How To Play Blackjack at Home: Setting Up a Home Blackjack Game

Playing blackjack in a casino is a lot of fun, and it’s all about the experience. Besides sitting down at the table and standing a chance to win some real money, you might want to go out for a nice dinner first, and depending on the casino, you may even be able to take in a show.

But if you can’t make it to a casino and don’t feel like playing online, inviting your friends or family over for a home blackjack game can be just as fun. If you’ve played the game before, you probably know all the rules by now, but this guide will explain everything you need to know about setting up your home for blackjack. 

Deciding on the Rules

Before playing blackjack at home, you must decide on the rules. If you’ve played online or at a casino before, you’ll know that there can be many different variations of the game, so it’s a good idea to get everyone’s input first so that the other players don’t feel like you’re dictating the rules. Below are a few essentials to consider before dealing the cards for the first time:

How many decks of cards will you use?

Most blackjack games are played with six or eight decks of cards, all shuffled together. However, playing with fewer decks is possible, which is in the player’s favour. If you want to play with six or eight decks, you might need to ask friends to bring some or order additional packs online before your friends arrive.

What will the stakes be like?

If you’re playing a few friendly games at home, you probably won’t want the stakes to be huge, especially if some aren’t seasoned players. You might consider setting the stake at around $1 and not allowing people to bet for large amounts. You can also dictate the limits for the night, perhaps suggesting a budget of $20 per player. 

When does the dealer hit or stand?

Generally, the dealer must hit on 16 or less and stand on 17 or more. Most casino versions also require the dealer to hit on a soft 17, but you might prefer to change that. It’s essential to agree with all players before play begins. 

When can players double down?

You’ll want to set the card totals where players will be allowed to double down, and you might want to decide whether or not to allow doubling down after splitting.

How many times can you split?

Some casino variations of blackjack allow players to split a hand up to three times, but it’s worth reminding your players that they have to pay extra when they split. Many casino versions of blackjack also don’t allow splitting or re-splitting with aces. 

What happens in the case of a push?

Usually, if there’s a tie between the dealer’s and the player’s hands, no one will win (it’s a push), and the player keeps their original bet money. There’s also a variation where the funds from a push go into the prize pot for subsequent hands. 

Can players surrender?

If you allow players to surrender, they can bow out of the game early and get half their stake back. This rule is optional, but it’s worth deciding between all the players and making people aware of the decision before you start playing. 

Will insurance be offered?

Insurance is an optional side bet, and many versions of blackjack don’t allow it. You’ll be betting on whether the dealer will have natural blackjack when their up card is an ace, which generally pays 2:1. 

What is the payout for natural blackjack?

Generally, the payout for natural blackjack is 3:2, but in some cases, you might want to go with 6:5, which offers an increased house edge, although you might be less popular with your friends if you do this! 

Bank Regulations

If you’re playing blackjack at a casino, the dealer will take the bank role and won’t be involved in the game itself. The same goes for online casino gaming, but the computer is the banker and the dealer.

Things work differently if you’re playing blackjack at home with your friends. You’ll need a person to assume the role of the banker and take the bets. This person will then pay out the winning bets and collect the losing bets. 

When you’re playing at home, changing the banker every few rounds is a good idea, or you might set a trigger (like when a player gets a natural blackjack) and then switch up the banker. This person won’t have an advantage, and they can still play just like everyone else at the table. 

Dealer Decisions

You can approach the dealer situation when you’re playing blackjack at home in two ways: appoint a particular person to be the dealer or allow everyone to deal their own cards.

If you select one person as a dealer, this person can either stay constant throughout the game, or you can switch it up as you go. One thing to remember is that the person acting as the dealer won’t be able to play their own hands, so it makes sense to rotate so everyone can play.

The most important consideration when choosing the dealer is that they must have at least a decent basic knowledge of blackjack – a brand new player might have a great time trying out the game at home, but they won’t be suited to the dealer role. If you’re a keen blackjack fan, you might want to take responsibility for dealing. All that’s left to do is make sure the cards are adequately shuffled, and then start on the left and deal two cards to each player and two to yourself. 

If you trust everyone at the table not to cheat (that shouldn’t be too difficult if you’re playing amongst friends), everyone can deal their own cards. If you opt for this route, ensure everyone understands precisely how blackjack works so they don’t make any mistakes when dealing with it and derail the game. 

What Makes a Successful Home Blackjack Game

If you head to a casino to play blackjack or any other casino games, there aren’t many considerations – you show up to the casino, sit at a table, and start betting. But as the host of a home blackjack game, you must do some extra planning.

First, you must decide who you want to invite, then confirm how many people will attend. Most blackjack games are played between two and seven people, so if you have a much larger group, you might need to split into two games or take turns playing while others socialise. 

The next important step is to ensure everyone knows the basic blackjack rules so they can fully engage with the game. You should tell everyone to research in advance or even practise blackjack online – some casinos will let you do it for free, using virtual credits. 

If there are a lot of newbies in the group, print off some basic instructions or do a crash course once everyone arrives. You could also do a couple of practice runs to get into the groove before you ask any of your friends to start betting with real cash. It’s also worth notifying people about the minimum and maximum stake amounts in advance so they can bring enough money on the day.

Finally, ensure your home or whatever space you’ll use (like an outdoor area on a summer evening) is set up to accommodate the game. You don’t necessarily need to purchase fancy equipment like a dedicated blackjack table; setting up your kitchen or dining room table with places for each player would still be a good idea. 

Depending on the group, you should buy some snacks or order food in advance, or perhaps everyone would prefer to bring a dish to share with the group. Food and drinks are essential if you’re going to be playing for a few hours. 

 

Final Thoughts

Playing blackjack at home can be just as much fun as playing in a casino, and it might even be more fun because you can invite guests of your choice, serve snacks, and play your favourite music in the background. Remember, you should be playing for fun and social reasons because games amongst friends generally offer smaller wins than gambling at a real casino. 

Before you start playing, it’s of utmost importance that you set the rules of the game and ensure everyone is aware of them so there are no misunderstandings. You might also want to give your guests a little refresher on the basic rules and strategy so that everyone is comfortable playing. 

If you want to practise for your big blackjack night, try some online blackjack first to nail the basics of the game and perfect your strategy. We have a list of the best Australian blackjack sites where you can sign up and enjoy multiple game variations, including live dealer options.