888 Casino in New Jersey was one of the first NJ online casinos to move into the burgeoning New Jersey market in 2013. Since then, the site has grown by leaps and bounds.

Earlier this year, 888 online casino expanded its game collection with a bevy of NetEnt and IGT games. And then, in August, came the long-awaited day when the NJ online casino finally launched its live dealer platform.

888 Casino uses Evolution Gaming’s technology for its selection of live dealer games. Included in the launch alongside baccarat, roulette, and Three Card Poker is a Live Blackjack option.

Like other live dealer offerings, Live Blackjack is a hybrid of a traditional casino game and online casino game. It features real live dealers in real-time games played out in a secure casino facility with an online betting interface.

Evolution Gaming enters the fray

Evolution Gaming runs the games from a secure casino studio at Hard Rock Atlantic City and the games are simulcast online. The studio also hosts games for a variety of other NJ online gambling websites, including:

• Hard Rock
• SugarHouse

In the future, Ocean Resort will also have live dealer games from Evolution.

In addition to Live Blackjack, with side bets and Bet Behind, other live dealer online games Evolution Gaming is running out of the studio include:

• American (Double Zero) Roulette
• Baccarat
• Three Card Poker
• Ultimate Texas Hold’em Poker
• Slingshot Roulette

The basics of playing Live Blackjack

Live Blackjack with side bets and Bet Behind is played with a standard eight-deck shoe and several rules most blackjack players will find quite familiar:

• Dealer draws on 16 and stands on all 17s
• Players can double down on any two cards
• Players can split any two cards of equal value
• If the dealer is showing an ace, players can take insurance paying 2:1
• Blackjack pays 3:2
• Ties are a push

These rules help make 888 Casino’s Live Blackjack a relatively player-friendly game with an RTP of 99.28 percent.

Live Blackjack also offers optional side bets including Perfect Pairs and 21+3.

Perfect Pairs pays out on any pairs found in a player’s first two cards. More is paid out for suited or same-color pairs.

21+3 pays out on various combinations including three-of-a-kind, straights, and flushes.

Perfect Pairs bets have a 95.9 percent RTP and the RTP on 21+ 3 bets is 96.3 percent.

A fraction displayed on the screen during gameplay indicates how many seats are currently occupied. However, even if the seven seats at the table are full, players can still get in on the action.

The Bet Behind feature

The Bet Behind feature allows an unlimited number of players to bet on the action. Even a seated player can bet behind another seat.

Bet Behind doesn’t allow a player to control the action. However, when the player wins, they win too.

It’s a low stakes option for any number of people to participate in the game while they wait for a seat. It can also be used for anyone who wants to profit while learning how to play correctly. Plus, it’s a chance for seated players to take advantage of another player’s winning streak.

Live dealer games at 888 Casino

Because they offer a hybrid between traditional casino games and the online equivalents, live dealer blackjack games have proved quite popular in New Jersey.

The games truly provide an immersive experience, allowing gamblers to play live casino blackjack from home, while increasing the speed and accuracy of payouts.

Combining the trust and excitement of the traditional live casino blackjack experience with the ease, speed, and accuracy of online betting simply works.

888 Casino’s Live Blackjack helps bring that experience to even more players with the Bet Behind feature, getting everyone in on the game.