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Blackjack is easily one of the most accessible casino games that you can play. It’s available across most of the world, including the biggest casinos in North America, Asia, and Europe. You can also play blackjack in pretty much every online casino.
With so many opportunities, it can be hard to decide where to play. I share my thoughts on the online blackjack vs. live blackjack debate in this post. I explore the pros and cons of both options to help determine which one is better for you.
Online Blackjack Offers More Convenience
A lot of players are switching to online blackjack because it’s simply more convenient. You get to play from the comfort of your own home and not worry about some of the other things, such as what you’ll wear to the casinos.
Also, if you’re someone who smokes cigarettes, you won’t have to seek out casinos where smoking is allowed. You can also play blackjack on your smartphone while traveling, and online casinos now accept a wide range of banking options.
What’s even better about online blackjack is that it plays at a much quicker pace. In other words, you don’t have to wait for other people to make decisions, and you can enjoy plenty of action all at once. You also don’t have to wait for the dealer to shuffle the cards.
In a live setting, if you’re at a full table, you’re lucky to play 50 hands of blackjack within an hour. This can be extremely frustrating for players who don’t have the patience to wait on other people. However, with online blackjack, you’ll easily play 200 hands of blackjack in an hour.
Bankroll Management Can Be Tricky with Online Blackjack
My comparison of live blackjack vs. online blackjack wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t discuss bankroll management. This is the amount of money you set aside for gambling purposes. Every successful gambler sets a limit on what they can spend.
Unfortunately, online blackjack makes it easier for you to lose a lot of money in a short amount of time. Live blackjack, on the other hand, won’t diminish your bankroll quite as quickly. This is once again related to sheer volume.
Think about the situation. With online blackjack, things are happening rapidly. It could be a matter of hours before you’re down hundreds of dollars when you’re only betting $5 per hand. Depending on your luck, your gambling session could come to an abrupt end.
For context, let’s view the situation like you would a math problem. The house edge of blackjack is roughly 1% with good strategy. With live blackjack, if you’re betting $5 per hand, you’re also likely betting $250 per hour, and you’re expected to lose $2.50 in that time.
With online blackjack, when you’re betting $5 per hand, you’ll end up spending around $1,000 in an hour. This means that you’re expected to be $10 behind every 60 minutes. These monetary differences can quickly add up and greatly affect your bankroll.
You Can Earn Welcome Bonuses from Online Casinos
The welcome bonuses make a huge difference when it comes to playing online blackjack vs. live blackjack. Online casinos offer you free rewards when you deposit money into your account. Most land-based casinos aren’t going to give you a free stack of chips.
Online casinos are essentially handing out free money to play blackjack and other popular table games. These bonuses often match you in dollar amount up to a certain limit.
Most online casinos match your deposit 100% up to your first $1,000. In other words, depositing $1,000 earns you $2,000 for online gambling. While the promos come with some strings attached, it’s still a boost to your bankroll.
Offering free money is one of the best marketing tools in terms of attracting new customers online, and you can often find other perks.
In comparison, you can earn some comps while playing live blackjack, but their value is lower compared to online perks.
Wagering Requirements Can Limit Your Profits
When it comes to earning welcome bonuses, the main caveat is that you have to wager a certain amount of money. Sometimes, the requirements will require you to gamble for quite some time before you can cash out.
Here’s an example: an online casino offers you a 150% deposit bonus of up to $1,000. This means that you have $2,500 for online gambling. However, with a 25x wagering requirement, you’ll have to spend $62,500 before you can cash out.
Even if you optimize your blackjack betting strategy, you’ll still likely end up losing money after you factor in the house edge. The hope is that you can perform well over the long term and get lucky to turn a profit.
At land-based casinos, you get to leave whenever you want – there are no betting requirements. If you get lucky and win a bunch of live blackjack games, you won’t be forced to keep playing because of bonus terms and conditions.
Introverts vs. Extroverts
Online blackjack is the most suitable option if you’re someone who keeps to yourself and wants to limit distractions. Why deal with other people who can be bothersome and obnoxious when online blackjack allows you to play in peace?
The presence of other players at land-based casinos can also be intrusive. They may try to offer you advice or criticize your decisions. The truth is that most casino-goers don’t know what they’re talking about or fail to optimize their strategy.
On the flip side, when you play live blackjack vs. online blackjack, you also have the opportunity to commingle with other players. The community aspect of blackjack is a lot more palpable when it’s in person.
The truth is that you don’t have to be an extrovert to play live blackjack, nor an introvert to play online. Your mood plays a big role in what you decide to do. You should never completely write off one or the other.
Playing for Lower Stakes
The beauty of online gambling sites, in general, is that you’ll discover plenty of low-stakes games. You can find plenty of virtual tables where the minimum bet is only $1 per hand.
It’s rare for an in-person casino to offer super low stakes for live blackjack. You’ll discover minimums at $5 per hand, but this is also pretty unusual. At any rate, you’ll likely have to travel to Vegas for low-stakes live blackjack tables.
Why Not Both?
Instead of debating online blackjack vs. live blackjack, you can always get the best of both worlds. I recommend that you check out the best live dealer casinos, where you’ll discover plenty of action.
They offer interactive games with real croupiers and other players, but you can access them from your home or on mobile. You get the social experience and also the fast pace!
