Blackjack is a card game in which the goal is to get a hand with a value as close to 21 as possible. It is a very popular game and one of the most widely played in casinos around the world.

There are many ways to play this classic casino game, but the best strategy is simple: never go over 21, as you will ‘bust’ and lose your money.

The game starts with the dealer placing the first card to one side, face down. This is called the ‘burn card’ and makes it impossible for the first player to know what will be dealt next.

Before the dealer deals the cards, they will ask you how much you want to bet. Then they will deal the cards, one to each player.

You are then given a choice of ‘HIT’ or ‘STAND’, depending on what you think is the best way to play your hand. You can ‘HIT’ when you believe that your cards have enough value to give you an advantage over the dealer, and ‘STAND’ when you feel that you have a strong hand that will not bust.

If you ‘HIT’, you will be dealt another card; if you ‘STAND’ you will keep your current cards and do nothing. The dealer will then take their turn and again you can ‘HIT’ or ‘STAND’.

Most players try to make as many bets as possible, but it is important not to overbet, as the house edge can be high at some casinos. In addition, it is important to be aware of the rules and to use your own judgment when deciding how much to wager.

The most common rule is that aces are treated as 1 or 11, and face cards as 10; however, there are some variants of the game. For instance, some games allow aces to be resplitted or allow you to hit split aces; this reduces the house edge by about 0.13% and makes the game slightly more exciting for players.

Aside from allowing aces to be resplitted, some games allow you to draw additional cards on split aces. This means that you can double your bet and then draw an extra card if necessary, which can help you to win a large amount of money from a small bet.

Some casinos also offer a bet on the dealer’s ace, which costs 50% of your bet amount in addition to your initial bet and pays 2:1 if the dealer has a blackjack. This is not a good bet, since the dealer has a blackjack less than one third of the time.

In most casinos, you can choose to ‘Insurance’ your hands against the dealer’s blackjack by clicking on ‘Insurance’. This costs 50% of your bet amount, and it is automatically placed.

Once you have insured your hands against the dealer’s blackjack, you will not be allowed to make any more bets until the dealer’s second card has been dealt. This is a risky bet and it does not pay out very often, but it can be worth making if you feel that the dealer’s chances of winning are low.