Blackjack is a card game where you play against the dealer. The goal is to get a hand with a value of 21 or closer to it without going over, while beating the dealer’s hand. Each card has a value: number cards have their numbers, face cards have 10, and aces count as either 1 or 11.
Blackjack can be played with one or more decks of cards. Each player and the dealer are dealt two cards. You can choose to stand (stop taking additional cards) or draw (request more cards) based on a set of rules. Unlike most casino games, the game of blackjack does not allow you to look at your opponents’ hands. However, you can ask the dealer to reveal their cards if they are hiding a blackjack.
In most cases, you must hit if your hand is lower than the dealer’s. If your hand is higher than the dealer’s, you win and are paid an amount equal to your original wager. If your hand is the same as the dealer’s, it’s a tie (or a push) and you keep your original wager.
If you have a high-value hand and the dealer shows an ace, you can take insurance. This is a side bet that the dealer has a blackjack, which pays 2-1 if you win. However, if the dealer does have a blackjack, you lose your original bet and the insurance bet is paid out.
You can also split your hand if you have two cards of the same rank, which is allowed in most variations of blackjack. You’ll receive another card for each hand and then play them separately. However, if you split aces, you can only have one blackjack.
Once the players who want to take insurance have placed their bets, the dealer will flip over her hole card. If she has a ten underneath, the dealer has a blackjack and all players who have made insurance bets will win even money.
As a blackjack dealer, you will work in shifts and be exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke, fumes and moderate noise levels while working at the gaming table. In addition, you will frequently be required to move around the table, use your arms, bend and squat for extended periods of time, and talk with guests in a professional manner. In addition to these responsibilities, you must be able to work in a fast-paced environment. You will be on your feet for up to 8 hours, including short 20 minute breaks between shifts. In some casinos, you may be required to work holidays and weekends. Blackjack dealers are typically paid a minimum wage or hourly rate of $10 per hour. In addition, some casinos pay blackjack dealers a flat rate of $5 for every 100 dollars bet. This can be a very lucrative income if you are able to beat the house edge with basic strategy and/or card counting. However, the profitability of a blackjack game depends on a variety of factors that are specific to the type of blackjack being played.