Learn · Blackjack

Blackjack: the rules, the odds and the house edge

Beat the dealer's hand without going over 21.

Play BlackjackSimulate it
What each bet costs
BetHouse edgeHow we know
Basic strategy0.400%published, and our simulation agrees
Playing like the dealer5.660%simulation, 400,000 hands
Never busting5.860%simulation, 400,000 hands

The rules here

You and the dealer each get two cards; one of the dealer's is face down. Closest to 21 without going over wins. Face cards count 10, an ace 1 or 11. The dealer must draw to 16 and stand on 17. A blackjack, an ace and a ten, pays 3 to 2.

Basic strategy

For every hand you can hold against every card the dealer can show, one move loses least over time. These tables come from the engine the tables play with; the hint at the table shows the same move.

Hard totals: what basic strategy says against the dealer's card
You2345678910A
8HHHHHHHHHH
9HDDDDHHHHH
10DDDDDDDDHH
11SSSSSSSSSS
12HHSSSHHHHH
13SSSSSHHHHH
14SSSSSHHHHH
15SSSSSHHHHH
16SSSSSHHHHH
17SSSSSSSSSS

H hit · S stand · D double (hit when you cannot)

Soft totals (an ace counted as 11)
You2345678910A
A,2HHHDDHHHHH
A,3HHHDDHHHHH
A,4HHDDDHHHHH
A,5HHDDDHHHHH
A,6HDDDDHHHHH
A,7SDsDsDsDsSSHHH
A,8SSSSSSSSSS

Ds double, or stand when you cannot

Pairs: split or not
Pair2345678910A
A,APPPPPPPPPP
10,10
9,9PPPPPPP
8,8PPPPPPPPPP
7,7PPPPPP
6,6PPPPP
5,5
4,4PP
3,3PPPPPP
2,2PPPPPP

P split; an empty cell plays the hand as a total

Checked against: Wizard of Odds, blackjack.

Play chips are free and worth nothing. Real gambling costs real money; if it stops being fun, help is one call away.