Part I: Games & Gaming · Card Games — Baccarat & Blackjack

Blackjack / Natural

Blackjack

A two-card hand totaling exactly 21, consisting of an Ace and any ten-value card (10, J, Q, K). A blackjack is an automatic winner that pays 3:2 at most tables (though some casinos offer only 6:5). It beats all other 21-total hands, including those achieved with three or more cards. If both player and dealer have blackjack, the result is a push.

In practice

“Natural” is often used interchangeably with blackjack. In Spanish 21 and some variants, blackjacks may pay even money but offer bonus payouts for specific combinations.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.