What is a push in blackjack?
Not every hand ends with a winner. When you and the dealer land on the same total, the hand is a push - a stand-off where the chips stay put and your bet comes back to you untouched, ready for the next deal.
How a push happens
A push occurs whenever your total matches the dealer's, such as both making 20. Your bet is returned in full - you neither win nor lose. It feels anticlimactic, but a returned bet is much better than a loss, so a push is a small relief rather than a disappointment.
Pushes and blackjack
If you both have a natural blackjack, that is a push too, and your bet is returned rather than paid. Some variants change this - Double Exposure makes the player lose most ties, while Blackjack Switch pushes when the dealer hits 22.
Why pushes matter
Pushes are one reason blackjack's house edge stays low - a big chunk of hands neither cost nor pay. When you settle a hand, the possible results are win, lose, or push. See more terms in the glossary.
Related questions
What is a blackjack (a natural)?
A blackjack, also called a 'natural,' is an Ace plus any 10-value card (10, Jack, Queen or King) dealt as your first two cards, for an instant 21. It is the strongest hand in the game and normally pays 3 to 2, more than a regular win. A 21 made from three or more cards is not a blackjack.
How do you play blackjack?
You place a bet and get two cards, then add up their values to get as close to 21 as you can without going over. Number cards count their face value, face cards count 10, and an Ace is 1 or 11. You choose to hit for more cards or stand, then the dealer plays a fixed way. The hand closest to 21, without busting, wins.
What is Double Exposure blackjack?
Double Exposure is a variant where both of the dealer's cards are dealt face up, so you see the dealer's full hand before you act. That is a huge advantage, so the game takes it back in two ways: the dealer wins most ties (not you), and a blackjack pays only even money instead of 3 to 2.