Guide to Online vs. Live Blackjack

Whether you’re playing online or live, the object of the game is the same: win as much money as possible. Once you get past the very basics, however, there are several key differences between online and live blackjack. Some of them may be considered advantages, others disadvantages but we like to just think of them as differences. Both forms of the game have their perks so we’ll let you decide which one is best for you.

1. Online Blackjack is Convenient

Online blackjack is ten times more convenient than live blackjack. All you need is a computer and a connection to the internet and you can be playing blackjack with real money in just a few seconds.

Live blackjack is a completely different story, especially for people who don’t live near a casino. Having to get dressed, drive to the casino and exchange your cash for chips all make it a much more time consuming process. And if that’s not enough, you might have to worry about waiting in line to play blackjack if the tables are full. Online blackjack tables never get full.

2. Live Blackjack is Played Alongside Other People

This can be either an advantage or a disadvantage depending on your mood. Sometimes it’s nice to have other people at the table with you but other times it’s annoying. If you’re lucky, you’ll share the table with people who are congenial and clean. Other times, you’ll play alongside drinkers, complainers, heavy smokers or all of the above.

If you’re new to the game or want to take your time to make decisions, online blackjack is the perfect solution. You don’t have to worry about making the other players wait on you when you play online blackjack.

3. Online Blackjack Offers Smaller Stakes

You can play for tiny stakes online because it costs online casinos nothing to set up tables that accept bets of all sizes. Live casinos have to pay their employees, maintain the buildings and turn a profit so they can’t afford to let $1 blackjack players clog up their tables.

If you’re looking for high stakes play, online blackjack tables max out at about £10,000 at non-US casinos and at about $500 at US-friendly casinos. Live blackjack tables can accept bets of $50,000 per hand and higher.

4. Online Blackjack Bonuses

Online casinos give their players cash bonuses just for making deposits. Live casinos have comps and such but the cash bonuses at online casinos can’t be beaten. The one thing you’ll want to watch out for with online blackjack bonuses is that some casinos do not allow blackjack wagers to count towards their bonus clearing requirements. For a list of blackjack-friendly bonuses, check out our list of the best blackjack sites.

5. Live Blackjack is an Experience

It’s difficult to put in words but live blackjack is more of an experience than online blackjack. The sights and sounds of the casino, the ability to touch your chips and sit at the table with other blackjack players can’t be replicated online. As a blackjack fan, you have to try live blackjack at least once in a while.

6. Live Blackjack Pays Instantly

When you’re ready to collect your winnings in a live casino, you can get your cash instantly. With online casinos, you have to wait for your money to be sent to the bank and it can sometimes take a couple days to collect your winnings.

7. Online Blackjack Tables are Never Full

The beauty of online blackjack is that you never have to wait in line for a seat. No matter how many people are playing at the same time, you can play at any table you want for any stakes you want. Live blackjack tables often get full at the low stakes tables and the waits can be annoying.

8. Online Blackjack is Faster and More Accurate

The computer can shuffle a deck of virtual cards instantly and deal them faster than any live dealer could ever even dream of. On top of that, the computer never misdeals the cards, misreads the bets or makes errors paying out. Live dealers are great at what they do but computers are just so much faster.