Blackjack, Casino Games

Blackjack At Your Place: How To Deal Blackjack & Host

Your friends are on their way for blackjack night. The snacks are established, the felt is stretched across your kitchen table, and you’ve already practiced shouting “HA – blackjack! I’m the best!” Love the enthusiasm.

Then it hits you: Do you even know how to deal blackjack? What order do I deal the cards, and what happens when someone doubles down? Uh-oh. Quick – to the Google machine.

Now that you’re here, you can easily learn how to deal cards in blackjack in a few minutes. We’ll walk you through the process step-by-step, so you’ll look confident when the first hand starts.

How To Deal Blackjack Cards

To deal blackjack, you need a deck of cards (either one or two decks is fine), a flat surface, and the confidence to say stuff like, “What’s it gonna be, Big Spender? Hit or stand?”

Learning how to deal blackjack is less about memorizing a script and more about setting the rhythm. You’ll shuffle the cards, cut the deck, burn one card face down (that’s tradition), and keep the game moving.

What are the rules for a dealer in blackjack?

White text reads, “Blackjack rules,” surrounded by playing cards fanned into a circle, and on a red background.

One does not simply toss cards onto the felt. You must learn the rules of how to deal blackjack cards the right way.

These are the laws of the felt, whether you’re in Monte Carlo or Mom’s basement:

You deal to the players clockwise, starting on your left.
If your hand is 16 or lower, continue hitting until you reach 17 or higher.
Stand with 17 or higher.
Players who have a higher hand than yours win even money (1:1).
Players with a lower hand lose their bets.
Players with an equal hand receive their original bets back (a push).

A trickier rule is regarding the soft 17 (ace plus a 6). Do you hit or stand on soft 17? Casinos go either way, so for your home game, decide up front, and ensure everyone’s clear.

Have Players Place Bets

The rules don’t mean much without stakes in the game. The moment your college bud, Dave, slaps ten bucks on the felt, the game can begin.

Whether that $10 is actual cash is up to you. You can use traditional betting chips, bottle caps, or the same dabbers you used for Bingo movie night. The currency isn’t particularly important, just as long as everyone is on the same page.

As the dealer, you don’t place a bet because you’re the house.

Deal Players Their Cards

Start on your left and work your way around, giving each player their first card, face up. If you want to know how to deal blackjack casino style, slide the cards with a fancy wrist-flick, which elicits a round of oos and ahhhs. Otherwise, play it safe and set them down gently, family-night Uno style.

Deal Yourself A Card

Now it’s your turn. Take one card and place it face down in front of you. This is the famous “hole card,” and you don’t peek yet.

Deal Everyone Their Second Card

Go back around the table, left to right, and deal the second card face up to each player. Then, for yourself, deal one face-up card on top of your down card. At this point, the table has enough information to start sweating, and not because of the jalapeño poppers on the snack table. They’re contemplating their moves.

If you’re showing an ace, you get to peek. But first, ask if anyone wants to take insurance. If they do, they place a side bet of half their original wager. Then, pay 2:1 if your hidden card makes blackjack. But don’t sell it too hard because blackjack insurance is one of the worst bets you can make.

Deal Additional Cards Where Needed

Now, the real action begins. It’s time to see if Rachel brings the same cutthroat energy she unleashed at bowling night.

Starting on your left, ask each player what they want to do: hit, stand, double down, split, or surrender (if you’re allowing it).

If they hit, you give them another card, sliding it neatly into their stack. If they bust, scoop their chips with a smug-but-friendly flourish and move on. If they stand, you nod like a wise casino sage and turn your attention to the next player.

Doubling down means they double their bet. You deal one card sideways, and they automatically stand. They’ve just pulled a blackjack YOLO and can’t take their choice back.

Show Your Face Down Card

A hand emerges from a red background dotted with playing card symbols, showing a King of Hearts

Once everyone’s finished playing their hands, it’s your big moment. Flip that hole card like a Penn and Teller reveal. If your total is 16 or less, keep hitting until you land on 17 or higher, then stand (assuming you’re playing S17).

And if the table bursts into cheers when you bust, smile and soak it up. Hey, at least you’re the people’s champion.

Collect/Handout Winnings

Time to settle up. If a player beats your hand without going over 21, pay them out 1:1. If they hit a natural (a blackjack on the first deal), pay them 3:2. If you tie, it’s a push, and they keep their bet.

If your hand wins, reach out and scoop up the player’s chips. Resist the urge to gloat with a “Take THAT, Chad!” A simple, “I’ll be taking those, thank you,” should suffice.

Now would also be a good time to remind everyone at the table that when they sign up to Cafe Casino, they receive an incredible $2,500 Welcome Bonus on their first deposit. And you, their favorite dealer, receive a cash referral bonus.

How do you deal blackjack if the player wants to split?

Oh, goody, a plot twist! When players get two cards of the same value, they may ask to split into two hands.

To do this, ask the player to place an additional bet equal to their original. Then, split their cards into two piles. Deal one new card to the pile on the left, and let it play out completely before moving on to the pile on the right.

But remember this key rule of blackjack splitting. A blackjack formed after a split isn’t a “natural” or “true” blackjack. Therefore, if a split hand totals 21 (for example, a split ace and a 10), it’s considered a regular winning hand and paid out 1:1, not the usual 3:2. Just make sure you tell your players up front so nobody cries foul when you pay out.

How To Host A Blackjack Night

Two fruity cocktails stand to the right of a white plate with a slice of banana cream pie. Decorative lights dangle behind them on a red background.

Knowing how to deal in blackjack is only half the battle. Proper hosting is essential.

First, dim the lights, put on a jazz playlist, and maybe throw in a string of dollar-store lights for ambiance.

Second, feed your guests. Hungry gamblers are cranky gamblers. If you want to go big, try the Sky High Banana Cream Pie. Pair it with some easy summer cocktails and you, Mr. or Ms. Dealer, have got yourself a vibe.

And finally, set limits. Decide on minimum and maximum bets so nobody exceeds their budget within the first ten minutes. Remember, you’re casually learning how to be a dealer in blackjack, not running a backroom casino like Molly in Molly’s Game (one of the best casino movies ever, btw).

When the last chip falls and the banana cream pie is just crumbs, you might find yourself wishing the night didn’t have to end. Good news, it doesn’t. At Cafe Casino, you can play blackjack 24/7, deposit nearly instantly with crypto, and endure zero cleanup. Give it a shot, Clive – I mean – Player, and deal yourself into the next game.