What Really Happens During a Push or Tie and How to Handle It

A push in blackjack occurs when the player and the dealer end a hand with the same total. The player’s bet is returned no win, no loss and the round ends without any transfer of money. Pushes happen most frequently on totals of 17, 18, 19, and 20, since these are the most common standing totals for both the player and the dealer. A push is not a favorable outcome from an expected value standpoint, but it is neutral: unlike a loss, it costs you nothing on that hand. Understanding when and how often pushes occur helps you see the full probability landscape of each session.

A Push Means No Money Changes Hands

Which Hands Produce the Most Pushes?

Pushes are most common on high standing totals. When you stand on 20, the dealer must reach exactly 20 to push and with four ten-value cards per suit and a high proportion of face cards in the deck, 20 is one of the most common dealer final totals. Totals of 17 also push regularly because the dealer stands on hard 17 by rule, creating a floor that frequently aligns with player 17 hands.

Totals of 12 through 16 push almost never when the player stands, because the dealer is required to draw through these totals. For a player standing on 15 to push, the dealer would have to reach exactly 15 without busting which is rare because the dealer will keep drawing until 17 or above. This is one of the reasons standing on stiff totals against strong dealer upcards is so costly: you almost always need the dealer to bust rather than push.

How Does Variant Rules That Change How Pushes Are Resolved?

Standard blackjack always pushes on identical totals. But several blackjack variants change this rule in ways that significantly alter the blackjack house edge. In Free Bet Blackjack, if the dealer reaches exactly 22, instead of busting, all remaining player hands push regardless of the player’s total. This rule shifts numerous winning hands into pushes and is the primary mechanism by which Free Bet Blackjack’s no-cost doubles and splits are funded.

How Push Frequency Affects Your Expected Win Rate?

Push frequency is built into every blackjack basic strategy calculation. Because pushes return your bet without profit, they reduce the number of hands with positive outcomes while not affecting losses. This is accounted for in the blackjack house edge calculation the 0.5% blackjack house edge against a blackjack basic strategy player already incorporates roughly 8% push frequency. Any variant rule that converts wins into pushes (like the dealer-22-pushes rule) increases effective blackjack house edge by removing expected winning outcomes. When comparing games or tables, always check if any variant push rules are in effect. The live dealer rooms at experience this rule with real money on the line immediately run standard push rules, but because real money is at risk there, confirm every rule before your session starts.

Using Push Knowledge in Live Play

Bringing these principles together at a real table requires practice under live conditions.

Before you test these plays at a real table, run them through our free blackjack simulator practice unlimited hands at zero cost until every move becomes automatic.