KEY TAKEAWAYS
Blackjack looks quiet from a distance, but every decision is communicated: a finger tap, a wave of the hand, a stack of chips placed in a particular spot. These hand signals let the dealer act on a clear decision that everyone at the table can see. This reference chart summarizes the signals most commonly used at a blackjack table, for both face-up games dealt from a shoe and hand-held games where players pick up their own cards. It also covers what players may and may not touch, and what the dealer announces. The tables draw on published gaming regulations in Maryland, New Jersey and Massachusetts and on the rules of play published by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC). The Maryland, New Jersey and Massachusetts rules require players to indicate a decision without prescribing a gesture, so details vary by casino and the dealer’s instructions always come first.
Core Hand Signals by Decision
These are the standard ways to show each decision, with the face-up version first and the hand-held version second. The notes column records what the published rules say about each one.
| Decision | Face-up game | Hand-held game | Notes from published rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hit (take a card) | Tap the table with a finger | Scratch or sweep the cards on the table behind the betting area | BCLC requires a hit signal; a blackjack or hard 21 cannot be hit |
| Stand (no more cards) | Wave off with the hand | Slide or tuck the cards under the bet | BCLC specifies a wave-off in face-up play and tucking the cards under the bet in double-deck play |
| Double down | Place an additional bet behind the original bet; one card is dealt | Reveal both cards, announce the decision and place the additional bet | The extra bet may be equal to or less than the original bet where allowed, but at least the table minimum |
| Split | Place a second bet equal to the original beside it; the cards are separated | Reveal the pair and place an equal bet beside the betting square | The second bet must equal the first; split aces get one card each in the BCLC rules |
| Surrender | Announce “surrender” before any other action | Announce “surrender”; the dealer turns over the cards | The cited rules specify no gesture. Allowed only as a first decision, never against a dealer blackjack, and not offered in every game |
| Insurance | Place a bet of up to half the original bet on the insurance line | Place the insurance bet on the insurance line | Offered when the dealer’s first card is an ace; pays 2 to 1 if the dealer has blackjack |
| Even money | Ask for “even money” on a player blackjack against a dealer ace | Ask for “even money” and reveal the blackjack | The dealer pays the blackjack at 1 to 1 immediately instead of waiting for the dealer’s card |
| Bust (over 21) | No signal needed; the dealer removes the hand | Reveal the cards | BCLC requires a busted player to reveal the cards; the Maryland hand-held rules have the player discard them immediately |
Hit and stand are the two decisions available on any hand of three or more cards, while double down, split and surrender apply only to the first two cards, with some exceptions for doubling after a split. A tap or scratch always asks for a card, and a wave-off or tuck always means no more cards. These are the signals the regulations cited below recognize, and a player who is unsure should say the decision aloud.
Face-Up Games and Hand-Held Games
Blackjack is dealt in two broad formats. How cards are handled decides which signals apply.
| Feature | Face-up (shoe) game | Hand-held game |
|---|---|---|
| Dealing | Cards are dealt face up from a shoe: one to each wager box, one to the dealer, then a second to each box | Cards are dealt face down from the dealer’s hand, and the number of decks is limited to two in Maryland |
| Who touches the cards | The dealer deals, arranges and collects the cards; players act by signal | Players may pick up and examine their cards with one hand, keeping them in the dealer’s full view |
| Hit signal | Tap the table | Scratch the cards on the table |
| Stand signal | Wave-off | Slide the cards under the bet |
| Double, split, surrender | The cards are already visible; the dealer separates or adds cards as needed | Dealer turns over the two cards once the player indicates the decision |
| Typical rule source | New Jersey and Massachusetts dealing procedures | Maryland blackjack standard rules, Chapter 12 |
A face-up game removes any doubt about the cards, because the dealer deals everything and announces each point total. A hand-held game gives players more handling, and therefore more rules about how and when to reveal cards. The Maryland rules, for example, require that the dealer turn over a player’s two cards when the player indicates a surrender, double down or split, and that a player who exceeds 21 discards the cards at once. Some tables also use a double-deck format with its own tucking procedure.
Chips, Cards and What Players May Touch
Signals are only half of table etiquette. The other half is knowing what may not be touched.
| Item | Rule | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| Bets after the first card | Once the first card of a hand is dealt, no player may handle, remove or alter a wager until the decision has been rendered and implemented | New Jersey blackjack wagers rule |
| Insurance, double and split bets | Once placed and confirmed by the dealer, they may not be handled, removed or altered | New Jersey blackjack wagers rule |
| Cards in face-up play | The dealer takes cards from the shoe, places them on the layout and picks them up after the round | New Jersey dealing procedures |
| Tucking cards (double deck) | Players may not handle their bets while tucking the cards under them, and may not touch their cards once tucked | BCLC double-deck rules |
| Hand-held cards | One hand only, in full view of the dealer at all times | Maryland hand-held rules |
| Verbal wagers | Cash may be accepted with a verbal wager only if confirmed by the dealer and a supervisor and converted into chips promptly | New Jersey blackjack wagers rule |
The rule against handling chips after the first card is dealt exists to keep every hand and wager clear. It is also why a double down or split bet is placed in a spot that shows its purpose, and then left alone until the dealer settles the hand. Players who forget and move chips may be corrected by the dealer or a supervisor.
Dealer Announcements and Procedure
The dealer speaks as much as the players signal. These calls tell everyone where the round stands.
| Dealer action | What it means | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| Announcing each player’s point total | After the first two cards, the dealer states each player’s total, and that player then indicates whether to surrender, double down, split, stand or draw | New Jersey and Massachusetts dealing procedures |
| Announcing the new total after each card | The dealer states the player’s new point total after each additional card, so every total is stated aloud | New Jersey and Massachusetts dealing procedures |
| Offering insurance | When the dealer’s first card is an ace, the option is offered before any other action takes place | BCLC rules |
| Calling “Dealer’s Card” | The dealer announces this before removing the dealer’s second card from the shoe, in a voice heard by everyone at the table | New Jersey and Massachusetts dealing procedures |
| Announcing the dealer’s total | After any additional dealer cards, the dealer states the dealer’s point count | New Jersey dealing procedures |
| Collecting and paying | The dealer collects all losing wagers and pays all winning wagers after the round | New Jersey blackjack wagers rule |
A winning blackjack pays 3 to 2 in standard New Jersey games, which means a $10 bet earns $15. At a 6 to 5 table, the same blackjack pays $12, so the table’s posted payout should be checked before sitting down. Insurance pays 2 to 1 and is offered only against a dealer ace. Even money is an alternative to insurance for a player with a blackjack: the dealer pays 1 to 1 on the spot, which is $10 on a $10 bet.
How to Use This Reference
Use the first table to look up the signal for a decision, then check the second table to see whether the game is face-up or hand-held. A game may be dealt face up from a shoe or held in the hand from one or two decks. The third and fourth tables explain the etiquette that goes with the signals. Finger gestures such as holding up one finger with a double down, or two fingers in a V with a split, are informal customs that are not part of the regulations cited here, so they should accompany a spoken decision rather than replace it. A decision that is unclear should be said aloud. Nothing in this reference suggests which decision is best in any hand: signals are only a way to communicate, and the house edge is not changed by how a decision is shown.
Related Reading
Terms such as hit, stand, soft hand and natural are defined in Blackjack Terms: 24 Definitions With Examples, and abbreviations like DAS and S17 are explained in Gambling Acronyms and Abbreviations: 24 Definitions. Payouts and expected value are covered in Gambling Probability Terms: 28 Definitions, and a comparable table game card, with its own bets and payouts, appears in Roulette Rules: Bets, Payouts and How the Game Works.
