By Ryan Scott.
Blackjack is one of the most widely played card games at online casinos. The rules are fixed, and the objective is straightforward. If you’re getting to grips with how it works, this guide covers the core mechanics: card values, what your options are during a hand, and how the dealer’s side of the table operates.
Whether you’re playing an RNG version or a live dealer format, you’ll find dealer stands on 17 referenced across most online blackjack tables. It’s one of the key rules that shapes how a hand plays out, and it’s worth understanding before you sit down.
What the cards are worth
Blackjack uses one or more standard 52-card decks. Number cards (two through 10) are worth their face value. Face cards, the Jack, Queen, and King, each count as 10. The Ace is the exception: it can count as either one or 11, whichever is more useful for the hand at that point. A hand containing an Ace that counts as 11 is called a soft hand. One where the Ace counts as one, because counting it as 11 would take the total over 21, is called a hard hand.
How a hand plays out
At the start of each round, you and the dealer are each dealt two cards. Yours are placed face up. The dealer receives one card face up and one face down. That face-down card is known as the hole card and stays hidden until the dealer’s turn.
From there, you choose how to play your hand. Hitting means taking another card. Standing means keeping your current total and ending your turn. You can also double down, which doubles your wager and gives you one final card, or split if you’ve been dealt two cards of the same value, turning them into two separate hands. Some blackjack variants also allow you to surrender, which ends the hand early.
Once you’ve completed your turn, the dealer reveals the hole card and plays out their hand according to fixed rules.
What the dealer does
The dealer doesn’t make choices the way you do. Their actions follow a set of rules that are printed on the table. In most online blackjack games, the dealer must draw cards until their total reaches 17 or higher. At that point, they must stand.
Where it gets slightly more technical is with soft hands. A soft 17, for example, is a hand of Ace and six, where the Ace counts as 11. Some games require the dealer to stand on any 17, soft or hard. Others require them to hit a soft 17. This distinction affects the house edge and varies between blackjack variants, so it’s worth checking the table rules before you play.
If the dealer’s total exceeds 21, they bust, and all hands still in play at that point are settled accordingly. If neither side busts, the hand closest to 21 wins. A tie results in a push, meaning your wager is returned.
RNG and live dealer formats
Online blackjack is available in two main formats. RNG games use certified software to determine card sequences. Each hand is independent of the last, and the results are tested for fairness by independent regulators. Live dealer blackjack streams a real dealer from a studio, with cards dealt physically and read by optical recognition software. The rules work the same way in both formats.
Play on a licensed site to ensure the game meets regulatory standards. The rules section of each game will set out exactly how the dealer is required to play.
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