Blackjack is one of the most exciting and accessible casino card games in the world. While its beginnings are often debated, with some claiming French, Spanish and even Roman origin, its status as a popular casino game is undoubted.
Since becoming a mainstay in brick-and-mortar casinos in the twentieth century, blackjack has captured the imagination of all those who have played it, mesmerizing many of those who try to master it.
We offer a variety of online blackjack game types, at both Single Player and Multi-Player tables
In general, the rules of blackjack are straightforward and can be picked up in minutes. However, each blackjack game type differs slightly in table rules, which are detailed on that variant's page, with the generic rules outlined below applying across all blackjack games.
Each round of blackjack begins with the players seated at the table placing a bet into the betting positions (or "boxes") they occupy. The minimum and maximum table stakes will be clearly displayed at the table, and you can choose your bet size by clicking on the chip denoting the value you wish to wager. After you place your wager(s), the dealer deals two cards face up in front of each box and either one card face up (European style) or one card face up and one card face down (Atlantic City style) to their own position, depending on which game variant is being played.
The best hand is of course "blackjack", made up of an ace and any ten (that includes jacks, queens and kings), on the initial deal (your two first cards). As a hand, it's unbeatable, and can only be tied if the dealer's hand is also blackjack. It's worth noting that blackjack pays more than other winning hands and you may receive three-to-two (3:2) on your wager, depending on the game variant played.
A winning hand in blackjack typically pays one-to-one (1:1, also known as "evens" or "even money"). So if you wager 10 chips, you usually receive 10 chips, and will receive your original wager back. If you're dealt blackjack (and the dealer isn't), playing a game variant which pays three-to-two (3:2), you would receive 15 chips, and will receive your original wager back.
If your hand ties with the dealer's hand – also known as a "push" – you receive the amount you wagered back, but are not awarded anything else. If you lose your hand, you forfeit your wager, which is taken by the house. Any exceptions to these general rules are outlined below or on each game variant's rules page.
Payouts usually occur after the dealer has completed the hand. The rules by which the dealer plays are strict, and differ slightly between game variations, so it's important to read the variant rules to check for any specific differences.
One such difference will be whether or not the dealer draws cards on a soft 17. Typically the dealer will draw cards until their hand value reaches 17 or higher. However, in some variants the dealer must stand on a soft 17, while in others the dealer must hit. In all Blackjack games, the dealer will hit on any hard or soft total of 16 or under.
During a game you'll also be presented with several supplementary options, depending on the initial two cards dealt to you.
One such action is Splitting, which is essentially turning one hand into two, and can occur in the following ways:
In addition, the option to Double Down occurs in certain circumstances, permitting you the opportunity to double your initial wager. This also follows certain rules:
In games in which it is permitted, doubling down can occur after splitting, with a few other elements to take into account:
Splitting also has restrictions when it comes to aces. When you split two aces, almost all variants of blackjack allow only one card to be drawn to each of the new hands. That means no further hitting, splitting or doubling down is allowed.
There is another aspect of blackjack of which you can take advantage, which is called Surrender. Provided it is allowed in the variant you are playing, this is the act of forfeiting the original two cards that were dealt in return for a 50% refund of the original wager. However, there are restrictions on your ability to surrender, such as whether the dealer is showing an ace or a ten-value card.
To recap, during a single round of blackjack you will be presented with a number of decisions to make (the decisions open to you depend upon the cards dealt and the game variant played), all of which will affect the result:
Even Money is a special type of insurance bet that can be made when you have been dealt blackjack. If the dealer is showing an ace, two outcomes are now possible:
By availing of even money when offered, you agree to take a one-to-one (1:1) win before the dealer finishes his hand, locking in your win in spite of the possibility that the dealer makes blackjack.
As you play, your decisions will affect the outcome of each hand, so it is important that you're not restricted from making your preferred choices. Unfortunately, a number of factors can adversely affect your play, from problems with your internet connection to involuntary misclicks, resulting in accidental decisions.
While we can't foresee every problem that may impact you, the following protection is built into our game software on behalf of players who may make decisions which are inadvertent or accidental, and which are considered outside the boundaries of normal play:
If you attempt to make one of the above decisions, our software will issue a warning, prompting you to double check if the action you indicated is your preferred choice. We have introduced this measure to ensure you don't lose out due to misclicks or errors.