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Top Live Blackjack Casinos in New Zealand
Blackjack is a very popular casino game. It is easy to learn and play for real money. However, if you want to get all it has to offer, you need the right strategy and information about the game.
On this page, you will be learning just that. You will also find the answer to all of your questions regarding blackjack.
- Best Blackjack Casinos in New Zealand
- What is Live Blackjack Online?
- How to Play Blackjack
- Rules of Blackjack
- Basic Strategy for Blackjack
- Play Blackjack in New Zealand
- FAQ
What is Live Blackjack Online?
You might have played Blackjack before in a real, brick-and-mortar casino. It’s a fun card game with good winning odds. Live blackjack online offers the same casino experience except you can play from almost anywhere. All you need is a good internet connection and a smartphone, iPhone, tablet, PC, or laptop.
The live blackjack online experience is better than regular virtual Blackjack because you get a real professional dealer and gaming table broadcast straight to your device. Everything about the game is real, except you don’t have to travel to the casino or dress up for the occasion. Even the atmosphere of the casino is captured.
- Best Blackjack Casinos in New Zealand
- What is Live Blackjack Online?
- How to Play Blackjack
- Rules of Blackjack
- Basic Strategy for Blackjack
- Play Blackjack in New Zealand
- FAQ
Editor pick QWhat's the difference between live blackjack and regular online blackjack?
A
The main difference is the live dealer. A lot of Kiwis reckon live blackjack is better because you can have a yarn with the dealer and other players. Seeing the cards dealt in real-time also makes it feel fairer. Regular online blackjack just uses a computer to generate the results.
How to Play Blackjack
Blackjack is a popular card game also known as Twenty-One. The aim is to achieve a higher score than the dealer without exceeding 21. All players compete against the dealer. Two cards are initially dealt face up to all players. The dealer is also dealt two cards, except one is faced down.
In Blackjack, a 2-card hand with an Ace and a 10-value card is called a “natural” or “Blackjack”. The dealer does not turn his/her second card over straight away unless the face-up card is an ace or 10-value card. Should the dealer score 21 with the first two cards, any player not equaling the feat loses.
Rules of Blackjack
A game of Blackjack is hosted by a dealer and includes between 5 and 7 other players. Up to 8 packs of cards are shuffled. If the dealer does not score a 10 or an ace with his/her first card, play moves in a clockwise fashion.
Players can draw more cards by declaring “hit” or motioning to the dealer. They can bet on the hand they have by declaring “stand” or again by motioning. The dealer is obliged to stand on a hand of 17 or more. Other betting options are open to players, including splitting pairs and doubling down.
Basic Strategy for Blackjack
Knowing when to hit and stand is one part of a good Blackjack strategy. You’d usually hit with a hand below 17 if the dealer has 7 or over. If the dealer has 2-6, the player should stand at 12 or over. The idea is to let the dealer take the risk.
You can split a pair in Blackjack and play two hands with double the bet. Usually, you’d always split pairs of aces or 8s. Two 8s is considered a middling, problematic hand. “Doubling down” means doubling your bet against just one more dealt card. A hand of 9-11 is best for this.
Some other strategies include:
Editor pick QWhat's the deal with live blackjack, eh?
A
Live blackjack lets you play against a real person dealing cards, streamed live to your device. It’s like being at the casino, but from your couch or even your bach! You can chat with the dealer and other players, making it way more social than playing against a computer. Basically, it brings the casino to you.
Split a Pair of 8s and Aces
It does not matter what upcard the dealer has. Make it a habit to always split a pair of 8s and Aces. While this strategy can always be trusted, lots of players fail to split a pair of 8s when the dealer has an upcard of Ace, 10, or 9. They act this way because they already consider themselves underdogs and assume there will be no need to split. This might seem great. The truth, however, is when you play two hands, you become less of an underdog.
Double Down on a Hard 11
Your likelihood of winning more money increases when you double down on hard 11 while playing against a dealer’s upcard. It is generally preferred to hitting in all games. Although this is a good strategy, it has an exception.
When involved in a multi-deck game where the dealer has to stand on soft 17 because of the rules binding the game, you will do a lot better when you go against a dealer Ace.
Avoid Splitting a Pair of 5s or Tens
A pair of 5s can be regarded as a hard 10. You will do a lot better when you take a one-or-more-card draw to ten over splitting a pair of 5s. Although when you split 10s, you will be dealing more with a winning play, your likelihood of winning is greatly increased when you keep the 10s together and play as 20.
Stand with a Pair of 9s
Many players are aware they simply need to split a pair of 9s when they are involved with a dealer’s upcard that is 9 or less than 9. They, however, are unable to cope properly when the dealer presents a 7. In a situation like this, you will get the best result when you stand. Standing will help you win a bit more money than when you split.
Play Blackjack in New Zealand
There are six physical casinos in New Zealand where you can play Blackjack. They’re in Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland, Hamilton, and Queenstown. There are two in Queenstown. All but the first two are run by the Skycity Entertainment Group, whose shares are traded on the Australian and New Zealand stock exchanges.
Getting a game of Blackjack online in New Zealand is a bit more complicated, but not too troublesome. Players can legally gamble provided the mobile casino is not based in New Zealand. Many international online casinos accept New Zealand Dollars as currency, meaning there are no foreign exchange fees attached to playing. Don’t forget to check the offer of one of our favorite online casino – Alf Casino!
Editor pick QWhere can I find a decent casino with live blackjack in NZ?
A
Heaps of online casinos offer live blackjack alongside their regular online games. Our comparison tables highlight the best online casino New Zealand has to offer, including ones with live dealer options. You’ll find all sorts of blackjack games, from the classic version to some pretty wild variations. Just make sure they’re licensed by someone reputable, and you’ll be sweet as.
