Blackjack Glossary
Blackjack is by far the most popular casino card game, both at land-based casinos and online. It’s simple to play, easy for beginners to learn, and has more than enough action to keep even seasoned professionals entertained.
With that said, if you want to jump from being a online blackjack amateur to a blackjack expert, you’ll need to know the lingo inside out. Check out our comprehensive JackpotCity blackjack glossary below so you’ll always know when to hit, stand or double down!
Bankroll: The amount of money with which you have to play real money blackjack in your casino account.
Blackjack: This can refer to the game itself, but also to a natural hand of 21 points across 2 cards. A blackjack pays out 3:2 on your original bet.
Burn card: Before dealing to players, the dealer will place the top card of the deck face-down (the burn card) to prevent the first player from guessing what card it is.
Bust: Going bust means losing the game by exceeding 21 points in your card hand.
Bust card: The card that pushed your total over 21.
**Cut: **In live dealer blackjack, your dealer will cut (or split) the deck of cards after shuffling it to ensure a fair game.
Deal: The action of your dealer or casino game software handing you your blackjack cards.
Discards: All card that have been dealt are discards. Once dealt, these cards will remain unused until a new shoe is introduced. Discarded cards are then shuffled and re-used.
**Double: **This is an option to double the size of your original bet while only getting 1 extra card. It also doubles your payouts if you win!
Draw: To be dealt another card from the deck.
Even money: Winning exactly the same value as your original stake.
Face card: Any blackjack card showing a Queen, King or Jack.
First base: The betting spot on the dealers left. This gets the first card dealt.
Five card Charlie: An automatic win in some blackjack games, where a player is dealt five cards without busting.
Flat betting: Betting the same amount hand after hand.
Hard hand: Any hand without an Ace, or an Ace that can only be counted as one, lest you go bust.
Hit: To request another card.
Hole card: The dealer’s face-down playing card.
Insurance: A side bet on whether or not the dealer has a natural blackjack hand. If he does, you will win back up to half your bet.
Natural: A natural hand is a hand of 2 cards that has exactly 21 points.
Push: The dealer and the player have the same point total here, and the player keeps their stake.
Shoe: A special card case used to hold blackjack cards.
Soft: A soft hand includes an ace card valued as 11, instead of 1.
Stand: To decline taking another card.
**Surrender: **If you give up or surrender your hand, you will only lose half your bet. Also called ‘folding’.
Split: You can split your hand when you have two cards of the same denomination. You can then play the two hands separately.
Up card: The dealer’s face-up card, next to the hole card.
Now you speak fluent blackjack, you’re ready to get playing!