# What is a push in blackjack?
Canonical HTML: [What is a push in blackjack?](https://howtocasino.uk/guides/what-is-a-push-in-blackjack/)
Published: 2026-10-29
Updated: 2026-10-29
Publisher: HowToCasino
Language: en-GB
Topic: Blackjack
## The short answer
A push is a tied blackjack hand that returns the relevant wager without a profit. Under conventional rules, equal unbusted totals usually push, as do two natural blackjacks. A natural blackjack and a drawn total of 21 are different hand categories, and side bets are settled separately.
An ordinary equal-total push returns the main stake. It does not settle any separate side bet.
## What does a push return on a £10 hand?
Suppose your main wager is £10, your final hand is ten–nine and the dealer also finishes with 19. In an ordinary push, the game returns £10. You receive the money committed to that hand back, rather than an additional £10 prize. The net result on the main wager is zero.
| Illustrative £10 main wager | Amount returned | Net result |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ordinary push | £10 | £0 |
| Ordinary win paying 1:1 profit | £20 | £10 profit |
| Full main-wager loss | £0 | £10 loss |
This distinction matters when a game history shows a positive return. A £10 credit after staking £10 is a refund of the wager, not a profitable hand. Treating every returned amount as winnings would overstate your result.
Sources:
- [Blackjack rules: doubling, insurance and even money](https://www.pokerstars.uk/casino/how-to-play/blackjack/rules/) — PokerStars. Checked 2026-10-29.
## Which equal totals count as a tie?
Compare the final valid hands under the published rules. Two unbusted 18s normally tie, regardless of whether one contains two cards and the other contains three. The suits do not break the tie in conventional main-hand blackjack; the game's hand categories and any special exceptions matter instead.
A player bust is different. If your cards exceed 21, the main hand can already be lost before the dealer finishes. A later dealer bust does not turn both busts into a push. Likewise, matching an intermediate dealer total does not settle the hand while the dealer still has a required draw.
The dealer's soft-17 instruction determines whether another card is required at that point. Our [explanation of soft 17](https://howtocasino.uk/guides/what-is-a-soft-17/index.md) separates a temporary displayed total from the table rule that tells the dealer what to do next.
Sources:
- [Classic Blackjack: table-specific rules](https://www.pokerstars.uk/casino/how-to-play/blackjack/classic/) — PokerStars. Checked 2026-10-29.
## Does every pair of 21s push?
No. A natural blackjack is the qualifying original two-card ace and ten-valued card. A 21 reached by drawing additional cards is not the same category. Under conventional rules, a natural beats a drawn 21, while a player natural against a dealer natural normally pushes.
| Player's hand | Dealer's hand | Conventional result |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ten + nine | King + nine | Push at 19 |
| Seven + seven + seven | Ten + six + five | Push at a drawn 21 |
| Ace + king, qualifying natural | Ten + six + five | Player natural wins |
| Ten + five + six | Ace + queen, dealer natural | Player loses |
| Qualifying natural | Qualifying natural | Push |
> **Check special hand categories**
>
> A 21 formed after splitting aces may be treated as an ordinary 21. Special games can introduce other priorities. The table is an explanation of conventional categories, not the rules of every named variant.
Sources:
- [Premium Blackjack: table-specific rules](https://www.pokerstars.uk/casino/how-to-play/blackjack/premium/) — PokerStars. Checked 2026-10-29.
- [Three-Seat Blackjack: variant rules](https://www.pokerstars.uk/casino/how-to-play/blackjack/three-seat-blackjack/) — PokerStars. Checked 2026-10-29.
## What happens to a double, split hand or side bet?
If an ordinary doubled hand pushes and both equal stakes are refundable under that rule set, a £10 starting stake plus £10 added returns £20. Each split hand can instead have its own result. A push on one does not determine the outcome of the other.
Read the settlement described in our guides to [splitting](https://howtocasino.uk/guides/what-does-split-mean-in-blackjack/index.md) and [doubling down](https://howtocasino.uk/guides/what-does-double-down-mean-in-blackjack/index.md). In particular, a dealer-blackjack rule can distinguish the original stake from optional added bets, so do not replace its wording with a blanket assumption about all money on the table.
A side bet can lose even when the main hand pushes. For instance, an invented £10 main push plus a losing £1 side bet returns £10 against £11 committed, leaving a £1 overall loss. The word push must be attached to the wager it actually describes.
## How can you check an unexpected push?
1. Open the completed round history and note the game name, round ID and time.
2. Compare the final cards and whether either hand qualifies as natural blackjack or has busted.
3. Separate the main wager, each split or double and any side bets.
4. Read the actual variant's tie and dealer-blackjack rules, then compare the stated settlement with your account entries.
5. If the explanation still does not match, keep the record and follow the operator's complaints procedure.
Sources:
- [RTS 3: rules, game descriptions and likelihood of winning](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/standards/remote-gambling-and-software-technical-standards/rts-3-rules-game-descriptions-and-the-likelihood-of-winning) — Gambling Commission. Checked 2026-10-28.
- [How to complain about a gambling business](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-and-players/guide/page/how-to-complain) — Gambling Commission. Checked 2026-10-29.
## Related questions
### Does a push pay 1:1?
An ordinary push returns the stake with no profit. A 1:1-profit win returns the stake plus an equal profit. On £10 those amounts are £10 and £20 respectively, so the two outcomes should not be described interchangeably.
### Can the dealer win a tie?
Under conventional equal-total rules the main hand normally pushes. A special variant can alter hand priorities or settlement, so check its specific rules before applying that description.
### Is surrender the same as a push?
No. A conventional push returns the whole relevant wager. An accepted ordinary half-stake surrender returns half and forfeits half. Surrender is a separate action with eligibility and timing conditions.
## Sources and checks
- [Blackjack rules: doubling, insurance and even money](https://www.pokerstars.uk/casino/how-to-play/blackjack/rules/) — PokerStars. Checked 2026-10-29.
- [Classic Blackjack: table-specific rules](https://www.pokerstars.uk/casino/how-to-play/blackjack/classic/) — PokerStars. Checked 2026-10-29.
- [Premium Blackjack: table-specific rules](https://www.pokerstars.uk/casino/how-to-play/blackjack/premium/) — PokerStars. Checked 2026-10-29.
- [Three-Seat Blackjack: variant rules](https://www.pokerstars.uk/casino/how-to-play/blackjack/three-seat-blackjack/) — PokerStars. Checked 2026-10-29.
- [RTS 3: rules, game descriptions and likelihood of winning](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/standards/remote-gambling-and-software-technical-standards/rts-3-rules-game-descriptions-and-the-likelihood-of-winning) — Gambling Commission. Checked 2026-10-28.
- [How to complain about a gambling business](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-and-players/guide/page/how-to-complain) — Gambling Commission. Checked 2026-10-29.
## Keep exploring
- [What does split mean in blackjack?](https://howtocasino.uk/guides/what-does-split-mean-in-blackjack/index.md)
- [What is surrender in blackjack?](https://howtocasino.uk/guides/what-is-surrender-in-blackjack/index.md)
- [What does “blackjack pays 3 to 2” mean?](https://howtocasino.uk/guides/what-does-blackjack-pays-3-to-2-mean/index.md)
18+; for adults in Great Britain. Gambling involves a risk of loss. Examples are explanations, not offers or guaranteed outcomes. [Support and safer gambling](https://howtocasino.uk/safer-gambling/).