Basic Blackjack Rules

The main objective of blackjack is to beat the dealer's hand by a higher hand without busting over 21. Minimum bets usually start at five dollars, and the maximum goes from a hundred to as much as fifty thousand dollars, depending on where you're playing. The bigger casinos in Las Vegas allow for larger betting sums.

The blackjack game starts when all players have placed their bets. The cards are dealt to the players, with one of the dealer's first two cards face-up and the other face-down. The dealer's face-up card determines every player's next move. A player can opt to either take another card, or “hit,” until he or she decides to stand or gets busted. “Blackjack” is when only two cards make up 21 points, like a queen and an ace. A blackjack beats all other hands, including 21 points made up by three or more cards.

To win, a player must have 21 points or any number of points below 21 higher than the dealer's hand. If both the dealer and the player have a blackjack, it is called a “push,” meaning neither side wins or loses. A “push” can also happen when both sides have an equal number of points below 21 without a blackjack. But, if a player beats the dealer with a blackjack, the dealer has to pay the player one and a half times his or her original bet. However, if a player busts his hand, he or she automatically loses even if the dealer also busts.

Blackjack rules may have many variations depending on where you're playing and on the house rules, but these are the basics that make up the foundation of a blackjack game.