Blackjack on Winzap

Overview

Blackjack is a card game in which you play against the dealer, trying to get a hand closer to 21 than theirs without going over. Aces count 1 or 11 and picture cards 10. With sensible decisions the house edge is about 0.5% under common rules.

In blackjack each player is dealt two cards and the dealer shows one. You then choose to hit (take a card), stand (keep your hand), double down or split a pair, and the dealer finishes last by a fixed rule. If your total is higher than the dealer's without going over 21, you win. If you go over 21 (bust) you lose at once.

It is the one common table game where your decisions change the odds. Playing the mathematically best move in every spot (basic strategy) brings the house edge down to roughly 0.5% under typical rules, while guessing can push it above 2%. The exact edge also depends on the rules: a 3 to 2 payout on a natural blackjack is much better than 6 to 5.

On Winzap, blackjack is listed among the live casino table games, streamed in HD with a real dealer, so the rules below apply to the live version. The tables, limits and side bets differ by provider, so read the rules shown on the table before you place a bet.

Type

Card game against the dealer

Goal

A total closer to 21 than the dealer without going over

Card values

Ace 1 or 11, 2 to 10 face value, J Q K 10

Natural blackjack

Ace plus a ten-value card; usually pays 3 to 2

Common dealer rule

Dealer stands on 17 (some tables hit soft 17)

House edge

About 0.5% with basic strategy, rules permitting

How to play Blackjack

1. 1Place your bet in the betting window before the cards are dealt.
2. 2You and the dealer are dealt cards; the dealer shows one card face up.
3. 3If you have a natural blackjack (an ace and a ten-value card) you are paid 3 to 2 unless the dealer also has one, which is a push.
4. 4Otherwise choose Hit to take another card, or Stand to keep your total.
5. 5On your first two cards you may Double Down (double the bet, take exactly one more card) or Split a pair into two hands, where the table allows it.
6. 6If your total goes over 21 you bust and lose the bet.
7. 7When every player has finished, the dealer reveals the hidden card and draws until reaching 17 or more.
8. 8If the dealer busts, or your total is higher, you win 1 to 1. A tie is a push and your bet is returned.

Rules

• Cards 2 to 10 count their number, jack, queen and king count 10, an ace counts 1 or 11, whichever is better for the hand.
• A natural blackjack (ace plus a ten-value card on the first two cards) beats any other 21 and normally pays 3 to 2.
• The dealer must draw on 16 or less and stand on 17 or more. Some tables make the dealer hit a soft 17 (an ace counted as 11); that raises the house edge slightly.
• A bust (over 21) loses at once, even if the dealer later busts too.
• A tie with the dealer is a push: the bet is returned.
• Doubling and splitting rules, and whether you can double after a split, differ by table and provider.
• Insurance is offered when the dealer shows an ace. It pays 2 to 1 but is a poor bet in the long run.

Bets, payouts & house edge

Payouts, commissions and side bets differ between providers and tables. Always read the rules shown at the table or in the game on Winzap before anything else.

Tips for playing sensibly

Common myths

Variants

Glossary

Hit

Take another card.

Stand

Keep your current total and end your turn.

Bust

Go over 21 and lose the hand.

Soft hand

A hand with an ace counted as 11, such as ace and 6 (soft 17).

Push

A tie with the dealer; the bet is returned.

Double down

Double the bet, take exactly one more card.

Split

Turn a pair into two separate hands with a second equal bet.

Basic strategy

The mathematically best play for every hand against every dealer card.

Blackjack FAQ