Playtech Live Blackjack Review
One of the prime games to attract online players’ attention to Live Dealer casino software has undoubtedly been Blackjack. This venerable table game can really benefit from the human touch offered by Live Dealer casino gaming, and Playtech naturally has ensured its own Live Casino package has always had several virtual tables available from the software’s main lobby.
Streamed from its state-of-the-art studios in Riga, just what can you expect if your favourite online casino has called in Playtech to power its Live Blackjack? Let’s take a virtual seat and find out.
First impressions do count and the presentation is of a very high standard. The streaming is excellent and the dealers uniformly professional, polite and welcoming. The layout is traditional (sometimes being branded with the licensing casino’s logo) and the player’s point of view is as if seated in the central seat. Speaking of seats there are seven positions at every table, and Playtech also allow players to ‘bet behind’ if they wish, i.e. bet on another player already at the table if they cannot get a seat themselves (or that player seems to show a strong knowledge of optimal strategy!).
Turning to the essential rules in play, you’ll find this Blackjack is played from an eight-deck shoe with a Dealer Rule to stand on all 17s. Other relevant rules for strategic play at this table are as follows:
• Splits allowed other than A-A, and doubling allowed after split. No re-splitting thereafter.
• Doubling allowed on any two-card hand.
• Insurance offered, paying out at 2/1.
• Blackjack pays 3/2.
• 10 Card Charlie rule.
You may find the lobby offers tables with EU or US style deals, but the difference is purely down to whether the Dealer receives a single open card or an open and blind card on the first deal. Far more importantly the rule set offers the potential of a very desirable RTP of 99.5% if you practice optimal strategy.
Side bets? But of course, and here you’ll find access to the highly popular options of the Perfect Pair (RTP 95.90%) and 21+3 (RTP 96.30%) wager should you fancy a little extra action per hand.
Verdict
Playtech starts with a great basic Blackjack format that players already love to bits, and wraps it in its great Live Dealer software to create an excellent, intuitive and very compelling way to play. The experience gets supremely close to that of playing in a sophisticated real-world club, and works consistently well on the widest range of desktop and mobile devices we could try. This is very satisfying Blackjack, and well worth seeking out if your preferred online casino has Playtech running the show in its Live Dealer section.
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