What is a push in gambling?
A push in gambling means a tie — the outcome results in neither a win nor a loss and your stake is returned. Pushes occur most commonly in blackjack (when your hand ties the dealer), baccarat (when Banker and Player total the same), and some sports bets where the result falls exactly on the spread or total.
How pushes work in specific games
In blackjack, if both you and the dealer have 17, the round is a push — you keep your bet. In craps, Don’t Pass bets push when the come-out roll is 12. In sports betting, a spread bet pushes if the final margin matches the spread exactly (a 7-point favorite winning by exactly 7 in American football). When a bet pushes, your stake is refunded and no profit or loss is recorded.
Pushes and game strategy
In blackjack strategy, understanding that ties are pushes (not losses) matters for decisions near 17 where you and the dealer might both stand. In baccarat, the tie result (a push for Banker and Player bets) occurs about 9.5% of the time — which is why the Banker and Player house edges don’t simply reflect win/loss probabilities without accounting for pushes.