Draw: meaning in casino games

What draw means in a casino

A draw is either a card you take or a number that is picked. In card games such as blackjack, baccarat and video poker, drawing means receiving an extra card from the deck or shoe. In number games such as keno and bingo, the draw is the random selection of balls that settles every ticket. The word means the same idea each time: a new random element enters the game.

Draw rules game by game

Drawing in blackjack: player choice, dealer rule

In blackjack, drawing is the same thing as a hit. You can keep drawing until you stand or go over 21. The dealer has no choice: Wizard of Odds’ rules say the dealer draws on 16 or less and stands on 17 or more, and some tables also make the dealer draw on soft 17. Our guide on the dealer and soft 17 explains why that rule matters.

Each draw carries a known risk. Hitting hard 13 busts if the next card is a 9, 10, jack, queen or king: 5 ranks out of 13, so about 38.5% from a large shoe. Basic strategy still draws on 13 against a dealer 7 or higher, because standing does even worse there. See how many cards you can draw in blackjack for limits.

Drawing in baccarat: the third-card rule

Baccarat players never decide on a draw. According to Wizard of Odds’ baccarat basics (opens in a new tab), if either hand totals 8 or 9 on two cards (a natural), both stand. Otherwise the Player hand draws on 0 to 5 and stands on 6 or 7. The Banker hand then follows a table based on its own total and the Player’s third card. The full chart is on our third card rule page.

The draw in video poker

Video poker is a draw poker game. You get five cards, choose which to hold and press Draw to replace the rest from the 47 cards left in the deck. The odds are pure counting:

• Four to an open-ended straight (such as 5-6-7-8): 8 cards complete it, so 8 in 47, about 17.0%.
• Four to an inside straight (such as 5-6-8-9): only the four 7s work, 4 in 47, about 8.5%.
• One draw only: there is no second chance to improve.

The pay table decides the value of each hand. Wizard of Odds gives 9/6 Jacks or Better (opens in a new tab) a 99.54% return with perfect hold-and-draw choices. Our video poker strategy page explains which cards to hold.

The draw in keno and bingo

In keno, you pick numbers from 1 to 80 and 20 balls are drawn. The chance that any one of your numbers is caught is 20 in 80, or 25%. Wizard of Odds’ keno guide (opens in a new tab) says the draw itself is fair; the high house edge (25% to 29% in its summary of US games) comes from pay tables set well below the true odds. Online RTPs vary by game, so check the help screen. In 90-ball bingo, numbers 1 to 90 are drawn until someone completes the winning pattern.

Related terms and the draw-or-tie mix-up

In sports betting a draw is a tied match. Casino games use other words: a tied blackjack hand is a push, and a level baccarat result is a tie, with its own tie bet. See also bust and the full casino glossary.

Card games, keno and current UK offers

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18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.