Paul started his career in newspaper journalism before exploring the emerging world of online gaming in 1998, joining Intertops in Antigua - the pioneering force behind the first online sportsbook. Since then, Cullen has enjoyed...
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Nick is an ex-casino manager turned PR specialist. He began his career as a croupier in the UK, and went on to work in Europe, Russia, Africa, Asia, and the USA. Previously he has worked...
Read Full BioClose, but no cigar. A push is casino-speak for a draw – you didn’t win, but you get another chance. Not so much a celebration as a shrug. It’s called a push instead of a draw because when a wager ends in a tie, the dealer pushes your chips back. So, why not just call it a draw? In casino-speak, that’s taking another card. Confused? Stick with us.
Key Beats
- A push in blackjack is when you and the dealer finish with the same total. Nobody wins or loses, and your bet is simply handed back.
- They’re more common than you might think, happening in about 8% of hands, usually when both sides land on big totals like 20 or 21.
- A push doesn’t change your bankroll or your strategy, so just treat it as a reset and carry on playing your usual game.
What Is a Push in Blackjack?
In blackjack, a push happens when your hand ends with precisely the same point value as the dealer’s. Stand on 17, and the dealer matches you; neither side wins, and the casino returns your bet. It’s not a win or a loss, it’s a polite stalemate. You’ve survived the round, but you haven’t made a profit. The good news is that you’re still in the game.
What Happens During a Push in Blackjack?
When a push occurs in blackjack, the sequence is straightforward; no chips are added or removed from your stack. Everything simply resets. In short, the push simply sets you up for another try. It’s the one result in blackjack that changes absolutely nothing about your bankroll.
How a Typical Push at Blackjack Plays Out
A push follows a precise sequence in blackjack. The result is neither a win nor a loss. The process is the same regardless of the hand totals involved:
- Cards are dealt – Both the player and the dealer receive their initial hands.
- Player action – You choose to hit, stand, split, or double down as usual.
- Dealer action – The dealer plays their hand according to house rules.
- Final totals match – If your total equals the dealer’s, it’s declared a push.
- Bet returned – Your original stake is handed back to you.
- Next round begins – The game continues with no change to your bankroll.
Example of a Push in Blackjack
Imagine being dealt a 10 and a 7, giving you a total of 17. The dealer’s upcard is a 9, so you choose to stand. The dealer reveals a seven as their hole card and then draws an Ace, also reaching a total of 17.
Neither hand exceeds 21, and both totals are identical. The dealer announces a push, returns your original stake, and proceeds to the next round. While your bankroll remains unchanged, the hand has played out, ending in a perfectly balanced result.
Blackjack Push Probabilities
The likelihood of a push in blackjack varies depending on your final hand total. Some values are more prone to a tie than others.
| Player Hand Total | Probability of Push |
|---|---|
| 17 | 0.5% |
| 18 | 0.7% |
| 19 | 1.5% |
| 20 | 2.5% |
| 21 | 2.3% |
| Dealer & player blackjack | 0.23% |
Overall Probability of a Push in Blackjack
According to the standard set of rules adopted by the majority of online casinos, about 8% of blackjack hands end in a push. That figure varies according to the number of decks, whether the dealer hits/stands on soft 17, and basic-strategy play. Regardless, it consistently sits in the high single digits.
Most ties happen on high totals – especially 20 – with smaller shares on 19, 18, and 17, plus the rare (and heart-breaking!) blackjack-versus-blackjack tie. Roughly one in every twelve or so resolved hands returns your stake and resets the action, with no change to your bankroll.
Factors Affecting a Push in Blackjack
Dealer drawing rules
If the dealer hits soft 17, fewer hands finish on 17 and more resolve to 18 – 21 or bust. This means that pushes on 17 drop. Subsequently, the overall push rate nudges down. Standing on soft 17 keeps more dealer 17s in play, slightly increasing ties.
Number of decks
More decks reduce card removal effects. Pushes tend to cluster on high totals (especially 20), and the overall push rate shifts. However, it’s very marginal; typically, tenths of a percent between single-deck and multi-deck games.
Game variant
Variants with a dealer 22 push rule materially increase pushes. Spanish 21 and other rule sets change hit/stand patterns and deck composition, which reshapes tie frequencies but keeps overall pushes in the high single digits.
Is a Push Possible if the Dealer Goes Over 21?
No, it is not possible. Under standard blackjack rules, a dealer bust is an automatic win for any player still in the hand. A push happens only when totals are exactly equal. The exception is variants with a dealer 22 push rule, where a dealer having 22 ties all other standing hands. This blackjack variant is rare, though.
Blackjack Push Strategy Guide – What to Do When Your Hand is the Same as the Dealer’s
Here are a few things you need to understand if the dealer draws the same hand as you:
- 💡 Take the return. A push is automatic; your main stake (and any double stake) is returned.
- 💡 Treat it as neutral. Don’t chase or press because of a push. Resume your usual bet size/plan.
- 💡 Splits resolve separately. If you split, one hand can push while the other wins/loses; only the pushed hand’s stake is returned.
- 💡 Side bets are independent. Pushes apply to the main hand only; side bets settle on their own rules.
- 💡 Keep playing basic strategy. A push doesn’t signal anything; stick to optimal decisions next hand.
Summary
A push in blackjack is a tie: your total equals the dealer’s, and your original stake is returned. It’s bankroll-neutral and relatively common, affecting roughly 8% of hands overall, with most ties clustering on high totals, especially 20.
Varying blackjack rules may alter this rate. The dealer automatically standing on 17 gives slightly more pushes. Whereas the dealer hitting on a soft 17 results in an upward percentage shift, and variants with a dealer 22 push rule change the picture entirely.
Strategy doesn’t change because of a push; treat it as a non-event and continue with basic play and your usual stake sizing and responsible play.
FAQs
A push is a tie. Your final total equals the dealer’s total, so the round ends with no winner, and your original stake is returned.
Yes. A push returns your main bet to you. If you doubled down, both bet units are returned. Side bets settle separately on their own rules.
Neither. It’s a neutral result; bankroll unchanged.
Roughly 8% of hands overall are under standard rules. The exact rate varies slightly with different decks and dealer drawing rules.
Most pushes cluster on high totals, especially 20, with smaller shares on 19, 18, and 17, plus the rare blackjack vs blackjack tie.
The dealer calls ‘push’, returns your stake, and the next hand begins. There’s no payout and no loss.
Only when your final total exactly equals the dealer’s final total, a dealer bust (22+) is not a push – that’s a win for any standing player hand (usually – see below).
Yes. Some variants use ‘dealer 22 pushes’, where dealer 22 ties against standing hands. Standard blackjack variants do not use ‘dealer wins on ties’.
No. A push simply returns your original stake. You neither win nor lose money on the main hand.
A push means your full stake is returned after a tie. Surrender means you forfeit half your stake early to quit the hand; there is no tie involved.
Each split hand resolves on its own. One hand may push while another wins or loses. If a doubled hand is a push, the full doubled stake is returned.
No. A push provides no practical result. Your best play is to continue to follow the basic strategy on the next hand.
