Top 5 Live Blackjack Hacks for Beginners

Live blackjack retains the speed and excitement of the real-life casino, ensuring a fast-paced, simple gaming experience that is hard to replicate anywhere else. But how do you improve your ability to play such a straightforward live casino game? Hopefully, this in-depth guide will help answer that question!

With our rundown of the top 5 live casino hacks for blackjack, we’ll explore the best tricks to improving your odds online, including betting tips and blackjack strategies. By the time that we’re through, you’ll be ready and able to take on the live dealer.

1) Live Blackjack and Card Counting

Despite popular belief, card counting is not illegal – though it is somewhat frowned upon in the casino community. While you’re completely within your rights to practice this in a real-life casino, if you’re caught, it’s very likely that you’ll be banned from the premises, which isn’t a great way to spend your time. 

However, in live blackjack games, you aren’t being watched, so it’s a great place to practice card counting techniques – especially as the live dealers use real cards and shoes.

2) Print a Basic Strategy Chart

Rather than spending your hard-earned time and money on complex strategy books or guides hoping to become a better live blackjack player, it’s just as easy to print out several basic strategy charts. 

Essentially, basic strategy is a very specific guide that tells you exactly when to hit, stand, double down, and split, all depending on the cards in your hand as well as the dealer’s cards. And the best part? There are literally hundreds of them online that’re free to use! So to hack your way to a better live casino experience, simply print one out and consult it before you bet.

3) Use the Bet Behind Feature

When you enter a live blackjack game and there are no more seats available, you may be given the option to ‘bet behind’ another player at the table. Essentially, this means that you make a separate bet on their hand, though you have no control over how they play unless you communicate directly through the chat feature. 

On top of letting you play despite not having a seat, this is a great way for you to ride on someone else’s winning streak – as long as you choose wisely. Equally, you can watch a more experienced player and learn from their playstyle, making it one of the best live casino hacks around.

4) Never Take the Insurance Bet

Less of a hack, but definitely worth remembering: never ever take the insurance bet in live blackjack. Ever. The insurance side bet can only be taken if the dealer’s upcard is an ace, and you’re betting on whether their next card will be a 10-value card, resulting in a natural blackjack. 

While this might seem like a good idea on the surface, it’s one of the worst bets in the entire live casino format. With a payout of 2:1 and odds of around 33%, depending on which cards are drawn for everyone else, the risk is certainly not worth the reward.

5) Pick the Right Live Blackjack Game

On the live casino lobby, there are usually multiple variations of the game, including some with adjusted rules and betting limits. Before you sit down to play for real, always read the rules of each game and find the one that best suits your playstyle and bankroll. You wouldn’t want to be playing for fun only to find that you’re in a VIP lobby with minimum bets of £50 or more!

In short, these live blackjack hacks are a great addition to an already exhilarating experience, whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned player. Check out Betsson’s live casino to give them a go.