Blackjack is a popular casino game with simple rules and a low house edge. It is played using one or more 52-card decks. Each card has a value – either 1 or 10 for the number cards, or face cards, or 11 for an ace. The objective is to accumulate a hand value that is closer to 21 than the dealer’s. In blackjack, if the player’s hand is better than the dealer’s, the player wins and is paid an amount equal to their original wager. If the dealer’s hand is better than the player’s, the player loses and the bet remains on the table. Ties (also known as pushes) result in the players pushing their bets back to their original amount.
Blackjack offers a variety of betting options and side bets that change the odds of winning. The most common of these is insurance, which protects a portion of your stake if the dealer has blackjack. In addition, you can also place bets on a variety of different outcomes, including blackjack, in a game called four 20s.
The basic strategy for blackjack involves standing on a hand of 16 or higher, hitting on a hand of 12 or lower, and splitting pairs of eights and aces. It is possible to reduce the house edge even further by learning how to count cards, but this requires a substantial time investment and is not for everyone.
To count cards, a player must keep track of two numbers – the running count and the true count. The running count is the total of all high cards dealt, while the true count takes into account the number of decks still in play. The higher the true count, the more favorable the odds are for the player.
Another way to improve your chances of winning is to use a blackjack strategy calculator. These calculators are easy to use and can recommend whether you should hit or stand based on the current state of your hand and the dealer’s upcard. Some of these tools are even free to download.
A blackjack strategy calculator will let you know if you should split or hit a certain hand, as well as how much you should bet. They are extremely useful and can help you beat the dealer.
When playing blackjack, the dealer is always more likely to win than the player, but this can change depending on the blackjack house rules. For example, a dealer who has to stand on soft 17 is less likely to bust than a dealer who must hit on soft 17. This is because the dealer’s probability of busting increases with the number of face cards in his hand.
If a player’s hand is closer to 21 than the dealer’s, they win and are paid an amount equal to their original bet. If the dealer’s hand is higher than 21, they lose and their bet is returned to them. Ties are a push, and the dealer collects the cards, shuffles them, and starts a new round.