Online Blackjack in California
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Everyone living in California likely knows of the Golden State’s rich card gambling history. Its laws are particularly lax concerning poker, as it boasts 88 licensed rooms. However, Californians are not as lucky when it comes to casino gaming, as venues that offer Class III games cannot operate within their state unless they are on tribal land. That means there are not loads of blackjack casinos in California, leaving residents with live dealer blackjack online as the only option for them to satisfy their craving for twenty-one play.
Thankfully, the list of online blackjack sites that accepts San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Silicon Valley residents is vast. Essentially, people from all over California with a smartphone and a desire to play can enjoy blackjack online, as these platforms have a global reach and provide varying gambling fun versus software or a dealer located in an HD studio. Both real money blackjack options have their pros and cons, offering different payouts and rule structures depending on the specific version chosen.
Below, a breakdown follows regarding the highest-quality sites supplying real money blackjack and some of their best products in this gaming genre.
Best Real Money Blackjack in California
According to a 2018 report from the American Gaming Association, at that time, 2,800 gambling sites were floating around the World Wide Web. Naturally, most of these hubs feature the world’s most popular table game. It is most veteran gamblers’ favorite due to its super low house edge and the fact that decision-making plays a dramatic role in all in-game outcomes.
Though each US state has its laws on how it goes about regulating online betting, everyone is free to play at offshore sites, and they have been since this industry’s inception. The same holds for Californians. Thus, the three online casinos listed in this subheading are the ones that get the best reviews, ranking as top US-centric interactive gaming hubs that offer high-end table gambling for both low and high-rollers.
Las Atlantis
Without a doubt, Las Atlantis is the number one blackjack pick for most residents of California. It is a relatively novel site that got up and running in early-2020 and has managed to captivate table game enthusiasts with its creative theme and enticing promotions. The random number generator-powered games here come from RealTime Gaming and the streaming ones from Visionary iGaming. They both get audited for fairness by Australia’s independent testing agency Technical System or TST.
Wild Casino
Wild Casino is a crypto-focused gambling site that hosts gaming products from companies like Vision iGaming, Fresh Deck Studios, Platypus, Nucleus Gaming, and many others. It has been around since 2017, offering bonuses for both fiat gamblers and digital coin lovers. Its blackjack offer is quite robust, providing tables with varying betting limits. The VIP live ones here accept wagers of up to $10,000 per hand.
BetUS
BetUS is a legendary internet sportsbook that got birthed along with this entire sector in 1994. It operates from Costa Rica, servicing players from most corners of the globe. BetUS has riveting partnerships with developers like Digital Gaming Solutions, Nucleus, Booongo, and Visionary iGaming, who stack its lobby with premium titles, including various variations of real money blackjack. The daily withdrawal limit here is $5,000.
Live Dealer Blackjack
Live dealer blackjack first appeared on the internet in 2003 when Playtech soft-launched their original streaming platform, targeting the Asian market. That said, it was not until smartphones got widely adopted and internet speeds improved that this gaming category started to gain traction. Today, it is the fiercest competitor of reel-spinning games, better known as slots.
People choose to play against a dealer because they want to feel authentic casino action, experience a greater level of interaction and have access to higher betting limits. Moreover, some platforms also give away exclusive live casino deals for those who choose to test their luck on these options.
Blackjack Early Payout
Blackjack Early Payout is a Visionary iGaming game, which this provider invented and patented. It often gets mentioned as the live blackjack version with the best odds, given its payout percentage of above 99.5%. It is unique because it gives players the option to opt-out of a hand at any stage, getting an early payout whose amount can vary depending on what card the dealer is showing. By playing this version, a player never has to bust ever again.
Free Bet Blackjack
In general, this is the default blackjack game with the choice for players to double-down or split for free. That will get indicated by an exclusive Free Bet button. Free Bet Blackjack also provides the Push-22 side-wager. It is a winner if the dealer manages to bust with a hand total of twenty-two.
Power Blackjack
Power Blackjack is one of the more popular twenty-one variants at land-based locales and online. It is the brainchild of gambling game inventor Geoff Hall, distributed by Shuffle Master. Power Blackjack gets played with six decks, and it differs from the standard version by allowing for a Power Double-Down and a Power Split. The first option is available if a player gets dealt a ten or eleven as one of his first two cards, and the second if he gets a hard fifteen or sixteen.
Blackjack Games
Before there were streaming tables, software ones ruled the digital gambling landscape. These titles fueled by algorithms that generate random numbers remain a favored pick for many, as they can get played faster than dealer games. Because of their computerized nature, they cost essentially nothing to run. So operators can afford to tweak their settings, so they feature low betting limits that cater to casual players.
Blackjack Switch
“Switch” is a super popular game of blackjack that incorporates only one but super vital rule difference. It allows players to switch their second card for a new one, adding to the excitement of the game. Geoff Hall is also the inventor of this variation, and GamesOS is the company that supplies its most-played RNG iteration.
21 Burn Blackjack
Premium 3D slot supplier Betsoft is the brand behind 21 Burn that allows gamblers to burn through the second card they get dealt, similar to a re-draw in draw poker. That opens up this version to multiple strategy changes that can optimize gameplay to a degree unattainable in the traditional game.
Spanish 21
Colorado-based Masque Publishing owns the rights to the Spanish 21 variant. Its notable feature is that it usually yields better payouts than regular blackjack. A players’ twenty-one always beats a dealer’s blackjack in Spanish 21. That holds in all scenarios. Microgaming is the provider supplying the Web’s most established 21 RNG version of this blackjack variation.
To Wrap Up
For now, residents of California centers like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, and so on must-visit Native American casinos to enjoy a hand of blackjack. Of course, unless they choose the more convenient option of playing some real money blackjack online at one of the sites recommended above. The listed platforms in this article offer varying table limits and dozens of game variations, creating combos suitable for players of all sized bankrolls and tastes.
For more gambling news and reviews find more at OUSC.
The news and editorial staff of the Bay Area News Group had no role in this post’s preparation.