There are various skills, like card counting and knowing whether to hit or stand when you have certain cards, that apply to all games of blackjack. But there is one skill that’s only applicable to live dealer blackjack or playing blackjack in-person: spotting dealer “tells.” Read on to learn more about tells and how they can help you in a game of blackjack.
What Are Tells?
A tell is any subconscious behavior from a game participant that you can use to your advantage. Tells are typically associated with poker and could be physical, verbal, or behavioral signs or patterns that appear during a game.
For example, in poker, a player might scratch their nose when they have a strong hand. Or they might always call when they have a winning hand in the hope of baiting other players into the pot.
However, tells can also be a useful tool to help you win when playing live dealer blackjack (if you don’t know yet, you’ll want to learn what live dealer blackjack is) or when playing blackjack at a physical casino.
Why Are Tells Important in Blackjack?
Knowing how to read the dealer in blackjack can help you gather information that the dealer may accidentally leak about their hole (face-down) card. Since the dealer looks at their face-down card after all bets are placed in many live blackjack games, tells might let you know whether they have a high-value or low-value hand (and might help you adjust your play).
Tips and Tricks for Spotting Blackjack Dealer Tells
In most modern casinos, dealers no longer look directly at hole cards but instead glance at a device that tells them whether they have blackjack or not. But this isn’t the case for all casinos. In casinos that don’t use these devices, it could be useful to know how to read a dealer and make it a part of your blackjack strategy so you can get better at blackjack.
Here are some dealer tells in blackjack that you should keep an eye out for when playing a live blackjack game:
Focus on Their Reaction When Checking Their Hole Card
In casinos where the dealer still checks the value of an actual card, you may be able to glean some information by focusing on how they react when looking at their hole card, especially if they are inexperienced. Similar to poker, a dealer who is happy with their hand might do something like smile subtly, or if they are unhappy with their cards, they may double-check.
Judge How They Look at Their Hole Card
Certain cards (usually 2s through 5s) can look like an ace when the dealer is trying to peek at their hole card. It’s for this reason that the dealer might have to do two things when they check their face-down card.
Firstly, they might have to angle the card slightly higher to make sure they have a clear view of it. Secondly, they might look at it for longer to make sure it’s not an ace.
These actions are noticeable when you pay attention and realize how easy it is for a dealer to see what a high-value card is. Cards such as a 10, jack, queen, or king are very distinct, so they’ll be able to quickly tell what their hole card is if it’s one of these cards.
Judging Tells Is an Art, Not a Science
Unfortunately, no two people are the same; what might be a tell for one person might not be for another. For example, one dealer may take different lengths of time to check their hole card, while another dealer may take the same amount of time regardless of what value it is.
It’s these differences in human behavior that make reading tells more of an art than a science. However, if you’re able to learn the tells of a particular dealer, they may give you an additional edge in the game of blackjack.
Try Reading Blackjack Dealers in Live Dealer Blackjack
If you’re interested in putting these blackjack tips and tricks to the test, you can easily do so by playing a live dealer game from the comfort of your home. Here are some of the great live dealer blackjack games that you can try out online:
- BetMGM Infinite Blackjack
- Live Blackjack
- Lightning Blackjack
- Power Blackjack
- Speed Blackjack
Play Thrilling Blackjack and Other Casino Games at BetMGM Casino
If you want to play blackjack online, all you need to do is sign up at BetMGM Casino. At BetMGM casino, you can enjoy an incredible selection of digital and live blackjack games, including titles like New York Jets Blackjack, Premium Blackjack Pro, and BetMGM BlackJack Pro. You can also wager on other exciting games of chance, including roulette, slots, variety games, and more.
But the excitement doesn’t stop there. You can also enjoy a great range of ongoing and limited-time promotions, including free spins, Deposit Match promotions, and a fantastic BetMGM Casino Welcome Bonus. Register at BetMGM Casino to enjoy all the wonderful benefits and exciting games that are on offer.
