General information and rules

Playtech is one of the largest suppliers of games in the industry, launched back in 1999 when online gambling was only beginning to develop. Live Dealer games are only a part of their rich offer that includes slots, poker, bingo, virtual sports, etc. Playtech focuses on European and Asian market, which is why their Live Tables, including BGO Prime Blackjack, are very elegantly designed, with simple and easy to use gaming platform.

Streamed from state-of-the-art studios with thousands of square meters and equipped with high-quality HD cameras, Playtech spares no expenses to deliver a sophisticated product that will meet the need of their clients. Blackjack Prime is a textbook example of the developer’s vision – a highly functional gaming platform adjusted to different types of players and skill levels, hosted in a friendly yet professional environment that provides the visitors with a genuine experience of a classic Blackjack game.

BGO Prime Blackjack Rules

BGO Prime Blackjack by Playtech is played with 8 decks, on an actual instead of the virtual casino table. The number of seats is limited, but the developer does introduce the Bet Behind option which allows the players to join the table and play even when all the seats are taken. For some reason, Bet Behind is still not a standard feature and not all the developers include it in their software, yet Playtech realised how easy this option can make a player’s life. The limits are lower if you decide to submit your bet behind a seated player (£5 to £250 instead of £5 – £1,000) and a star symbol is placed next to the most successful players, with the exact numbers of the previously won rounds.

The chips are placed at the bottom of the game screen to the right – to place your bet, just click on one of the chips and place it onto one of the three betting areas. In addition to the main bet, BGO Prime Blackjack also introduces the optional side bets – Perfect Pairs and 21+3. The Bet Behind feature can be used for side bets as well and the limits, in this case, are dropped to £1 – £100.

Pairs can be split, but re-splitting is not allowed. If the players decide to split the aces, only one card can be drawn for each of the aces and the players can Double Down even after splitting a hand. The Insurance bet can be placed when the dealer’s up card is an Ace and the dealer will always stand on 17 (both soft and hard) and draw an extra card on 16.

Table layout and platform navigation

Playtech’s live dealer software is popular for a reason – the video quality is exceptional and the game command board is highly responsive and extremely easy to use. Every single piece of information is included and instantly accessible, from the previous rounds statistics to the rulebook and detailed description of the betting process.

Even with the limited number of seats, the players can still add some edge to their game and occupy multiple seats at the same time. If you are not interested in placing the side bets and do not want to be “crowded”, the small orange icon on the left that sort of looks like Princess Leia’s silhouette will enable you to remove the side betting options in a single click. Game settings, limits, payout odds and the main menu can all be found at the top of the screen to the left, and the chat box is in the right upper corner, just next to the tip-the-dealer feature.

Not a lot of time will need to be invested in exploring the software and learning how to use the commands. Everything is straightforward and pretty indicative. The available seats will be green and to use the Bet Behind option, just click on one of the selected players. To figure out what a certain icon does, you can just hover over it or go to the menu box and select the Help section where every single command is described and explained.

Benefits and key features

• Bet Behind option with multiple seats available to a single player
• Live Chat option
• Full gameplay statistics and rule book
• Optional side bets
• Advanced video and audio customisation

Final Thoughts

Playtech’s BGO Prime Blackjack table is simply perfect for old school players who value authenticity more than anything else. The dealers are talkative but not to the point where they will distract you from the game. The platform is very well-designed, enabling a smooth transition from the betting process to the actual gaming session. Video and audio quality are beyond reproach and thumbs up should go to the provider for allowing the players to stick around until the spot at the table clears…