Can you read the dealer in blackjack?

Blackjack players, who know what they’re doing, get to benefit from the fact that their game of choice has the lowest house edge going. Despite this, players are never content and they’re always looking for ways to edge the odds to be in their favour. Of course, if you’ve read our previous articles, you’ll know that the best way of doing this is to master a strategy. Card counting and basic strategy really do have the power to get you into a stronger position. However, today we’re going to be focusing on a more human aspect. Learn more about reading the Blackjack dealer.

You’ve no doubt come across plenty of information about reading either other players or the dealer. Certainly, in games such as poker, there is a skill in identifying someone else’s ‘tell’ so that you know what your next move is going to be. With blackjack though, it’s you against the dealer so, do the best blackjack dealers have a tell, and can you read them? Let’s find out.

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Reading the Blackjack dealer

Reading the Blackjack dealer – Why would the dealer have a tell?

The first thing to consider here is what would the dealer even have a tell? When you look at the likes of poker, players are competing against each other and so they all have something to lose. This means that it makes sense that they may unconsciously be giving something away. With the dealer in blackjack though, things aren’t quite like that.

Without wishing to be too blunt, the truth is that the dealer doesn’t care. If you win or if you lose, there really is no impact on the dealer. Should the dealer win then so what? They’re not rewarded for the win: they are there to carry out their duties and to keep the game running. So, with no consequences, either way, would a dealer still have a tell?

Well, the answer here is a resounding ‘possibly!’. You see, just because a tell is more obvious when there is something at stake, humans just can’t control every aspect of their body language. Even if the dealer doesn’t care about the outcome, there’s still a good chance that their body language will be giving something away.

Reading the Blackjack dealer – This isn’t going to work online

Okay, it may be fairly obvious, but any tips around reading a dealer are there for land-based casinos. Online games, run by random number generators, don’t have the human element. With no human element, there is simply nothing to read. However, we then have live dealer online casinos.

With live casinos, as the name suggests, you get a live blackjack dealer. The idea is that this experience recreates exactly what you would have in a land-based casino. The trouble is that, despite the high-quality HD streaming, it’s not quite the same as coming face to face. Remember, when trying to read the dealer, you’re looking for the finest of movements that may give you a hint. It can be difficult to spot this via a screen.

The best way to explain all of this is to move on now and take a look at some actual examples of where reading the dealer will work.

When hole cards are revealed

One of the best, and easiest, ways to read a dealer is when they take a peek at the hole card. When they do this, they are at a slightly awkward angle and literally have a split second to look, and memorise the card. That awkward angle can make things difficult. It’s quite plausible that one card will look like another and confusion creeps in. The kinds of cards that can cause an issue are 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s. Why? well, they can often look like an Ace. If a dealer is having to take a second or third peek at the card, you have a good idea what card they may be holding.

If the dealer has a picture card, or a 10, this is usually easy for them to see as they peek. This means that there is no need for them to try and look again.

Does it matter where the dealer places their cards?

The dealer’s card placement can also serve as a pretty good tell. If you talk to some professional players, they’ll tell you that when a dealer places their cards slightly to the right they are going to hit for more cards. If they centre the cards, this shows that they’re not expecting to take any more cards and that means that they don’t need any extra table space. 

Peeking for blackjack 

Blackjack rules, as we all know, vary from casino to casino. There are some rules where the dealer has to peek for blackjack if they have a card worth 10 or an ace. When it comes to looking for a tell, the best time to do this is when they’re taking their peek. It’s possible to know at this moment if the dealer is going to win with blackjack, although the signs are likely to be extremely subtle. You need to be trying to read facial expressions as well as consider how they’re holding their cards.

When players are faced with a dealer ace or 10, the likelihood is that they will fold. This is especially the case if the player has a weaker hand. This is often the right thing to do as basic strategy will point towards this. However, if you are able to spot a tell, you can find yourself playing a very different game.

Final thoughts 

While it is possible to read a blackjack dealer, it has to be said that this isn’t one of the safest strategies to pursue. Learning how to read a dealer can take time and can lead to costly mistakes. The fact that we’ve shared examples of when reading is easier, you may be tempted to give it a try. However, we would still advise that to tilt the odds in your favour you should be taking the time to master basic blackjack strategy and card counting.

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Reading the Blackjack dealer