Is a 6:5 single-deck game better than a 3:2 six-deck game?
No. The single deck saves about 0.5 percent but the 6:5 payout costs about 1.4 percent, so the single-deck game is roughly 0.9 percent worse.
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Blackjack 3:2 vs 6:5: How Much The Payout Rule Costs You
Updated
A natural blackjack, an ace and a 10-value card on your first two cards, traditionally pays 3 to 2: bet $10, win $15. Many casinos now pay 6 to 5 instead: bet $10, win $12. That small change in payout adds about 1.4 percent to the house edge, which is nearly triple the entire edge of a good 3:2 game played with perfect basic strategy.
Nothing you do with the cards can offset a 6:5 payout. Table selection is the only defence, and it is the single most valuable decision a basic strategy player makes all session.
The arithmetic
You are dealt a natural about 4.8 percent of the time, roughly once every 21 hands. On a $10 bet, 3:2 pays $15 and 6:5 pays $12, a $3 difference. Multiply $3 by 4.8 percent and you get about 14 cents per hand per $10 bet, or 1.4 percent of every bet you place, regardless of how the hand is played.
At 60 hands an hour and $25 a hand, a 6:5 table costs about $21 an hour more than the same game at 3:2. Over a weekend that is several hundred dollars for the privilege of the same cards.
How it compares with every other rule
The dealer hitting soft 17 costs about 0.2 percent. Removing surrender costs about 0.08 percent. Going from one deck to eight costs about 0.5 percent. Prohibiting double after split costs about 0.14 percent. The 6:5 payout, at about 1.4 percent, is larger than all of those combined.
A 6:5 single-deck game, which casinos often market as a good deal because of the deck count, has a house edge of around 1.4 percent. An eight-deck 3:2 game with reasonable rules is around 0.6 percent. The deck count is a distraction; the payout is the point.
Spotting a 6:5 table
Casinos are required to display the payout, usually printed on the felt in an arc in front of the dealer. Look for 'Blackjack pays 3 to 2' or 'Blackjack pays 6 to 5'. If the felt is unclear, ask the dealer before placing a bet. Low-limit tables on busy weekend nights are the most likely to be 6:5.
Watch for other signals: a continuous shuffling machine, a $5 or $10 minimum in a high-traffic area, and a party-pit atmosphere are all correlated with 6:5. None of them are proof, but they are a cue to read the felt carefully.
What to do if 6:5 is the only option
If you still want to play, bet the minimum, treat the session as entertainment with a known price, and do not expect strategy to make up the gap. Basic strategy still matters: it keeps you from losing another 1 to 2 percent on top.
Consider instead a 3:2 table with a higher minimum but fewer hands per hour, or a different game entirely. A $25 3:2 table played slowly often costs less per hour than a $10 6:5 table played fast.
Rule Costs Compared (Approximate, Multi-Deck)
| Rule Change | Added House Edge | Cost per Hour at $25 x 60 Hands |
|---|---|---|
| 6:5 instead of 3:2 blackjack | +1.4% | About $21 |
| Dealer hits soft 17 (H17) | +0.2% | About $3 |
| No double after split | +0.14% | About $2 |
| No late surrender | +0.08% | About $1 |
| 8 decks instead of 4 | +0.06% | Under $1 |
FAQ
Does 6:5 change the basic strategy chart?
No. Every hit, stand, double and split decision is identical. The payout only changes how much you win when you are dealt a natural.
What should I check before sitting down at any blackjack table?
In order: the blackjack payout, whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17, whether you can double after splitting, whether surrender is offered, and the number of decks.
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