If you are looking for the best blackjack experience in Cripple Creek, visit Triple Crown Casinos! Our casino is recognized for offering some of the region’s best table games, and our three casinos are conveniently located in the heart of Cripple Creek. Triple Crown Casinos delivers a premier blackjack experience for everyone, from seasoned players to those new to the game. Discover our exceptional tables, where a welcoming atmosphere meets skilled dealers, ensuring an unforgettable time for all. Come and find your perfect blackjack table at Triple Crown Casinos!
Basics of Blackjack
When it comes to casino games, few are as popular as Blackjack! This game is full of excitement, and every hand pits your hand against the dealer. If you’ve ever wanted to pull up a chair and join the action but felt lost in the lingo and blackjack rules, then this guide is your perfect starting point. We’ll unpack everything from card values to player options like hitting and standing, ensuring you grasp the essential elements of the game. Get ready to build a solid foundation and discover the fun of playing blackjack!
Blackjack blends simple rules with strategic depth. This game is also known as “21,” and while there are several versions of this game, the basics remain the same. This game can be played with one person and up to 5-7, depending on the table size. As you approach the table, note the minimum and maximum bet amounts. Then, sit down at an available seat and place your bet. If you don’t have chips yet, you can purchase them from the dealer; simply set your money on the table after the previous hand has been played. Bets are placed within the betting circle and are set once the hand has been dealt. Our tables use a six-deck shoe, meaning you are playing with six standard 52-card decks shuffled together.
How to Play – Blackjack Rules
The rules of blackjack are simple, but the strategy can have a lot of depth. Once your bet has been placed, the dealer will deal everyone at the table a hand, including one for themselves. The dealer will deal two cards face-up to you and one face-up and one face-down card to themselves. Your goal is to get a hand total as close to 21 as possible without going over (busting). You’ll look at your initial two cards and decide whether to “hit” (take another card) or “stand” (take no more cards). You can continue to hit until you’re satisfied with your hand total or you bust. Once all players have taken their turns, the dealer will reveal their face-down card. The dealer must hit if their total is 16 or less and must stand if their total is 17 or more. Finally, your hand is compared to the dealer’s. If your total is closer to 21 than the dealer’s (and you haven’t busted), you win! If you bust, you lose, regardless of the dealer’s hand. If the dealer busts and you haven’t, you win. A tie is called a “push,” and you get your bet back.
What Are My 4 Options?
When you are dealt your hand and the round begins, you will have the option to do one of the following actions.
- Hit: Take another card from the dealer to try and improve your hand total, getting closer to 21. Be careful not to go over!
- Stand: Stop taking any more cards. You’re satisfied with your current hand total and want to see how it compares to the dealer’s.
- Split: If you have a pair of cards with the same value, you can split them into two separate hands. You’ll need to place an additional bet equal to your original bet, and each card will become the first card of a new hand.
- Double Down: After receiving your first two cards, you can choose to double your initial bet. In return, you’ll receive only one additional card, and then you must stand. You should only double down on a hard 9, 10, and 11.
Card Values
In blackjack, number cards (2 through 10) are worth their face value. Face cards (Jack, Queen, King) are each worth 10 points. An Ace is unique, as it can be worth either 1 or 11 points, whichever benefits your hand the most without exceeding 21. For example, an Ace and a 7 would be worth 18 (11 + 7), but if you hit and get a 9, your Ace would automatically become a 1, making your total 17 (1 + 7 + 9) instead of busting at 27. A perfect hand combines an ace with a 10, Jack, Queen, or King and is known as a ‘Blackjack’.
Insurance
In blackjack, “insurance” is a side bet offered to players when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace. Before any other players take their turns, the dealer will ask if anyone wants insurance. This is essentially a bet that the dealer’s face-down card is a ten-value card (10, Jack, Queen, or King), which would give them a “blackjack” (a total of 21 with their first two cards).
If you choose to take insurance, you’ll place a separate bet, usually up to half the amount of your original wager. If the dealer does have blackjack, your insurance bet typically pays out at 2 to 1, meaning you win twice the amount of your insurance bet. You lose your original bet (unless you also have blackjack, in which case it’s usually a push). If the dealer does not have blackjack, you lose your insurance bet, and the round continues as normal with players taking their turns.
Payouts
In blackjack, standard winning hands are typically paid out at even money, meaning if you bet $10 and win, you receive an additional $10 in profit, plus you keep your original bet. However, the best payout comes when you get a blackjack (an Ace and a ten-value card on your initial two cards). Traditionally, a player’s blackjack is paid out at 3 to 2 odds. This means if you bet $10 and get a blackjack, you’d receive $15 in profit, plus your original $10 bet.
It’s important to note that some tables may offer a less favorable payout for blackjack, such as 6 to 5 odds. This would mean a $10 blackjack bet only wins you $12 in profit. Always check the payout rules of the blackjack table you’re playing at, as the difference in blackjack payouts significantly affects the house edge.
A push, or a tie between your hand and the dealer’s (where both have the same total without busting), results in your original bet being returned to you.
Insurance bets, as mentioned before, pay out at 2 to 1 if the dealer has blackjack, but you lose your insurance bet if they don’t.
Side Bets
Beyond the main blackjack wager, many tables offer optional “side bets” that players can place before the hand begins. These are separate bets with their own rules and payouts, often based on specific card combinations in the player’s or dealer’s initial hand. Popular examples include “Perfect Pairs” (betting on getting a pair of the same rank and suit) and “21+3” (betting on your first two cards and the dealer’s upcard forming poker-like hands). While side bets can offer the potential for higher payouts, they typically come with a significantly higher house edge compared to the main blackjack game, making them riskier propositions.
Stay & Play With Triple Crown Casinos
Now that you know the rules to blackjack, test your skills at Triple Crown Casinos and join the action inside the legendary Brass Ass Casino! With welcoming tables, skilled dealers ready to guide your game, and the thrilling atmosphere of Cripple Creek, the Brass Ass offers an unforgettable blackjack experience. Come see why our casino is consistently voted best table games in Cripple Creek!
