A blackjack is a 21 on your first two cards: an ace and a ten-value card (10, J, Q or K). The standard payout is 3 to 2 (1.5 times your bet), and some tables pay 6 to 5 (1.2 times), also written 6/5 or 6:5.
When blackjack pays 6 to 5 instead of 3 to 2, a blackjack on a bet of 10 pays 12 instead of 15, and the house edge (the share of your bets the casino keeps on average) goes up by about 1.4%. The basic strategy chart does not change, so playing by the chart cannot win it back.
The payout difference on a bet of 10
| Result | 3 to 2 table | 6 to 5 table |
|---|---|---|
| Win | +10 | +10 |
| Blackjack | +15 | +12 |
| Push | 0 | 0 |
| Loss | −10 | −10 |
Only the hands where you get a blackjack differ. If the dealer also has blackjack, it is a push at both tables.
How much the house edge goes up
Compared at a table with 6 decks, the dealer standing on soft 17 (S17), the dealer checking the hole card first, doubling after a split, and doubling on any two cards (this app’s calculation).
| Payout | House edge |
|---|---|
| 3 to 2 | 0.41% |
| 6 to 5 | 1.77% |
Where the difference comes from. With 6 decks, you are dealt a blackjack about 4.75% of the time. Only on those hands do you get 0.3 less per unit bet.
- 0.3 × 4.75% ≈ 1.4%
- Hands where the dealer also has blackjack push at both tables, so the real figure is a little smaller: about 1.36%
At a 1-deck table where the dealer hits soft 17 (H17), 3 to 2 is 0.095% and 6 to 5 is 1.482%. The increase, about 1.39%, is almost the same as at the 6-deck table.
Compared with other rule differences, 6 to 5 has the largest effect (from the 0.41% table above, paying 3 to 2).
| Difference | Effect |
|---|---|
| Blackjack pays 6 to 5 | about +1.4% |
| Dealer hits soft 17 (H17) | about +0.22% |
| No doubling after a split | about +0.14% |
| 1 deck | about −0.53% |
| Early surrender | about −0.62% |
| Late surrender | about −0.07% |
| Resplitting aces allowed | about −0.07% |
The basic strategy chart does not change
Hit, stand, double and split decisions don’t depend on the blackjack payout. A blackjack is settled on your first two cards, with no decision after it. In this app’s calculation, no cell changes at 6 to 5.
The chart can’t make up for it, so the payout difference goes straight into the house edge.
The one decision that does change involves the blackjack payout itself: even money.
At a 6 to 5 table, even money is the better choice
When you have blackjack and the dealer’s upcard is an ace, you may be offered even money. If you take it, you are paid 1 to 1 on the spot and the hand ends.
If you decline, a dealer blackjack is a push (0); otherwise your blackjack is paid. With an ace up, the dealer has blackjack about 31% of the time (6 decks, not counting your ace and ten-value card).
Compare the expected value per unit bet (without counting cards).
| Payout | Decline | Take | Better choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 to 2 | about 1.04 (1.5 × about 69%) | 1 | Decline |
| 6 to 5 | about 0.83 (1.2 × about 69%) | 1 | Take |
Even at a 3 to 2 table, taking it is better when the true count (TC) is +3 or more and the remaining cards are rich in tens. Even money is the same as insuring your own blackjack.
What to check before you sit down
- The table layout: BLACKJACK PAYS 3 TO 2, or BLACKJACK PAYS 6 TO 5?
- Does the dealer hit soft 17 (H17) or stand (S17)?
- Which hands can double (any two cards, or 9 to 11 only)? Can you double after a split?
- Is there surrender?
- How many decks?
Practice in the app
In Casino Edge’s blackjack, set the blackjack payout to 6:5 in “Table rules” in the Reference. The house edge for that table is shown, and even money at the table is graded as a 6 to 5 table decision.