Glossary of Blackjack Terms
Blackjack is one of the world's most popular and famous casino games. However, some people know little about the game and its most common terms.
Curious as to what blackjack is and what terms come up frequently?
You are in the right place.
What is blackjack?
Blackjack is believed to have originated in France during the 17th century.
The game was then known as ‘vingt-et-un’, or ‘twenty-one’ in English. This name was a reference to the game’s rules.
To win at blackjack, players need to get more points than the dealer without going over 21. If they score over 21 points, they are eliminated.
As the rules suggest, this table game was traditionally played with a real dealer.
Players can access blackjack games remotely and play with an artificial dealer. Some online casinos have live games for those wanting a more realistic experience.
During those live online games, there will be a real-life dealer. The dealer is usually recorded live, and this live stream is shared with players.
But what exactly are the basic rules of this iconic game?
- 2-7 players per game
- Need to score higher than the dealer without going over 21
- Every card is worth the number of points written on it, apart from the King, Queen, Jack, and Ace cards
- King, Queen, and Jack cards are worth 10 points each
- Ace can count for 1 point or 11 points, depending on what you need
There are many different blackjack variations out there. Players are highly encouraged to check which variation they are about to play.
If a player is set on a specific blackjack variant, they should double-check that a provider offers it before opening an account with that provider and depositing money into their gaming account.
Most online casinos will have a search tool to help players find their favorite variant. Players can use that to see a platform’s gaming selection.
Here are three of the most famous blackjack variants:
- European Blackjack
- American Blackjack
- Spanish 21 (also known as Pontoon)
There are many more blackjack variants for those who have already played these games and want to try something new.
Famous blackjack terms
Here are some of the most famous and standard blackjack terms.
- Bust/break
These are crucial terms in blackjack. When someone’s hand goes over 21, it is called a ‘bust’ or ‘break’.
In other words, that person loses the game. If the dealer calls ‘bust’ or ‘break’, they have gone over 21.
When the dealer loses, all players under 21 points win the pot.
If you’re playing in a land-based venue, the dealer will usually say ‘bust/break’ out loud. If you’re playing online blackjack, you will usually see these words written on your screen.
- Buy-in
The term ‘buy-in’ is used when joining a game of blackjack. To join a game, you will have to make an initial bet.
You will have to ‘buy in’ by putting down some chips. After placing your chips on the table, the dealer will hand you some cards.
You might not be able to join a blackjack game whenever you want. Most of the time, you can only ‘buy in’ at the very beginning of the game.
That being said, some providers might allow you to join later in the game. If you are allowed to join late, you must wait for a new round to start.
You cannot join mid-way through a round.
- Hard hand/Hard total
This term is used for hands that do not contain an ace. Without an ace, your total is easy to determine.
Your hand only has one value, making it a challenging total.
However, you will have a soft hand/soft total if you have an ace. That’s because an ace can be worth 1 or 11 points depending on what you need.
In other words, you can determine the value of your ace. If you are about to exceed 21 points, you would give it a value of 1.
On the contrary, if you need more points to beat the dealer’s hand, you will give your ace 11 points.
- Hole card
In blackjack, only the dealer has a hole card. This card is placed face down.
Players will not know what that card is until the end. They will have to place their bets without knowing the dealer’s ‘hole card’ value.
When a card is placed face-up, not face-down like the hole card, it is called an ‘up card’.
Final thoughts
These are some of the most common blackjack terms. Of course, there are more terms to learn if you’re interested.
Why not learn them as you play?
