Table Games

How to Play Blackjack

Beat the dealer to 21 without going over — the rules, hand values, and basic strategy in plain English.

Blackjack is the most popular table game at any casino, online or land-based, because the rules are simple but the choices matter. The aim is straightforward: build a hand worth closer to 21 than the dealer, without going over. Played well, blackjack has one of the lowest house edges of any casino game — under 1% with basic strategy.

The Rules in One Minute

Hand values

  • Number cards (2–10) are worth their face value.
  • Jacks, Queens and Kings are worth 10.
  • Aces are worth either 1 or 11 — whichever helps the hand.

How a hand plays out

  1. You place a bet and are dealt two cards face up. The dealer takes one card face up and one face down.
  2. If your first two cards total 21 (an Ace plus a 10-value card), that is a “blackjack” and usually pays 3:2.
  3. Otherwise you choose: Hit (take another card), Stand (keep what you have), Double Down (double your bet and take exactly one more card), or Split (if your two cards are a pair, separate them into two hands).
  4. The dealer then reveals their hidden card and draws until they reach 17 or higher.
  5. The hand closer to 21 wins. Going over 21 (“busting”) is an automatic loss.

Basic strategy in three lines

You do not need to memorise a chart to play well. Three rules cover most situations:

  • If your hand totals 11 or less, always hit.
  • If you have 17 or more, always stand.
  • Between 12 and 16, stand if the dealer is showing a 6 or lower; hit if they are showing a 7 or higher.

Common Questions

What is the house edge in blackjack?

With basic strategy, blackjack has one of the lowest house edges of any casino game — typically 0.5% to 1% depending on the variant and the table rules. Side bets push that figure up significantly, so stick to the main hand if you want the best odds.

What is the difference between blackjack and pontoon?

Pontoon is a British and Irish variant of blackjack with slightly different rules — both of the dealer’s cards are face-down, and the player names their action (“twist”, “stick”, “buy”) rather than hit or stand. The basic objective and hand values are the same.

Can I count cards in online blackjack?

No. Online blackjack typically reshuffles the deck after every hand, which neutralises card counting completely. Counting is only practical at live in-person tables with manual shoes.