Online Blackjack Terms & Glossary
Last Updated
:
Jul 9, 2025, 10:14 AM EDT
What is a hole card? How about a soft hand or a pat hand? These terms make us a small selection of the blackjack lingo that can be heard during any blackjack game around the world.
If you've ever sat at a blackjack table, it feels like everyone has been playing for decades. They know the terms, they know the optimal moves, and they want you to know those things, too.
Online blackjackΒ comes with less pressure than playing at a table, but you should still know these terms when you're getting started. To help you get a leg up in your future blackjack games, we've provided a blackjack glossary to help!
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π Glossary of Blackjack Terms
| β οΈ Blackjack Term | π Definition |
|---|---|
| β‘οΈ Blackjack | A starting hand that is a natural winner at 21. You're paid out immediately, regardless of what happens in the rest of the hand. |
| β‘οΈ Burn Card | The first card that the dealer places facedown and separates from the game at the start of a shoe. |
| β‘οΈ Bust | The result of the player's hand or dealer's hand going over a total hand value of 21, which is an automatic losing hand. When the dealer busts, the remaining players win. |
| β‘οΈ Bust Card | A dealer's βup' card that makes their hand highly likely to bust, mostly considered to be a 4, 5 or 6. |
| β‘οΈ Double Down | An opportunity for players to double their wager by taking one additional card, typically done in favorable spots such as a player 11 against a dealer bust card. |
| β‘οΈ Even Money | Also known as blackjack insurance, players can request this on their blackjack if they tie with the dealer instead of the standard 3:2 payout. |
| β‘οΈ Flat Betting | A conservative method of continuously betting the same amount on each hand. |
| β‘οΈ First Base | The player to the left side of the dealer who is dealt the first card of a hand. |
| β‘οΈ Five Card Charlie | A special blackjack rule variation where a player automatically wins after being dealt five card without exceeding a total of 21. Five Card Charlie is a rare occurrence, but player's should be on the lookout regardless. |
| β‘οΈ Hard Hand | Also known as a Stiff Hand, a Hard Hand is a blackjack hand that contains no Ace. |
| β‘οΈ Hit | The act of a player getting another card. |
| β‘οΈ Hole Card | The dealer's face down card. If a 10, Jack, Queen, King, or Ace, is dealt face up to the dealer, the dealer check to see if the hole card results in a blackjack. After the dealer checks, only the dealer will know what the hole card is, unless their hand results in a blackjack. |
| β‘οΈ House Edge | The implicit edge that the house carries on any given hand, is typically observed as 97.5% RTP. |
| β‘οΈ Insurance Bet | A side bet made when the dealer's upcard is an ace. Insurance usually pays 2:1, but it the dealer does not have blackjack, the insurance bet is lost. |
| β‘οΈ Natural Blackjack | A natural blackjack occurs when a player is dealt a perfect 21 for blackjack. |
| β‘οΈ Pat Hand | A Dealer's hand with a value of 17 or higher, where they must stand and not take another card. |
| β‘οΈ Push | When the dealer and player(s) tie by having the same card total in their hands. All bets are refunded. |
| β‘οΈ Side Bet | An optional wager a player can place in addition to their original bet. The specific side bet may vary from casino to casino, but can include flush variants, straight variant and even specific pairs. These side bets can still be won by a player even if the dealer wins. |
| β‘οΈ Soft Hand | A soft hand consists of blackjack hand where one card is an ace, allowing it to be either 1 or 11. This often comes into play when the dealer is required to hit on a "soft 16," a hand that consists of an ace and a five of any suit. |
| β‘οΈ Soft 17 | A hand composed of an Ace and a 6 that requires a specific action by the dealer depending on the blackjack variation being played. |
| β‘οΈ Split | A play that can be made if players are dealt a pair, allowing them to split these two cards into separate hands. In order to split cards players will often need to wager the same value of their initial bet. |
| β‘οΈ Surrender | The equivalent of giving up on a blackjack hand as a player and receiving half your wager back. Some casinos offer early surrender and even late surrender, so be sure to check the rules of the table you're playing at first. |
| β‘οΈ Upcard | The dealer's exposed card, visible to all players at the blackjack table. |
Looking to learn about poker terms instead? Then check out ourΒ poker glossary!
π° Online Blackjack Resources
Confidence is key to be a successful blackjack player, even if you're still grasping basic blackjack strategy. Before your next blackjack hand, take advantage of the following blackjack guides to help boost your play:
π² Where Is Online Blackjack Legal?
While this blackjack glossary is only a small step towards helping you win more blackjack games, the adage "practice makes perfect" still holds true. Online blackjack is currently legal in CT, DE,Β MI,Β NJ,Β PA,Β WV & RI. Learn more about where to use your new blackjack terms here:
β Online Blackjack Terms & Glossary FAQs
Here are answers to some of our most commonly asked questions about online blackjack terms.
What are some of the key blackjack terms to know?
What does blackjack actually mean during gameplay?
What does it mean to bust in blackjack?
What happens when you double down in blackjack?
What is the house edge?
What is an insurance bet?
