One of the most frequently asked questions I get from new players is: 'What's the difference between online blackjack and blackjack games in brick-and-mortar casinos?'

It's a fair question to ask; there's a lot of uncertainty over the operation and trustworthiness of online blackjack, and no one wants to feel like they're being cheated out of their money.

While the rules and aim of blackjack remain the same no matter where you play 21, there are several differences in gameplay that all players should be aware of.

Live casinos have so many distractions going on that may impede your ability to play perfect strategy and count cards.

Other players may take their time; turns in live blackjack are not limited to timers.

The drinks staff comes around a few minutes to make sure your glass is always full. Speaking of alcohol: the casinos will do this in order to encourage you to take more risks that are not weighted in math in order to keep the house edge. There is a reason the drinks are free in Las Vegas.

With online casinos, you are free to control the environment in which you play. You and other players at the table will be limited to a timer though, which keeps a consistent pace of play and ensures the proper time can be spent on making decisions at any given time.

You can also place your action before it’s your turn in online blackjack, which does not happen when you are in a live situation. When you are playing online you don’t have to count your chips and you don't have to make sure you are betting properly and you always have a running total of your money since it is displayed on the screen.

There are two major types of online blackjack:

Live dealer blackjack

The first, live dealer blackjack, is where a real-life dealer shuffles the cards in a shoe just like you would see in a casino. They do not always use an automatic shuffler.

This creates a more life-like environment for the player. All gameplay is streamed in real-time, and these games have chat functionality so you can speak to the dealer and even other players. The game is streamed in a live studio with other table games going on, which adds to the experience and feels more like a real casino.

Online blackjack

Online blackjack is also known as RNG blackjack, which stands for Random Number Generator software. This game has the fastest speed of play because it does not rely on a shuffle of any live cards and is played only at electronic tables.

This simulates what you would see if you played with a shuffling machine instead of a dealer shoe. RNG software chooses a card value at random and is not based on a particular number of decks or cards left in the shoe. That means if a card was dealt in a previous hand it can still come out on the very next hand. This makes it impossible to apply advanced techniques like card counting to your game, but on the flip side, you don't have to wait for other players in online blackjack. So, you're probably wondering which option is best. This depends entirely on your reason for playing. Online blackjack is good for short bursts of fast-paced fun, but if you're missing the energy and social aspect of a brick-and-mortar casino, then live dealer blackjack will give you the most immersive experience.