Blackjack is the one table that you’re all but guaranteed to find at any casino in the world. It’s simply extraordinarily popular with casino goers and it’s not too hard to understand why. It has some of the best odds and lowest house advantages on the floor, it’s relatively easy to play and unlike most casino games players have some actual control on the outcome of the game itself. There’s also the fact that it doesn’t have countless variants, unlike, say, poker or rummy, so once you know how to play blackjack, you’re pretty much sorted wherever you end up playing it.
That said, it’s not quite so simple. And this is not something that all blackjack players know, but though there are no variant versions of blackjack, there are certain house rules that vary from casino to casino, both online and in the real world.
Obviously, by the nature of house rules, it’s impossible to list all of them here, as they do vary from casino to casino. Still, we can lay out some of the most notable and how they may vary from one place to the next.
Examples of House Rules
Here are some of the more common house rules you may find at your local casino for their blackjack tables.
- The amount of times you can split your cards.
- How many times you can split aces. This is usually less than above.
- Whether the house must hit or stand on soft 17s (hands that have aces)
- Whether the house must hit or stand on hard 17s (hands that don’t have aces)
- The rate of payouts for blackjacks (10 value cards plus an ace)
- How many betting slots a player can play at once
- Is there a no-peek rule (dealer doesn’t check their face down card if they have a blackjack at the start of play)
- Are there side bets allowed
- Can a player buy insurance against aces
- Can a players buy insurance against tens
- When players may double and by how much
- How often the cards are shuffled
- The table minimum bets
- The table maximum bets, if there are any
Other house rules can include basic etiquette like players not helping one another, how not to handle their cards directly, etc.
What to Know About House Rules
House rules are available on all online casinos at the click of a button, but you may need to ask for them at an actual casino.
House rules don’t tend to vary very much from one casino to the next, especially on the major items. House rules such as the dealer standing or betting on 17 and rules of splitting and doubling – and certainly more general rules like players not touching their cards or what a blackjack is – but what you especially need to know are very specific rules lille whether a no-peek rule is in effect, how much a blackjack pays out and what side bets and insurance is on offer. House rules can certainly affect your gameplay, so it’s always absolutely crucial that you read up on them before hitting the tables, virtual or otherwise, especially if you’re a “serious” player.
