Blackjack is one of the most popular casino table games. You can play the game alone, with a friend or with a group of people. It’s played on a semicircular table that can accommodate up to seven players (or “spots”). You start the game by placing your bet in the betting boxes. If the table is full, you can join a waiting list or wait for an empty spot to open up. The dealer then shuffles the deck, asks you to cut it and then deals each player two cards face up. You can choose to take another card (hit) or stay with your current hand (stand). The goal is to make a hand that gets closer to 21 than the dealer’s. The best hand is a blackjack, which consists of an ace and a card valued at 10. Blackjack pays 3:2 in most casinos.
The dealer will then draw for their hand and compare it to the players’. If the dealer has a blackjack, they win and their bets pay out. If the dealer’s hand is not a blackjack, it will be compared to the players’ and whoever has a higher total wins.
If a player has a blackjack, they can also choose to take insurance, which is half of their original bet and pays 2:1. This option helps the player protect the value of their hand in case the dealer has a blackjack. It is a bad idea to take insurance in most situations, however, as it will lose you money over the long run.
You can also place side bets, which are bets that are made at the same time as your main wager. They can be placed on anything from the dealer having a blackjack to your own hand making a certain poker hand. There are many different side bets available, and they are usually marked with special chips.
Blackjack is a fast-paced game and it is important to keep your cool. You may have to deal with players on either extreme ends of the luck spectrum, and handling these high-stress situations requires tact, empathy and strict adherence to the rules. Your ability to remain calm in these stressful situations will be evaluated during your interview.