Casino & Table Games
Blackjack dealer rules soft 17
A blackjack table rule that determines whether the dealer must hit or stand when holding a soft 17 (an ace and a six, with the ace counted as 11).
Key points
- Under H17, the dealer draws on a soft 17; under S17, the dealer stands.1
- The rule is printed on the table and changes basic strategy and the game's mathematical expectation.12
- H17 raises the dealer's average total from 18.840371 to 18.880098 in one-deck play.3
Where this term is used
Not the same as
- Blackjack odds dealer vs player — a general comparison of dealer and player chances, not the specific rule that affects those odds
Related terms
Casino games
Blackjack rules dealer
Covers all dealer procedure rules, not just the soft-17 decision.
Casino games
Blackjack
The main page for the game itself.
Casino games
Blackjack rules ace
Explains how aces are valued in blackjack, including the soft-hand concept.
Casino games
Blackjack rules payout
Describes standard and variant payout structures for blackjack.
Casino games
Insurance blackjack
Covers the side bet offered when the dealer shows an ace.
Casino games
Basic strategy blackjack
The mathematically optimal playing decisions, which vary with the soft-17 rule.
Sources
- Blackjack en.wikipedia.org Provides the definition and common names for the soft-17 rule.
- Blackjack Rule Variations wizardofodds.com Supplies the 0.22% house-edge increase when switching from S17 to H17.
- Ask The Wizard #188 wizardofodds.com Gives the dealer's average total and bust probability changes under H17.
Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.