How Are Blackjack Cards Dealt?

When it comes to casino games, few are as exciting and popular as blackjack. A key part of the appeal is that the game is relatively simple to learn and play.

But even if you know the basic rules of blackjack, you might not be aware of how the cards are dealt. Here is a look at the standard procedure for dealing blackjack cards.

The basic premise of blackjack is to get a hand that totals as close to 21 as possible without going over. The player who has the hand closest to 21 (or who has not gone over 21) wins the hand.

To start a hand of blackjack, each player must make a bet. Once all bets have been placed, the dealer will deal two cards to each player, face up.

The dealer will also deal themselves two cards, but one will be face down (known as the hole card).

After the initial deal, each player has a few options. They can choose to stand, meaning they are happy with their hand and do not want any more cards.

They can also choose to hit, which means they want another card from the dealer. Players can hit as many times as they like until they either go over 21 (at which point they automatically lose) or they decide to stand.

Once all players have either stood or gone bust, it is then time for the dealer to play their hand. The dealer must follow strict rules when playing their hand.

They must always hit if their hand totals 16 or less and must always stand if their hand totals 17 or more. If the dealer goes over 21 (known as busting), then all players who are still in the hand win automatically.

Once the dealer has either busted or stood, then it is time for any remaining players to compare their hands with the dealers. If your hand beats the dealers, then you will receive a payout based on your original bet (usually 1-1).

If your hand ties with the dealers, then this is known as a push and your bet is returned to you. If your hand loses to the dealers, then you will forfeit your bet to the house.