Playing live casino games is super exciting and has been my preferred way of gambling for the last few years. It’s the closest you can get to a land-based casino feel without having to give up the comfort of your own home. I know from my own experience that it can also be super intimidating especially for first-time players or for someone who is used to RNG- based games. So, to the rescue, here I am! These will be my simple tips on playing with a live dealer and I hope to prove that it’s nothing to be afraid of!

The first and most important step is finding a reliable casino! My advice is to do your own research and look for a safe and fair live platform. Don’t be fooled by generous promo offers, always read the fine print! It’s better to have a smaller game variety or not so tempting bonus offers than to lay your trust on a shady operator.

Next, make sure that technology won’t fail you! For live gambling, you will need a really high-speed internet connection and a reliable computer. Don’t get me wrong, you are not required to have NASA-worthy internet indicators, just make sure that your connection is at least average or above. This way you will avoid losing the live stream at the most critical moment which can be frustrating.

Before joining any live dealer table, I would suggest loading your cash balance as much as you can afford. Live games have typically higher bet limits as they are very popular among high rollers. Be prepared by researching the different table limits before entering the live stream, so that you don’t land on a table which you can’t afford. If you have already done that, my next tip would also come in handy. Never chase losses. If today isn’t your lucky day, just leave the casino! And this applies to all casino game, not just to the live ones.

My final tip is to always practice your best manners while playing. It’s super important to know the live casino etiquette simply because you are not alone. There are other people on the table as well as a dealer. Whatever you do treat them with respect, don’t share any personal information and don’t promote any other live dealer platforms. It’s considered rude and unacceptable. What also annoys me as a regular gambler is when someone is taking the free seat on any table without actually playing. That is also not very polite and unnecessary. If you just want to observe a live game, that is not the place to do it! This way you could deprive other people of the chance to play for real.

Last but not least, don’t forget to have fun! This is my go-to philosophy when playing any odds games! When you take it too seriously, it starts to feel like too much stress and that is not the main idea, at least not for me!

I believe blackjack is 100% the most intriguing casino game! I like the blend of luck and skill while strategies get me even more excited. Even though the rules may appear simple, blackjack has a multi-level structure, loads of pitfalls, and hundreds of variations to choose from. My years of being a dedicated blackjack fan have helped me gather the top myths and tips surrounding the game with the best odds. And unless you are freaking Stanford Wong, these next paragraphs are a must-read!

Separate the Truth from the Nonsense

What really annoys me is when people say that the main goal in blackjack is to get your hand’s total as close to 21 as possible. Although it’s partially true, it’s absolutely misleading. The object is to beat the dealer and you have only two options to do that – to end up with a higher total than them or to let them bust before you do. If you always chase the closer-to-21-result, your bankroll will go missing with the speed of light.

There is also this weird strategy to always assume that the dealer has a 10-valued card! And again, it’s a total nonsense. The truth is not even close. Only 30 % of all cards in a deck are worth 10, so the chances of the dealer holding a 10 are very poor. If you want to rely on any kind of help, it’s better to follow the ideal strategy for the blackjack variation of your choice. The third and probably the most absurd myth is the belief that if the dealer has won several consecutive times, the player is due to win next. This often leads to increased bets and unnecessarily high hopes. In reality, every hand in blackjack has a 48% probability of wining (not counting the ties). So, please take this myth and throw it straight into your brains recycle bin.

Concentrate on These Few Tips Instead

Number one is to choose your preferred blackjack variation wisely. This means to find the most favourable rules. The ideal situation would feature a 3:2 blackjack payout, the dealer standing on 17 and the player being allowed to spilt aces and to double afterward. The number of decks is just as important – less is always better but keep in mind that casinos often try to trick the not so experienced players by concealing a set of unfavourable rules with a lower card decks number. My second tip is to not give in to any insurance or side bets! These are some of the worst casino odds you can get! And I admit, they sound so tempting but are rarely a good idea. Their only purpose is to earn the casinos more money and even if you get lucky once in a while, side bets could turn into a bankroll disaster in the long run. The last thing I’d like to point out is something you’ve probably heard a million times before, yet somehow many players still skip the strategy chart. It’s your ideal adviser and a free cheat sheet, so please, don’t waste it!