Blackjack Hand Signals

At a casino blackjack table you play with your hands, not your voice. Here's every signal a dealer expects, and a free table where you can practice them on your phone before your first trip.

Practice free on your phone

Why dealers want signals

Every blackjack table is watched by cameras overhead. A spoken "hit" doesn't show up on video, but a hand signal does, so if there's ever a dispute the casino can see exactly what you asked for. Most dealers will wait for a clear signal even after you've said the word, and a signal also works when the table is loud.

Shoe games (cards dealt face up)

Most tables today deal from a shoe of six or eight decks, with both your cards face up. You never touch the cards.

Move	The signal
Hit	Tap the felt behind your cards with a finger, or scratch it toward you.
Stand	Wave a flat hand, palm down, side to side above your cards.
Double	Put a second bet of the same size beside your first (not on top of it), then hold up one finger for the one card you'll get.
Split	Put a second bet of the same size beside your first, then hold up two fingers in a V.
Surrender	Say "surrender" and draw a line with one finger behind your bet. Not every casino offers it, so ask first.
Insurance	When the dealer shows an Ace, put up to half your bet on the insurance line. To decline, do nothing or wave it off.

Hand-held games (one or two decks)

In a single- or double-deck game the dealer pitches your cards face down and you pick them up. Hold them in one hand, keep them above the table, and use them to signal:

Hit	Lightly scratch the edge of your cards on the felt toward you.
Stand	Slide your cards face down under your chips.
Double or split	Turn your cards face up in front of your bet and put the second bet beside the first. For a split, the dealer separates the cards.

Table manners that go with them

Once the cards are out, don't touch your bet. Adding chips for a double or split goes beside it, never on it.
In a shoe game, don't touch the cards at all.
Signal clearly and wait for the dealer. If you're unsure, say it and signal it.
Buy chips by laying cash on the felt between hands. Dealers can't take money from your hand.

Practice them on your phone

Our free Blackjack table plays by gesture on a touchscreen, and the gestures follow the casino signals: a wave to stand, two fingers to split, a longer press to double. The phone versions are simplified: a hit is a double-tap rather than a single tap, and doubling or splitting needs no chips pushed out. Here's the full list:

Playing a hand

	Hit	Double-tap
	Stand	Swipe sideways
	Split a pair	Tap with two fingers
	Double	Hold until the ring closes
	Give up	Swipe down

Insurance

	Take it (or even money)	Hold until the ring closes
	No thanks	Swipe sideways

Between hands

	Bet a chip	Tap a betting circle
	Change the chip	Swipe sideways
	Double your bets (×2)	Hold until the ring closes
	Clear the table or your bets	Swipe down
	Deal (or rebet and deal)	Swipe up

Prefer buttons? The Gestures button beside the message brings them back.

Practice free on your phone

Questions

Do I have to use hand signals?

At a casino table, yes. Dealers are trained to act on the signal, because that's what the cameras record. Saying it too is fine.

What if I get a signal wrong?

Tell the dealer straight away. A good dealer will ask before acting on anything unclear, but once a card is dealt it usually stands.

Are the signals the same everywhere?

Hit and stand are almost universal. Surrender and insurance vary more, so watch the other players or ask the dealer.

More free games

Blackjack: Vegas rules from a six-deck shoe, played by gesture on your phone.
Blackjack strategy chart: the best play for every hand.
War Blackjack: blackjack plus a War bet on your first card against the dealer's.
Bubble Craps: the dice-in-a-bubble craps machine, regular or crapless.

Play money only. No real wagering.