Table rules
- Two standard 52-card decks (104 cards), shuffled with a cryptographically secure Fisher–Yates shuffle.
- The shoe is reshuffled once about 75% has been dealt (78 cards). The counter above the table shows the cards left.
- Blackjack pays 3 to 2. Any other win pays 1 to 1. A push (tie) returns your bet.
- The dealer stands on all 17s, including soft 17.
- With an Ace or a 10-value card showing, the dealer peeks for blackjack. If the dealer has it, the hand ends right away and you lose only your original bet (unless you also have blackjack, which is a push).
- Insurance is offered when the dealer shows an Ace. It costs half your bet and pays 2 to 1 if the dealer has blackjack.
- You can double down on any first two cards, including after a split. You get exactly one more card.
- You can split any two cards of the same value (two 8s, or a King and a 10), up to four hands. Split Aces get one card each and can't be re-split or doubled.
- A 21 made after a split counts as 21, not blackjack, and pays 1 to 1.
- No surrender. You start with $500 in play chips, which resets every visit. Bets are $5 to $500 (never more than your balance) — not real money.
How to practise
Tap chips to build your bet, then press Deal. Use Hit, Stand, Double and Split on your turn — your running total is shown above each hand. Turn on Hint to see the basic strategy play for these exact rules (two decks, dealer stands on soft 17, double after split, no surrender). Basic strategy never takes insurance.
Start with $500 in play chips · resets every visit. Nothing is saved — every page load starts again at $500. Run out? Press Reset to $500. Sound is off by default and can be switched on above the table.
Want to know how real-money blackjack works at an online casino? Read our Bovada review or browse all guides. And whatever you play, set limits first — see our responsible gambling page.