- Blackjack Strategy Trainer
- 6-5 Blackjack Strategy
- 6 To 5 Single Deck Blackjack
- How To Beat Blackjack
- 6 To 5 Blackjack Payout Table
Blackjack Strategy Trainer
It’s a question that’s long-plagued blackjack players: How can casinos pay 6-to-5 for blackjack?
For many years in Las Vegas casinos, blackjacks paid 3-to-2. It was the standard. That means if you made a $10 bet, a blackjack would pay $15. In a 6-to-5 game, however, that same $10 bet will get you $12 for a blackjack.
If you bet $10 and get a blackjack in a traditional game (3-to-2 payoff on blackjack) you will win $15. In a 6-to-5 game that same $10 bet will net you only $12. So you're out $3 for every blackjack hand that you get. On average you'll get four blackjacks. Rio has 6:5 blackjack out of an 8 deck shoe. So does Ballys, Flamingo and Harrahs. I haven't been to The Quad or Bills recently enough to comment, but the have multi deck 6:5 disease was. In this video, I explain how to figure out the math when calculating a 6 to 5 payout on blackjack. This video is good for both players and dealers and it add. An average blackjack player with some intermediate experience will know that the single deck games are the best and will also fall for this 6-5 blackjack scam. Players will quickly realize how hard it is to find a truly fair 3/2 single deck game anywhere because of card counters and they will settle for the 6-5.
Doesn’t sound like too much at first glance, right? This simple change in rules gives the house an additional edge of 1.39%. Over time, that seemingly small difference can cost players a lot.
Casinos already have an edge. Paying 6-to-5 for blackjacks gives them even more.
6-5 Blackjack Strategy
In recent years, insidious 6-to-5 blackjack games have started popping up all over The Strip. In some casinos, it’s hard to find a 3-to-2 game at all.
Recently, we tried our hand at blackjack at a downtown casino, and were dismayed to learn, mid-game, that here, too, blackjacks paid 6-to-5. Not downtown! The infection is spreading!
As we do not tend to keep our displeasure to ourself in situations like this, we mentioned our disappointment to a pit boss (a casino floor manager), asking, “How can you pay 6-to-5 for blackjacks?”
6 To 5 Single Deck Blackjack
We got the most brutally honest answer, ever. The pit boss said, simply, “Because people still play.”
As we were picking our jaw up off the new casino carpet, we realized he was absolutely right. Poor game rules aren’t something casinos do to players. We do it to ourselves.
We vote with our business. If we refuse to play 6-to-5 blackjack, casinos won’t offer it. (Well, it won’t offer it as often, because there will always be people who don’t particularly care. They want to play where they want to play, and they clearly have money they don’t need.)
If we stay at hotels with resort fees, hotels will continue to charge resort fees.
If we attend shows where performers lip-sync, performers will continue to lip-sync.
It’s important to remember, though, we decide. So, what kind of Vegas experience will you have?
First of all, if you are wondering what 6-5 blackjack is, it has to do with the payout odds. Real blackjack, at least with the traditional rules, pays out $3 for every $2 bet by the player when the player is dealt a natural blackjack. This type of payout is 3-2 or a nice percentage of 150% of your original bet. Well 6/5 twenty-one means that the house pays out $6 for every $5 wagered, which is a 120% of the original bet during a natural 21 hand.
The rules pretty much stay the same in both types of the game but the only difference is in the 6:5 game, you don't win as much money. Many people do not have a clue about this and they just assume that it's a different variation where other bonuses will make up for the loss in the 21 payout but this isn't the case.
There is a simple history to the 6/5 blackjack game. It all started in Las Vegas when they decided to change the rules just slightly in order to bring in more money. They might have thought that having larger numbers like 6/5 might have been more appealing to customers than 3/2. Basically making people believe they are winning more cash than normal. For example, with a normal 3-to-2 payout, a player would be paid $150 with a $100 wager on a natural blackjack. With the 6-to-5 payout, you would only win $120 while making the same $100 bet. This isn't just a small change. In fact, the mathematical advantage of the house increases by 1.39% automatically on a 6/5 21 table.
Casinos are able to get away with doing this by tricking the new players or those with very little experience. It's a 'sucker' bet or a gimmick that inexperienced players and tourist tend to fall for. Many times these people are unaware of the odds or what game has better rules and they don't even think much of it. Luckily there are not too many of these tables around because a majority of people are knowledgeable and know better about this trick.
Playing single deck 6/5 blackjack 21 games
A game of blackjack with a single deck of cards is excellent for odds. A general rule of thumb is that when you are playing with fewer decks, your odds increase more favorably. It is also much easier to keep track of aces or other cards that have been dealt using systems of card counting. In fact, card counters love these single deck 21 games. This is one of the main reasons why casinos had to increase the decks to 4, 6, 8 and even 10 decks of cards per game all put into a shoe. The great number of decks will decrease the odds and this is what hurts the card counters.
When you are playing a game of 6/5 blackjack using a single deck, that just makes matters even worse. Fortunately, card counters are usually very well skilled in the game and they are good with numbers so they will catch this gimmick right away. The problem comes again with inexperienced players who are partially knowledgeable in the game. An average blackjack player with some intermediate experience will know that the single deck games are the best and will also fall for this 6-5 blackjack scam.
How To Beat Blackjack
Players will quickly realize how hard it is to find a truly fair 3/2 single deck game anywhere because of card counters and they will settle for the 6-5 single deck game instead assuming the odds are not decreased as much. In fact, even playing with eight decks will only give the house a 0.70% advantage where playing a 6-5 instead of 3-2 game will give the house a 1.36% edge! Although a single deck only has odds of 0.04% and you can review these odds over at our multiple deck odds page.
Refuse to give in to this scam
6 To 5 Blackjack Payout Table
Unfortunately, almost every single deck twenty-one game has the 6/5 style these days. It is very easy to look for though. Usually it is painted in large letters right on top of the table or on a sign close by. If you see anything like 'blackjack pays 6:5', then this is one of the bad games and you should always look for a table that says 3:2 instead. Do not play at these 6:5 tables. If you know anyone else who is, tell them to stop or else show them this website at lolblackjack.com so they can read the reasons behind this scam. Save your friends and family from losing money and making them a better player at the same time.
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