Casino & Table Games
Blackjack rules dealer
Blackjack dealer rules are the fixed procedures a dealer must follow when playing their hand, including when to draw cards and when to stand, typically based on a target total of 17.
- Standard draw rule
- Dealer draws until hand reaches 17 or higher.12
- Soft 17 variation
- Some games require dealer to stand on soft 17; others require hitting on soft 17.13
- Hole card
- Dealer receives two cards, one face up, one face down (the hole card).2
- No optional actions
- Dealer cannot double, split, or surrender.1
Key points
- After all players act, the dealer reveals the hole card and draws until reaching the table's required standing point, usually 17 or soft 17.12
- If the dealer busts, all remaining players win; otherwise, higher totals win and ties push.12
- Insurance against a dealer ace pays 2 to 1 and may not exceed half the original wager.2
- A player blackjack is traditionally paid at 3 to 2, a payout rule relevant to dealer resolution.12
How to deal blackjack
- Shuffle the deck(s) and offer the cut to a player. Deal two cards to each player and two to yourself: one face up, one face down (the hole card).2
- Starting from your left, resolve each player's hand: offer insurance if your up-card is an ace, then allow hits, doubles, splits, or surrender per table rules.2
- After all players act, reveal your hole card. Draw cards until your hand totals 17 or higher (or soft 17 if the rule says hit).12
- Compare your final hand to each player's hand: pay winning bets at 1:1 (or 3:2 for a player blackjack), collect losing bets, and push ties.12
Dealer rule variations
The most common variation is whether the dealer stands or hits on a soft 17 (a hand containing an ace counted as 11, totalling 17). Hitting on soft 17 slightly increases the house edge.34
In some games, the dealer peeks at the hole card when showing an ace or ten to check for a natural blackjack; if present, the hand ends immediately.2
Live dealer blackjack follows the same fixed rules, with the physical dealer acting under camera supervision.2
Common questions
Where this term is used
Not the same as
- Blackjack odds dealer vs player — is about the mathematical probabilities of outcomes against the dealer, not the dealer's mandated draw/stand procedure
Related terms
Sources
- Blackjack en.wikipedia.org Provides the standard blackjack dealer rules, including draw-to-17 and no doubling/splitting.
- Blackjack wizardofodds.com Details the dealer's hole card, draw procedure, and insurance payout.
- Deal or No Deal Blackjack - Wizard of Odds wizardofodds.com Supports the soft 17 rule variation in Deal or No Deal Blackjack.
- Play Online Blackjack Now! For Real Money or Free wizardofodds.com Confirms the soft 17 hitting rule in online blackjack.
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.