6:5 Blackjack Math · EDGe Vegas

Blackjack is a social game for me. I don’t play much when I’m alone at a casino, but play almost exclusively when I’m with friends. It seems there are many more blackjack players in Las Vegas than back east. The 6:5 vs. 3:2 blackjack issue seems bigger in Vegas as well. Especially as the Cosmopolitan will be opening with 6:5 blackjack on the casino floor (like most casinos in Vegas).

I don’t gamble exclusively based on odds, but I try to play better odds games. I like to know what I’m in for so I try to do the math beforehand to know what my expected losses are going into the casino.

I decided to check the awesome Wizard of Odds Blackjack house edge calculator to see the difference in payouts and if it’s worth it to make a stink out of the difference. Under basic rules I find that the house edge for 3:2 blackjack is about .25%.

While 6:5 payouts with the same result jack the house edge to about 1.61%.

The difference seems staggering at first, but when looking at my bankroll I don’t think it’s enough to dissuade me from playing 6:5 blackjack if I “have” to. Meaning, if I was having a good time at a casino I’d probably play if it were the only choice.

The house edge in 6:5 blackjack is still half of most of the other card games in the casino. Obviously I will always look for better options, but I wouldn’t let the payout dictate my fun.

Gambling is recreational for me and I’d rather drop $100 drinking vodka while playing blackjack as opposed to $100 just drinking vodka. That’s just how I roll.