• Blackjack is a card game playable in any of the six working casinos in the Mojave Wasteland. Playing ten hands of Blackjack grants the Courier the Double Down achievement/trophy. 1 Characteristics.
• Casino comps are a great, but are they really free? Chances are you’re losing a lot of money at the tables in exchange for those so-called “free” comps. Unless you’re card counting, and you’re.

Hi guys. This is Mike.

BLACKJACK STRATEGY CALCULATOR. This calculator generates a blackjack strategy table based on the programmed set of rules. Select the Switch to Advanced Calc button to add support for less common rule selections including 5-card 21 bonuses, charlie bonuses, 777 bonuses; split restrictions; and peek on 10. See the blackjack page for more information about the rule options. This blackjack calculator will help teach you the correct play to make for every scenario possible. Our advanced algorithm allows you to customize different table rules so you can make the best informed decision to beat the house. Now that you understand blackjack odds and the correct play, it’s now time for you to play online blackjack.

The topic of this Wizard of Odds Academy video will be on the importance of a blackjack paying 3 to 2 odds in blackjack as opposed to 6 to 5, which is a very common rule variation right now.

Here in Las Vegas

You see a lot of players playing 6 to 5 blackjack even at high amounts. Frankly, I have no idea why other than out of a ignorance of math.

I hate to have to insult your intelligence by even pointing this out, but 3 / 2 = 1.5, 6 / 5 is 1.2. The player will get 30% of a bet more with every winning blackjack if he's playing 3 to 2 blackjack as opposed to 6 to 5.

How important is that rule mathematically?

Let's see:

Let's assume six decks of cards, which is the norm, and that the player has no knowledge of any other cards in the deck. The probability that the first card the player gets is worth 10 points, is 96 / 312 because there are 96 10-point cards, 16 x 6 is 96, and 312 total cards in the shoe. 52 x 6 is 312. Assuming the player's first card is a 10-point card.

He at least has hope of a blackjack. He will need an ace or that second card. There are 24 aces in the shoe, and 311 cards left.

However...

...the player might get the ace first. It's just as likely to get the ace first in a blackjack as a blackjack, starting with a 10-point card. We multiply this by two. The probability the player gets a blackjack is equal to 4.75%. However, in order for this pay to make any difference, it must be a winning blackjack. If the dealer gets a blackjack too, then it doesn't make any difference.

Once the player has a blackjack, what is the probability that dealer will get one? Well, again, the dealer could get the ace and the 10 in either order thus the two. There will be 95 10-point cards left in the shoe out of 310 cards. After you take out the two player cards, there will be 23 aces left by the time it's the dealer's second card.

Assuming the player has a blackjack, the probability that the dealer gets one as well is 4.56%. It goes down because the player already has an ace and a 10 out of the shoe. The odds are a little bit down due to the effect of removal. The probability that the player has a winning blackjack equals 4.75% x (1 - 4.56%).

In other words, the probability of a player blackjack and times the probability that the dealer does not have a blackjack, so the probability that the player has a winning blackjack is equal to 4.53%.

The math of this is really quite easy

The probability the player has a winning blackjack is 4.53%, which is conveniently one in 21, and the game is called 21. That's easy to remember. Every time the player gets a winning blackjack, if he's playing 3 to 2 blackjack as opposed to 6 to 5, he will win 0.3 times his bet more because (3 / 2) - (6 / 5) = 0.3, as we showed before. 4.53% x 0.3 = 1.36%.

That means...

...f the player plays 6 to 5 blackjack as opposed to 3 to 2, he's giving the casino an extra 1.36% of his bet, probably for nothing. This assumes all other rules being equal.

Okay, I hope that I have convinced you guys not to play 6 to 5 blackjack when given the choice. However, if you're still on the fence, let me throw some more numbers at you.

These are all based on what are normally, otherwise, fairly standard Las Vegas Strip rules. You can find these at most of the MGM / Mirage properties. Dealer hits a soft 17, double after split allowed, player make double on any two cards, surrender is allowed, and resplitting aces is allowed. With correct basic strategy, and a blackjack paying 3 to 2, the house advantage under those rules is a nice low 0.46%.

That is giving the casino less than one in 200 hands.

It's a pretty cheap way to gamble. However, if we just change that blackjack pay from 3 to 2 to 6 to 5, then, as I just showed you, the house advantage goes up by 1.36% to 1.82%, so 0.46% to 1.82%, that is almost four times as high. That's paying four times as much for the same service and product.

Let me tell you what that looks like in terms of your expected losses per hour:

How To Calculate 3 To 2 Payout

If you are a $5 player, an hour worth of play on average will cost you $1.66 at a 3 to 2 table, and $6.55 at a 6 to 5 table. A $10 player can expect to lose $3.31 per hour at a 3 to 2 table, and $13.10 at a 6 to 5 table. A $25 player can expect to lose $8.28 at a 3 to 2 table, and $32.76 at a 6 to 5 table.

Finally, a $50 player can expect to lose $16.56 at a 3 to 2 table, and $65.52 per hour at a 6 to 5 table.

I hope I've convinced you to stay away from 6 to 5 blackjack wherever you can. Now, I'm sure a lot of you are saying, 'Mike, I'm a low roller. I'm uncomfortable with the limits at the at the 3 to 2 tables.' If that's true, okay, I get it.

You may not really have the choice in that situation, and you may be stuck with 6 to 5, if you must play. Sometimes there's just nothing you can do about it and the situation is only getting worse.

The casinos here in Las Vegas as well as I think everywhere in the United States, are trying to phase out 3 to 2 blackjack slowly but surely as it's really not very profitable for them.

I don't think I have anything much more to say on this topic. Thanks for watching and I'll see you in my next Wizard of Odds Academy video. Thank you. Bye, guys.

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Blackjack, unlike other gambling games is not considered a game of chance, it is one that you can win if you start applying some knowledge. Unlike many other games where the result depends on player luck only, this game provides probabilities depending on the player decisions. Therefore, in order to win you have to know what your probabilities are now and how and when to increase them.

Blackjack Payout Table

Before we take a look at player and dealer blackjack odds, we should consider all the parameters that affect the odds in the game.

Blackjack Rules Variations

Blackjack variations were created to entertain players and provide them with a chance to win more money on side bets. Each rule variation affects the house edge, some rules making a big, others making a minor difference. Most common rule variations can be found at our House Edge Calculator in the «Rules» window. Now, let's take a closer look at the rules and see how they affect the odds in the game.

NOTE: The rules chosen in the table below are most favorable for the player.

Number of decks

The first thing a player should consider when choosing a table is the number of decks used in the game. The more decks there are - the less odds the player has. (See the table - Probabilities – Number of decks)

Dealer hits or stands on soft 17

The main rules of the game are usually written on the table felt and it may say either dealer hits or stands on soft 17. If according to the rules dealer hits soft 17, the game gives the house a 0.2% extra edge.

Rules for doubling

This rule is sometimes called the 'Reno' rule, which restricts doubling only to certain hand totals. Double 9 - 11 affects the house edge increasing it by 0.09% (8 decks game) and 0.15% (1 deck game). Double 10-11 increases the house edge by 0.17% (8 decks game) and 0.26% (1 deck game).

Doubling after Split

If the casino allows a player to double after he splits a pair, the player will get a further edge of around 0.12%.

Resplitting

Most casinos allow players to split again after he/she splits a pair and is dealt another card of the same rank. However, if the casino does not, this means the odds favor the house. As the best hands for splitting are a pair of Aces and 8s, there may be a special rule for Splitting Aces. If the casino allows the player to re-split Aces, the player gets a 0.03% extra edge. Moreover, in most cases if the player splits Aces, the casino will deal only one card per hand and that's it. Allowing players to hit on a hand of Split Aces gives the player an edge of 0.13%. We do not consider this rule in our calculator due to the fact it is almost never used, especially online.

• 1 deck of cards (house edge 0.17%)
• Doubling allowed on any cards
• Doubling allowed after Split and after Hit (player edge 0.12%)

• Early surrender is preferable
• Dealer stands on soft 17 (player edge 0.2%)
• Resplitting any cards allowed (player edge 0.03%)

Extra Rules Affecting Blackjack Odds

European No-Hole-Card Rule

Some blackjack variations are played with a hole card that is dealt to the dealer only after all the players have played their hands. This rule affects player strategy when playing against dealer up 10 or an Ace. In a typical hole-card game the player would know whether the dealer has a Blackjack or not before he makes any decisions. In this game, however, the player is risking a lot more if he decides to double or split. This rule adds 0.11% to the house advantage. However, there may be some casinos that allow the player to push on all the additional bets (doubling down and splitting pairs) if the dealer happens to have Blackjack.

Another Payouts on Blackjack

The classic payout on player Blackjack is 3 to 2. However, some casinos change the payout to increase the house edge. The payout on blackjack thus may vary from 1:1 to 6:5. As a Blackjack hand frequency is approximately 4.8% (see the table Two Card Hand Frequency), the payout of 1:1 will increase house edge by 2.3% and the payout of 6:5 - by 1.4%. The first rule (1:1) is only rarely found , while the second (6:5) can be found at some tables with a single deck blackjack game. The payout on Blackjack is generally written on a table felt.

Best tip
for odds seekers

The easiest way to choose the game with the highest odds is to play blackjack with no extra special rules. Do not forget where your basic odds are hidden - chance to Split, Double Down and get a 3 to 2 payout on Natural.

Dealer wins Ties

Another disadvantage for the player is when the rules of the game say that dealer wins all ties. This rule is almost never used in the classic games, though it can be found in some blackjack variations.

Insurance

The Insurance bet is a casino trick that gives the house a huge edge. The main factor why many players take this bet lies in the fact it costs only half of the original one. However, when the player takes Insurance every time he plays the game, the house edge may raise up to 7%. Added to all the other rules the casino sets on the game and you will see why probabilities are worth learning if you want to quit winners.

Side Bets

All blackjack games that offer side bets seem to be the biggest attraction for blackjack lovers. However, if you consider blackjack odds on these bets, you will notice that no matter how big the jackpot is (as in progressive blackjack rules) or how great the payout is for the pair (as in perfect pairs rules), the odds still favor the house and you are not likely to win.

Blackjack Probabilities charts

The quantity of decks increases the house advantage with each extra deck added to the game. Look for games with the smallest number of decks. However, some games offering a chance to play with 1 deck may only still provide low player odds due to low payouts on Blackjack and other rules. Be sure to check them before you play.

The table on the left describes how often the following hands can appear. The hands are the first two-cards dealt to the player. The frequency stands for the average number of times dealt per deck of cards. As you can see, the most frequent hands dealt are the 'Decision hands' that demand knowledge of blackjack strategy.

6 To 5 Blackjack Payouts

In this table you can see the probability of going bust on any hand if the player decides to Hit. This means that with 0% you can never go bust when hitting a hand of 11 or less. As you can see, the table is for hard hand totals as you will 100% bust if you Hit on a hand of hard 21.

Blackjack Payout 3 To 2 Calculator

You probably already know that in blackjack small cards in the deck favor the dealer while big ones favor the player. In this table you can see that removing 2s from the deck adds a 0.40% of advantage to the player, while if 10's are taken out - the odds are 0.51% for the house.

Blackjack probabilities are calculated due to different parameters, including the dealer up card. The table on the left depicts how likely it is that dealer will go bust with certain up cards and what the player odds are in this very situation. For example, the highest player odds are when the dealer shows a 6, as he is most likely to go bust with this hand. The lowest player odds are when the dealer's up card is a 10 or an Ace.