Gambling terms, explained straight

Casino & Table Games

Blackjack pays 3 to 2

A payout rule where a winning natural blackjack is paid 3 units for every 2 units wagered, equivalent to 1.5 times the bet.

Payout ratio
3:2 (1.5 to 1 on the wager)12
House edge effect
Lowers the house edge by 0.32% in six-deck blackjack vs. a 6:5 payout5
Example
A $10 bet pays $15 profit62

Key points

  • A natural blackjack (ace plus ten-value card) is paid 3:2 instead of even money, giving the player an extra half unit per winning blackjack.14
  • The 3:2 payout is the traditional standard; tables offering 6:5 or 1:1 (even money) significantly increase the house edge and are less favourable to players.62
  • A 2:1 payout, sometimes offered as a promotion, pays double the bet on a blackjack and is even more advantageous than 3:2.3

Where this term is used

Not the same as

  • Blackjack — the hand itself, which can exist under any payout rule including 6:5 or 1:1
  • Blackjack 21 — a synonym for the game of blackjack, not a payout rule
Casino games Blackjack The card game in which the 3:2 payout rule applies to a natural blackjack. Casino games Insurance blackjack A side bet offered when the dealer shows an ace, separate from the main 3:2 payout. Casino games Basic strategy blackjack The mathematically optimal playing decisions, which assume a standard 3:2 payout. Casino games Blackjack strategy card A reference card showing basic strategy moves, often designed for 3:2 tables. Casino games Blackjack rules dealer Dealer rules like hitting on soft 17 that interact with the 3:2 payout. Casino games Blackjack 21 Another name for the game of blackjack, where 3:2 is the traditional payout.

Sources

  1. Blackjack wizardofodds.com Defines the 3:2 payout rule and its application to natural blackjack.
  2. Blackjack Odds (3 to 2 opposed to 6 to 5) wizardofodds.com Provides the 1.5-to-1 equivalent and compares 3:2 with 6:5.
  3. Blackjack - Special Rules and Promotions wizardofodds.com Describes the 2:1 payout as a promotional rule.
  4. Why the number of decks matters in blackjack wizardofodds.com Explains the extra half unit gained by the player under 3:2.
  5. Ask The Wizard #226 wizardofodds.com Gives the 0.32% house edge reduction for 3:2 vs. 6:5 in six-deck blackjack.
  6. Blackjack en.wikipedia.org Confirms the 3:2 payout as standard and provides the $10 bet example.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.