Video blackjack installations exploded in Las Vegas after casinos reopened from the pandemic closure in 2020. The governor cut table game capacity in half. This caused increased minimum bets as labor costs per seat doubled. An additional seat was permitted if plexiglass was placed between players.
In addition to capacity issues, some dealers were uncomfortable working so close to patrons amid the uncertainty, causing labor shortages. That allowed video blackjack and other electronic table games to replace pits.
The concepts are identical between video and live versions of blackjack. A few changes affect the game play, odds, and speed.
Online blackjack is like the video version. These games often qualify for the latest casino bonus offers, which helps increase a player’s payback. Some promotions can swing the game in the player’s favor, like live casino players clubs sometimes do.
Cash or slot tickets instead of chips
Instead of buying in with cash for chips, bills and slot tickets are inserted into an acceptor. Credits appear on a screen.
Bets are made on a touchscreen. Players choose a denomination of chips and drag or click them into the betting circle. The hand starts when the timer counts down on a multiplayer machine or when the player clicks deal on a heads-up one.
Players cards work like a slot machine
A players card slides into a slot, instead of handing it to the dealer. This is identical to a slot or video poker machine. However, many electronic table games do not award slot points. A disclaimer on the card acceptor will disclose that if that is the casino’s policy. If the machine does not award slot points, it still tracks the action like a live table game. Mailers and other comps may come from this play. The player’s win/loss statement will include these outcomes.
Since there are no chips, bets are made differently. Players click the denomination of the chip they want to use and touch the betting circle the number of times required to make the preferred wager amount. Chips may also be dragged by a finger. At a live game, chips are placed in the circle.
When a player wins at video blackjack, the bet is paid on the screen. At a live game, winning chips are placed next to the bet.
Cashing out
When leaving a video blackjack game, click the cashout button. A slot ticket will print. This may be used in another machine or redeemed at a kiosk or the casino cage. At a live game, players leave with chips to cash at the cage or use at other tables. Smaller ones should be colored-up to larger ones.
Speed
A live blackjack table deals about 70 hands an hour at a full table and 150 to 200 per hour at a shorthanded one. A heads-up video blackjack game deals up to 10 hands a minute. That is 600 hands per hour. If a player wants to slow a heads-up video game down, they can click the deal button less often to reduce hands per hour. Some heads-up games have no timers on decisions so the player may take as long as they wish to keep the speed under control.
Multiplayer Interblock video blackjack deals about 150 hands an hour at a full table and about twice as many shorthanded. Players should sit out at multiplayer machines because actions are usually timed. If the player takes too long, the machine may force the hand to stand to prevent delays for other players.
Cards versus random number generator
A random number generator determines the cards. If the dealer shows an ace, the touchscreen asks if the player wants insurance. If it shows a ten-value card, it checks for an ace. When the virtual dealer has blackjack, the hand ends. If the player has a winning blackjack, it is paid immediately. Most video blackjack pays 6/5. Some pay 3/2 or even money.
Player actions
If the player does not have blackjack, the touchscreen offers several options. This always includes hit or stand. It may display double down, split, or surrender, depending on the rules and hand dealt.
Double down, split, and surrender are only permitted on the first two cards. If the player doubles down, the action ends as one card is dealt and the player stands. Surrender returns half the bet and folds the hand. Split creates two hands using one card of the pair and a fresh card from the deck. The player may hit, stand, and in most cases, double down after splitting. Once the player hits, the only options for the remainder of the hand are hit or stand.
If a player wins, virtual chips are paid. The amount shown includes the original bet. This may make payouts look odd. For example, an even-money win will show as two-for-one.
Machines use one, two, four, or six decks. Hands are usually reshuffled after every hand. Video blackjack games that do not shuffle after every hand don’t usually disclose when it happens to prevent counting.
