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Blackjack Azure Review
Blackjack Azure is a relatively new live casino game from Pragmatic Play which has a lot to offer Canadian players. First off, the game comes with a 99.59% RTP, which means it’s as lucrative as it is appealing and playable.
Professional live dealers add a unique character to each gaming session, making Blackjack Azure dynamic and unpredictable.
The action is streamed from Pragmatic Play’s Bucharest studio via 4K cameras that ensure a gaming experience akin to what you’d get at a land-based gaming site.
Blackjack Azure studio deco is distinct in prominent blue detailing and sharp gold lines. Players will even spot a few motifs that look like they were taken from a 1920s Great Gatsby party.
The entire setup exudes a mysterious ambience that makes Blackjack Azure immensely intriguing. The game is available 24/7, so you can join the table whenever you want and immediately start playing.
Where to play Blackjack Azure?
Before we delve deeper into Blackjack Azure’s finer points, we need to discuss where to play the game.
As you may know, Pragmatic Play is an internationally acclaimed live casino game software developer with a massive fanbase.
The studio’s reputation precedes it, which is why hundreds of the best online casinos feature games from Pragmatic Play.
We’ve listed our top picks for where you can play Blackjack Azure. However, if you’re looking to select a different gaming platform, you can use our selection process to make sure you’re making the best choice.
For example, you have to make sure that a casino is licensed by a reputable regulator before you even think about signing up.
Since you’re looking to play Blackjack Azure, the gaming site needs to have Pragmatic Play games in its lobby. Other factors also come into play.
For example, we also thoroughly evaluated all casino bonuses and promotions, banking section, and customer support before adding it to our list.
How to Play Blackjack Azure?
As Pragmatic Play created Blackjack Azure using HTML5, you can fire up the game on your desktop or PC and instantly get in on the action.
This game is based on standard blackjack rules, so the objective is to get a hand valued at 21, also known as blackjack.
Alternatively, you can get a hand that’s closer to 21 than the live dealer’s to win at Blackjack Azure. The betting time is 10 seconds, making Blackjack Azure a fun, quick-paced, and energetic game.
Pragmatic Play also ensured quicker gameplay was possible by having the game continue uninterrupted if all players are done placing bets.
Blackjack Azure comes on 10 different tables, so how much you can bet depends on which table you choose. Each table has a multi-seat option that allows players to place the same bet amount on each seat.
As with most blackjack games, Blackjack Azure starts with the live dealer delivering 2 face-up cards. The house receives one face up, one face-down card.
Once the live host deals the cards, you can choose to proceed in one of four ways.
- Hit (ask for another card)
- Stand (refuse another card)
- Split (create 2 hands with same-value cards)
- Double Down (doubling your bet)
The shoe has 8 decks, and the dealer must draw on 16 and stand on 17. Players can use the Early Decisions feature to set up an “auto-hit” or “auto-stand” decision and dramatically speed up the game.
Blackjack Azure also allows you to split up to 2 times, which you won’t find in most other blackjack games.
Other than these main betting options, you can enjoy an even more entertaining Blackjack Azure experience if you play the Perfect Pairs or 21 + 3 side bets.
With Perfect Pairs, you’re betting on getting a pair. The 21 + 3 side bet requires that you create a poker hand with your first 2 cards and the live dealer’s face-up card.
These side bets are optional and separate from the main game. Another exciting Blackjack Azure feature is Bet Behind, which allows you to bet on other players’ hands.
You can use this feature to cash in on another player’s lucky streak, without even taking a seat at the blackjack table.
Blackjack Azure features & betting options
According to Pragmatic Play, each new product from their studio is supposed to bring elegant and luxurious gameplay to customers.
To provide the ultimate gaming experience, the Blackjack Azure tables are enhanced with deep-blue accents that inspire extravagance.
The studio, which features golden accents and a beautifully designed deco, is open 24 hours a day.
Apart from sending players back to their favourite land-based gaming establishment, Blackjack Azure also allows quicker gameplay using the Deal Now and Auto-Stand features.
The game, however, doesn’t fare any better than other Live Blackjack variants when it comes to the potential returns.
You can expect to receive the following payouts:
- Blackjack – 3:2
- Insurance – 2:1
- Regular Win – 1:1
When playing Blackjack Azure, you can expect to receive the following payouts if you place and win the optional Perfect Pairs side bet:
- Red/Black Pair – 6:1
- Perfect Pair – 25:1
- Coloured Pair– 12:1
As we mentioned before, the 21 + 3 side bet allows you to combine your 2 cards and the dealer’s up-card to form a 3-card hand.
The payouts for the optional 21 + 3 side bets are as follows:
- Suited 3 of a Kind – 100:1
- 3-Card Straight Flush – 40:1
- 3 of a Kind – 30:1
- 3-Card Straight – 10:1
- 3-Card Flush – 5:1
Blackjack Azure RTP, volatility, minimum stake & maximum stake
Blackjack Azure features 10 tables where players can take a seat and enjoy the exclusive Pragmatic Play live entertainment.
Similar rules and gameplay apply, but the table limits cater to different types of players.
The tables are named from Blackjack Azure A to Blackjack Azure J, with the following table limits:
- Blackjack Azure A – $10 to $2,500
- Blackjack Azure B – $25 to $2,500
- Blackjack Azure C – $25 to $2,500
- Blackjack Azure D – $35 to $2,500
- Blackjack Azure E – $50 to $2,500
- Blackjack Azure F – $50 to $5,000
- Blackjack Azure G – $100 to $5,000
- Blackjack Azure H – $100 to $5,000
- Blackjack Azure I – $250 to $5,000
- Blackjack Azure J – $500 to $5,000
Another special thing about Blackjack Azure is that players enjoy a 99.59% RTP when they play using an optimum strategy.
As can be expected, the Perfect Pairs and 21 + 3 side bets have a higher house advantage. The Perfect Pairs comes in at 95.9%, and the 21 + 3 side bet has a 93.71% return to player percentage.
Blackjack Azure hints and tips
While Blackjack Azure is a game of chance, there are a couple of extra tips that can help you boost your winning chances.
As we mentioned before, you have four options when the live dealer delivers the first set of cards. If the dealer’s up-card is a 7 or higher, you should Hit until you have 17.
8s and Aces are great for splitting. Avoid splitting 4s, 5s, or 10s. Only Double Down when you’re 100% certain you’ll win the round.
Stand when your chances of going bust (going over 21) are high. Other good online gambling practices also come into play.
Blackjack Azure is quick-paced, so you won’t have much time to evaluate each round.
Using the Deal Now and Auto-Stand features, therefore ensures that you can maintain the optimum gaming strategy without wasting time.
Good bankroll management when you’re playing Blackjack Azure starts with choosing the right table for your budget.
As the game is based on standard blackjack, any strategy you’d use on RNG blackjack would work here.
Only make sure to avoid chasing losses by placing loss limits, so you quit before losing more than you can afford.
Final Thoughts
Extravagant to the core, Pragmatic Play’s Blackjack Azure brings fresh updates to a tried-and-true table casino game. With a $10 minimum bet limits, this game wasn’t exactly made for recreational players.
If you can afford to play at this level, choose a table that suits your budget and prepare to get wowed by the dazzling studio and other additional features.
Besides the luxurious blue-themed studio, Blackjack Azure rocks an interface that’s up to the industry’s highest standards.
Players can interact with the friendly live hosts via live chat and tweak a lot of settings. A unique feature of Blackjack Azure is you don’t have to sit at the table to place bets.
You can bet on another player’s hands, especially when you feel they are on a lucky streak. The Perfect Pairs and 21 + 3 side bets make for a bigger chance to score massive payouts.
