In order to be an informed and successful blackjack player, you must know the relevant terminology.
The following is a detailed overview of the most relevant blackjack terminology every player should be familiar with before playing online blackjack.
Term |
Definition |
|---|---|
Blackjack |
a starting hand that is a natural winner equaling 21 |
Burn Card |
the first card that the dealer places facedown and separates from the game at the start of a shoe |
Bust |
the result of the player’s hand or dealer’s hand going over a total of 21, represents an automatic losing hand |
Bust Card |
a dealer’s ‘up’ card that makes their hand highly likely to bust, mostly considered to be a 4, 5 or 6 |
Double Down |
an opportunity for players to double their wager by taking an additional card, typically done in favorable spots such as a player 11 against a dealer bust card |
Even Money |
also known as blackjack insurance, players can request this on their blackjack if they tie with the dealer instead of the standard 3:2 payout |
Flat Betting |
a conservative method of continuously placing the same bet amount each hand. |
First Base |
the player to the left side of the dealer that is dealt the first card of a hand |
Hard Hand |
a hand that contains no Ace |
Hit |
a play made when a player is not satisfied with their hand against the dealer’s up card that involves the player taking an additional card |
Hole Card |
the dealer’s facedown card |
House Edge |
the implicit edge that the house carries on any given hand, typically observed as 97.5% RTP |
Natural |
when a player is dealt a perfect 21 for blackjack |
Push |
when the dealer and player(s) tie by having the same card total in their hands. |
Soft 17 |
a hand composed of an Ace and a 6 that requires a specific action by the dealer depending on the blackjack variation being played |
Split |
a play that can be made if players are dealt a pair, allowing them to split these two cards into separate hands |
Surrender |
the equivalent of giving up on a hand as a player and receiving half your wager back |