How Does Vegas Blackjack Work?

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games in the world. And while the basic rules are pretty simple, there’s a lot more to blackjack than meets the eye.

Here’s a quick primer on how blackjack works in Las Vegas casinos.

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The object of blackjack is to have a hand value that is higher than the dealer’s hand value, but not higher than 21. All face cards (kings, queens and jacks) are worth 10 points, while an ace can be worth either 1 or 11 points (player’s choice).

All other cards are worth their numeric value.

To start a hand, each player must put up a bet. Once all bets are made, the dealer will deal two cards to each player, face up.

PRO TIP:In Vegas blackjack, the objective is to get as close to 21 as possible without going over. Each player is dealt two cards, and the dealer is dealt one card face up and one card face down. Players can then decide to hit (take another card), stand (keep their total), double down (double their bet and take one more card) or split (if they have two of the same value cards, they can separate them into two different hands). The dealer must hit on 16 or less and stand on 17 or more. If a player’s total is higher than the dealer’s without busting, they win. If both bust, the dealer wins.

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

Once all players have their cards, it’s time to start taking action. The player to the dealers left is first. They can either choose to hit (take another card) or stand (keep their current hand).

If they choose to hit and their hand total goes over 21, they bust and automatically lose their bet. If they stand, play passes to the next player clockwise around the table.

Once all players have either busted or chosen to stand, it’s time for the dealer to play their hand. The dealer must always hit if their hand total is 16 or less. They must always stand if their hand total is 17 or more.

If the dealer busts, any remaining players win their bets automatically. Otherwise, the player with the highest hand total wins the pot.