The goal and the deal
Blackjack is a card game in which you try to reach 21 or get closer to that total than the dealer without going over. If your hand exceeds 21, you bust and lose the round. You do not have to make exactly 21: a lower total can win if it beats the dealer’s hand.
In a typical round, the player and dealer each receive two cards. The player’s cards are visible, and usually one of the dealer’s cards is face up. Specific rules can differ between tables and versions, so check the conditions shown before starting.
How to count card values
Cards from 2 through 10 are worth their face value. Jacks, queens, and kings are worth 10 points. An ace counts as 1 or 11, depending on which value helps the hand without taking it over 21. This makes a hand with an ace flexible: an ace and a 6 total 7 or 17, depending on the next card and the safer count.
An ace paired with a 10-value card in the initial two-card hand makes a natural blackjack. This hand is commonly treated differently from a total of 21 made with additional cards; its payout and how a tie is handled depend on the table rules.
Player choices and the dealer’s turn
After receiving your cards, you can hit to take another card or stand on your current total. Many versions also let you double your bet—usually in exchange for just one more card—or split an initial pair into two hands. The conditions for doubling and splitting vary, so do not assume every table offers the same options.
For example, with a total of 10, hitting might improve your hand, but a card worth more than 11 would make you bust. With an ace and a 6, the ace can count as 1 if another card would take the total over 21 when the ace counts as 11. These examples explain the count; they are not a promise of a win or a foolproof strategy.
After players have made their decisions, the dealer follows fixed rules. A common rule requires the dealer to hit until reaching at least 17 and then stand; details can vary by version. If you have not busted, you win when your total is higher than the dealer’s and lose when it is lower. Equal totals usually push, or tie, with the bet returned, subject to the table’s conditions.
Check the table rules first
The basic rules are easier to follow in sequence: count your cards, decide whether to hit or stand, and then compare your hand with the dealer’s. Before placing a bet, also check the rules for natural blackjack, ties, splitting, doubling, and any insurance bet—a side wager offered in some versions when the dealer’s face-up card is an ace.
Bettbit’s public listing includes Blackjack. The listing also does not determine a table’s rules, payouts, or conditions; check the information shown in the specific game version.