How to play Blackjack at a Casino

Learning how to play Blackjack at a casino is easy and fun. To win you must get a point total closer to 21 than the Dealer’s point total without going over 21. Cards are dealt clockwise from a dealing “shoe”. Each Player is dealt two cards face up. The Dealer will get two cards also, but one will be face up and the other face down.

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Picture cards (Jack, Queen, King) count as 10. Aces count as one or 11, whichever is to the Player’s advantage. Any other card (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10) counts as face value.

If your first two cards are an Ace and a 10-value card, you have a Blackjack and will get paid 3 to 2 as long as the Dealer does not have a Blackjack also. If the Dealer does have a Blackjack, the hand will be a push and the Player will neither win nor lose. If the Dealer draws to a point total of 21 containing three or more cards, the Player’s Blackjack will win.

If the Player does not have Blackjack in the first two cards, the Player may decide to “stand” (draw no additional cards) or “hit” (draw more cards). If the Player decides to hit and goes over a point total of 21, the hand is lost. If the Player does not go over 21 and finishes with a point total closer to 21 than the Dealer, the Player wins even money.

If the Player and the Dealer have the same point total, the hand is a push. If the Player has a point total less than the Dealer, the Player loses.

There are two different variations of how to play Blackjack at Ocean Resort Casino. You have your choice of playing on a table where the Dealer will hit on a soft 17 (a hand that includes an Ace) or stand on all 17’s. These rules will be specified on each individual table. Hand signals are used by the Players to indicate if they want to stand or hit. Although the Dealer will call out the Player’s point totals, it is the Player’s responsibility to also check the point totals.

Did you know: Ocean Casino Resort offers Blackjack Surrender! What is Blackjack Surrender? A surrender move is exercised by players who prefer to fold their hand and surrender. Ask a tables team member for complete details.

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Blackjack Rules

Doubling Down:

A Player may elect to “double down” after receiving their two initial cards, as long as the point total is not equal to 21. The Player may make an additional wager up to the amount of their original wager. The Player will receive one more card.

Splitting Pairs:

The Players may split two cards that have the same point total forming two separate hands by wagering an additional amount equal to the original wager. Each hand will be completed in order. The Player may double down on split hands. The Player may split two times for a total of three hands (except Aces). Aces can only be split one time for a total of two hands. Only one card is dealt to each Ace. If a 10-value card is dealt to either Ace, it is considered a 21 and not a Blackjack.

Insurance:

If the Dealer’s first card is an Ace, the Players have the option to make an insurance wager. The insurance wager may be no more than half of the Player’s original wager. The insurance wager wins if the Dealer’s second card is a 10-value card (Dealer Blackjack). The insurance wager loses if the Dealer’s second card is not a 10-value card. A winning insurance wager pays 2 to 1.

Blackjack:

In an event that the Dealer has a Blackjack, the Players can only lose their original wager; split and double down wagers will be returned to the Players.