diff --git a/Blackjack/Blackjack/Engine/GameState.swift b/Blackjack/Blackjack/Engine/GameState.swift
index 5dfe86f..772ed42 100644
--- a/Blackjack/Blackjack/Engine/GameState.swift
+++ b/Blackjack/Blackjack/Engine/GameState.swift
@@ -520,6 +520,12 @@ final class GameState: CasinoGameState {
         
         // Animation timing
         let animationDuration = Design.Animation.springDuration * settings.dealingSpeed
+        
+        // Brief delay to let SwiftUI render the player hands container before cards fly in
+        // This ensures the container with placeholders is visible before the first card animates
+        if settings.showAnimations {
+            try? await Task.sleep(for: .milliseconds(200))
+        }
         // Small delay for card to appear on screen before updating badge (~15% of animation)
         let cardAppearDelay = settings.showAnimations ? animationDuration * 0.15 : 0
         // Remaining delay after badge update to complete the animation
diff --git a/Blackjack/Blackjack/Views/Table/BlackjackTableView.swift b/Blackjack/Blackjack/Views/Table/BlackjackTableView.swift
index fd68f69..f1186eb 100644
--- a/Blackjack/Blackjack/Views/Table/BlackjackTableView.swift
+++ b/Blackjack/Blackjack/Views/Table/BlackjackTableView.swift
@@ -116,8 +116,9 @@ struct BlackjackTableView: View {
             Spacer(minLength: Design.Spacing.small)
                 .debugBorder(showDebugBorders, color: .yellow, label: "BottomSpacer")
             
-            // Player hands area - only show when there are cards dealt
-            if state.playerHands.first?.cards.isEmpty == false {
+            // Player hands area - show when not betting (includes dealing phase)
+            // This ensures the container with placeholders is visible BEFORE cards fly in
+            if state.currentPhase != .betting {
                 ZStack {
                 PlayerHandsContainer(
                     hands: state.playerHands,
diff --git a/CasinoKit/Sources/CasinoKit/Views/Badges/ValueBadge.swift b/CasinoKit/Sources/CasinoKit/Views/Badges/ValueBadge.swift
index 873d743..2636ab3 100644
--- a/CasinoKit/Sources/CasinoKit/Views/Badges/ValueBadge.swift
+++ b/CasinoKit/Sources/CasinoKit/Views/Badges/ValueBadge.swift
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 import SwiftUI
 
-/// A circular badge showing a numeric value.
+/// A capsule badge showing a numeric value.
 public struct ValueBadge: View {
     /// The value to display.
     public let value: Int
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ public struct ValueBadge: View {
     // MARK: - Scaled Font Sizes (Dynamic Type)
     
     @ScaledMetric(relativeTo: .headline) private var valueFontSize: CGFloat = 15
-    @ScaledMetric(relativeTo: .headline) private var badgeSize: CGFloat = CasinoDesign.Size.valueBadge
+    @ScaledMetric(relativeTo: .headline) private var badgeHeight: CGFloat = CasinoDesign.Size.valueBadge
+    @ScaledMetric(relativeTo: .headline) private var badgePadding: CGFloat = 8
     
     /// Creates a value badge.
     /// - Parameters:
@@ -34,17 +35,20 @@ public struct ValueBadge: View {
         self.size = size
     }
     
-    private var displaySize: CGFloat {
-        size ?? badgeSize
+    private var displayHeight: CGFloat {
+        size ?? badgeHeight
     }
     
     public var body: some View {
         Text("\(value)")
             .font(.system(size: valueFontSize, weight: .black, design: .rounded))
             .foregroundStyle(.white)
-            .frame(width: displaySize, height: displaySize)
+            .lineLimit(1)
+            .fixedSize(horizontal: true, vertical: false)
+            .padding(.horizontal, badgePadding)
+            .frame(minWidth: displayHeight, minHeight: displayHeight)
             .background(
-                Circle()
+                Capsule()
                     .fill(color)
             )
             .accessibilityLabel("\(value)")