several side bets to heat up the betting action.

Getting Started with Live Dealer Blackjack

Tables seat up to seven players, and each player can take up two or three seats, depending on the table. To find an available spot, hover your cursor over the circular icons until you find one that says “Seat Open.” Once joined, wait for the game to switch to “Place Your Bets” mode, at which point you select a chip value and your place wagers on the three betting areas.

• At the top of the betting area, there’s an “M” for the main bet.
• In the middle of the betting area, there’s a “P” for the Pairs side bet.
• At the bottom of the betting area, there’s an “R” for the Rummy side bet.

Live Dealer Blackjack Buttons

During “Place Your Bets” mode, four buttons are available: a Clockwise button, an “X”, a Counter-clockwise half-circle, and an Arrow. The Clockwise button is the rebet button, which replicates the same bets you placed last round. The “X” button has a “Clear All” function. The Counter-clockwise half-circle button undoes the last bet you made, and the Arrow clears your bets and exits the table.

When the dealer draws the first card, you can’t place any more bets or leave your seat. Players receive two cards face up, and the Dealer gets one card face up and one card face down. Starting with the player in Seat No. 1, everyone gets a turn to Hit, Stand, Double, Split (if they’ve been dealt pairs), and Surrender (unless the dealer has Blackjack). There’s also an option to “Choose Ahead” if you know which action you want to take before it’s your turn.

Blackjack Actions

Hit: Request another card.
Stand: Keep hand as is.
Double: Doubles the bet and adds one final card to your hand.
Split: When you have two cards of equal rank (ex. Jack and Ten), you can split them into two hands. This requires another bet.
Surrender: Forfeit the round and get back half your wager.
Insurance: If the dealer’s up-card is an Ace, you can get Insurance for half the cost of your wager (if you bet $5, Insurance is $2.50). If the dealer’s hole card is a 10-value card, the dealer wins with Blackjack, and your Insurance pays you 2:1, allowing you to break even.

After everyone has taken their turn, the dealer plays out the round and pays winning hands. If you’d like to tip the dealer, drop a chip on the “T” – you’ll be thanked verbally. A new round will commence.

Live Blackjack Rules

• The live dealer version of blackjack uses six decks, which are shuffled manually.
• Dealer hits on soft 17.
• This game pays 3:2 for Blackjack (Ace and 10-value card).
• Insurance pays 2:1.
• Standard wins pay 1:1.
• To keep your seat at a table, you must wager.
• Everyone has a time limit for their turn; if you don’t act by the end of the time limit, your hand will be completed according to basic strategy.
• Split once per round, and you can Double after the Split.
• Split Aces receive one card then automatically Stand.
• For most tables, you can take up to three seats. However, some tables limit you to two seats.
• If your hand loses, the tip is lost as well but your dealer will know you tried.
• Back bettors do not get reimbursed if they don’t like the player’s decision.

Goal of Blackjack

Blackjack pits you against the dealer. You both start with two-card hands and try to get the higher score without going over 21 points. Anyone who exceeds 21 points loses the round. Getting an Ace and 10-value card in your initial hand is Blackjack – an automatic win.

Points are based on the following system:

Aces are worth 1 or 11 points.
Jacks, Queens, Kings are worth 10 points.
Everything else has face value.

Side Bets

Pairs

The “P” in the middle of the betting area is for the Pairs side bet. This bet pays 11:1 if your first two cards are a pair (equal rank). An example of a Pair is 3d,3c.

Rummy

The “R” at the bottom of the betting area is for the Rummy side bet. This bet pays 9:1 when your first two cards and the dealer’s up-card complete a Rummy set. A Rummy set can be one of the following three hands:

1. Three cards that are all equal rank (ex. 5c,5h,5d)
2. Three cards that are all the same suit (ex. 8h,2h,Qh)
3. Three cards that are consecutive ranks (ex. 5h,6d,7c)

Back Betting

One benefit to playing blackjack with a live dealer is the ability to back bet. At any time, you can wager on another player’s hand. When back betting, you let the player make all the decisions and must adhere to them, including increased betting through Splits or Doubles. If the player wins, you win. If the player loses, you lose.

In order to back bet, select your chip and then click on top of another player's Main Bet position. The player's name will change to green and the interface will display "Behind PLAYER NAME". You are now successfully back betting behind a player. If you have the auto re-bet feature enabled, your back bets will also auto re-bet as long as there is a player in the main seat

Live Dealer Blackjack Terms of Use

• Misdeals and technical errors void the round. All bets are returned.
• If you lose connection during a round, your hand will be played based on basic strategy.
• Professional card counters are prohibited from playing Live Dealer Blackjack at Bodog, and their accounts may be subject to immediate closure.