The most popular of all the casino table games, blackjack is easy to learn and offers a great return to the average player. The game is simple; you attempt to get a hand with a value that is closer to 21, without going over, than the hand of the dealer. If you win, in most cases you double your bet. Ties are called "pushes" and are considered even.
To make "21," the cards are counted as follows:

An Ace can count as either 1 or 11.
The cards from 2 through 9 are valued as indicated.
The 10, Jack, Queen, and King are all valued at 10.

In this game, the suit of the cards makes no difference, just the count. The game starts with all bets placed. Two cards are then dealt face down to each player. The dealer also gets two cards, but the last one is placed face up for all to see. If any player has a "blackjack," (a combination of any "ten-value" card and an Ace) and the dealer does not also have a blackjack, the bet is won at 1 1/2 times value (if you bet $10.00, you would be paid $15.00 plus your bet for a total of $25.00).

Most players prefer the "single deck" game at the Wendover Nugget where only one deck is used, as opposed to the more common Las Vegas "shoes" where multiple decks are used. Many feel this gives the player a better feel for the cards that will be dealt in succeeding hands.

Another optional bonus feature at the Wendover Nugget is Royal Match. This allows player to make a separate side bet at the start of the game. If your first two cards are of the same suit, you win $3.00 for every $1.00 bet. If the two cards are a "Royal Match" (a king and queen of the same suit), the match bet returns $10.00 for every $1.00 bet. There is a $1.00 minimum bet on Royal Match and a limit of $1,000 on the aggregate payout per table.

Playing basic strategy allows most players to get at least a 99% return on blackjack, and those great odds are what have kept this game a favorite for decades.