Have you ever wondered exactly what the house edge was for blackjack games with different rules?
I’ve put together an explanation of the most common rules variations including how each changes the house edge, for or against the player.
You’ll also find the total house edge for a few common rules combinations.
I find it easier to start with a set of rules and then add or subtract the house edge changes as rules are added or subtracted.
Once you get a solid understanding of the favorable and unfavorable rules you’ll quickly be able to tell a good table from a poor one. Most single rules don’t make a huge difference, but when you add three or four rules in one direction they can start adding up quickly.
The number of decks used changes the house edge. Though this may not seem like it should matter, the mathematicians have run the numbers over and over and it’s true.
A single deck game decreases the house edge by almost a half percent over an 8 deck game. The reduction is much smaller for a two deck game, coming in at just under .2%.
Four, five, and six deck games are only slightly better than 8 deck games, decreasing the house edge by .02 to .06%.
In games where the dealer hits on soft 17 the house edge is around .22% higher than when the dealer stands on a soft 7.
Whether or not you can double after splitting a pair is worth almost .15% for or against the house edge.
It’s common for players to be allowed to split up to four hands. If you can only split to two hands it increases the house edge by .1%.
When you get another ace on one of your hands after splitting aces some tables let you split the aces again. If you’re allowed to re-split aces it reduces the house edge around .08%
In games where you can draw to split aces it reduces the house edge by just under .2%.
Surrender isn’t a common rule, but if you can find games that offer it you can reduce the edge. You can find two different types of surrender; early and late.
Early surrender is the ability to fold your hand to receive half you bet back before the dealer checks for a blackjack. This reduces the house edge by almost .4%.
Late surrender is the other option which allows you to fold for half your wager after the dealer checks for blackjack and reduces the house edge by around .07%.
Blackjack pays 3 to 2 on most tables. The difference in pay out percentage for other options is listed below, but I just ignore any tables that don’t pay at least 3 to 2.
Occasionally a casino will run a special or offer a coupon that offers a better pay out than 3 to 2 for a blackjack for a short time or for a single hand. If you ever have the opportunity to play a hand at 2 to1 you should do so. When blackjack pays 2 to 1 it reduces the house edge by over 2.25%, making even the worst games profitable for the player.
6 to 5 is the next most common payout for blackjack and it increases the house edge by almost 1.4%.
7 to 5 increase the house edge by around .45%.
1 to 1 is the worst and usually is only found on variations of blackjack that have a wide range of different rules. I don’t remember ever seeing a blackjack table only paying 1 to 1 for blackjacks. If a table only pays 1 to1 it increases the house edge by over 2.25%.
Finding games with the best rules is one of the two big things every blackjack player needs to do in order to reduce the house edge as much as possible. Use the information above to learn how to determine if games offer a good pay back percentage or not.
Once you find games offering good rules, combine them with basic strategy and you’ll give yourself the best chance to win and extend your bankroll as long as possible.
No, you cannot count cards playing blackjack online because online casinos use a random number generator to deal cards. This system means every hand is being played with a new deck. A user could count cards, but there would be no value in doing so.
This depends on the online casino a user chooses to play with. Most online casinos don’t require any software to be downloaded to play on their site. Some will require players to download their mobile casino to play if the player wants to use a tablet or mobile smartphone.
No, plenty of casinos make their games available to play free online blackjack. This is a great way for new players to get introduced to gambling and the online platform. For experienced online blackjack players, this allows players to experiment with betting strategies and playing techniques without risking any real money.
The best way to win at blackjack online is to follow a betting chart. The odds are always going to favor the online casino, but by playing with a sound strategy, you can lower that limit less than one percent.
Not at any of the online casinos we recommend at Gamble Online. Blackjack (as with all casino games) has a mathematical percentage that favors the house, although the payout percentage varies by the skill level of the blackjack participant. Blackjack games at online casinos use random number generators (RNGs) to ensure games are fair.
The best way to begin playing blackjack is to find free online blackjack games and practice using the online platform. There is a detailed blackjack overview on this page and a great strategy sheet that will help even the most novice player learn the basic strategies.
