Blackjack Rules Explained – How to Play and Win

Blackjack was introduced to the casino in the twentieth century and is currently one of the casino's favorites. The rules of Blackjack vary from casino to casino - if in doubt, consult the casino's house rules. Here you can play best online mobile blackjack.

Aim

The purpose of blackjack is to finish the game with a better score than that of the dealer, without exceeding 21. To exceed 21 is called 'busting' and automatically causes a loss.

The Play - Basic Rules

Blackjack is usually played in a 2-7 player table and uses one to eight 52-decks. Numbered cards (2-10) are valued by the amount printed on them. Face cards (Queen, King, Jack) count for 10 and Ace can count as 1 or 11.

At the beginning of each round, the bettors place their wagers in their betting positions - or more correctly 'boxes'. After placing bets, two cards are distributed face-up in front of each bettor's corresponding betting position. Two cards are distributed to the dealer, one face-up and the other face-down.

Starting from the left-hand side of the dealer, each player is given the chance to receive extra cards. The players must either 'stand' or 'hit'. When the player utters 'HIT', they are dealt another card. They can then say 'HIT' again, or 'STAND' if they don't want to draw any more cards. The player can 'HIT' as many times as they want, but must try not to 'bust' (receive a total value of over 21).

When the player busts, they lose their bet instantly.

Once every player has played and stood or busted, the dealer plays their turn. They too can either 'HIT' or 'STAND'.

When the hand of the dealer is more than 21, all players who have not busted win on the spot - their bet is paid back plus an equal amount from the bank of the dealer.

• If the dealer has a valid hand, the cards are counted and every player's hand is matched against the dealer.
• If the player won more than the dealer, the player gets the win.
• If the player's points match the dealer's, the original bet is returned to the player.

Otherwise, the player loses the bet.

The best hand is that with an ace and a 10, Jack, Queen or King and is called a 'Blackjack'.

Other Options which may be available during the hand

Apart from the general rules, most casinos have a couple of other options to offer to players in some situations. It is always best to refer to the house rules to find out the details of any allowed options.

Split

If the first two cards are a pair, the players can split them, thus ending up with two hands rather than one per seat. In order to fund the split, the player has to place a second bet, of the same amount as the first.

Double Down

Once given the first two cards, players can double the bet when they hit. When doubling down, the player gets one additional card alone and cannot hit subsequent times. The majority of casinos permit cards to be split again if the second card forms another pair - however, some casinos have restrictions on the number of times the player can split.

Insurance

Insurance is a side bet, which is offered to the players if the dealer's up card is an ace. It insures the player against the dealer being dealt a 'blackjack' and offers them a chance to even up on the hand, if the dealer's cards total 21.

Insurance is offered before the dealer looks at their face-down card.

Surrender

If a player thinks that they won't be able to beat dealer's hand, they can use 'surrender'. In this, players fold the hand, and lose only half of the bet, compared to losing the whole bet.

A player can lose his or her hand only before receiving more cards.

Bet Behind

Busy, live casinos sometimes offer a side betting option, or 'bet behind', as it is sometimes called. Here, an unlimited number of players place side bets behind the main seven seated players, betting they will win the hand.

These are the rules, published by Masters Traditional Games, an Internet seller of high-quality traditional games, pub games and quirky games. For general information or copying and copyright, see our Rules Information page.

Our rules are detailed guidelines for recreational play. In doubt, always use locally-played or house rules.