Blackjack Terms

Playing blackjack is really easy, but understanding some of the lingo that’s thrown around the tables can be more confusing then actually playing the game and it’s important you learn what the lingo means. If you don’t know what the lingo means then you’ll be lost in most blackjack conversations because most players will be using lingo to define certain things. Spend the next ten minutes reading through these blackjack terms and I guarantee you that you won’t have any troubles understanding what all the blackjack players are talking about at the tables and online.

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• Hit – The term hit means that you would like to take another card

• Stand – The term stand means that you would like no more cards to be added to your hand

• Double Down – The term double down means that you would like one more card and you would also like to double your bet

• Split – The terms split means you would like to split your pair into two separate hands and have two bets running for that hand instead of just one

• Bust – The term bust means you went over the total of 21 and that you lose the hand automatically, if you don’t bust and the dealer does bust then you automatically win the hand no matter what you have as long as it’s under 21

• Card Counting – The term card counting is used to define a strategy used by players to lower the house edge

• Flat Bet – The term flat bet is used to define a player who bets the same amount of money every hand

• High Roller – A high roller is a player who bets an extraordinary amount of money every single hand

• Insurance – The term insurance defines a bet that can be made to insure your hand when the dealer is showing an ace as their exposed card. If you take insurance you win on it if the dealer has blackjack, but lose if they don’t get a blackjack.

• Blackjack/Natural – The terms blackjack and natural are used when you or the dealer is dealt an ace and a 10 valued card naturally without taking any cards and it pays more then 1:1 when you hit a blackjack.

• Push – The terms push is used to define a tie between your hand and the dealer’s hand and it results in your getting your original bet back.

• Shoe – The term shoe is used to describe the box where the cards are kept and the dealer deal’s off the top of the shoe until the shoe is done and then the cards are shuffled and placed back in the shoe to be dealt again.

• Surrender – The term surrender is used to define an optional move in the blackjack surrender variant where you get to take back half of your bet, but automatically lose the other half.

• Unit – The term unit is used to describe the standard bet size at the table

• Upcard – The term Upcard is used to describe the dealer’s exposed face up card