Casino & Table Games

Casino blackjack odds

Natural blackjack payout

Traditionally 3:2; some tables pay 6:5 or even money¹²

House edge (6:5 vs 3:2)

A 6:5 payout adds about 1.36% to the house edge²

Frequency of blackjack

A natural blackjack occurs in roughly 4.8% of hands¹

Key points

• The house edge for blackjack varies by rule set and number of decks, typically falling between 0.5% and 1% under standard rules¹.
• Payout variations such as 6:5 or even-money blackjack significantly increase the house edge compared to the traditional 3:2 payout³.
• Unlike fixed-odds games, blackjack odds change as cards are dealt, because the remaining deck composition shifts probabilities round to round⁴.

Where this term is used

• Casino floor
• Blackjack
• Odds and probability

Not the same as

• Baccarat odds vs blackjack — a comparison of two different games with distinct payout structures and house edges
• Casino Hold'em odds — based on poker-hand probabilities and a different house-banked structure, not governed by blackjack hand-completion rules

Related terms

Sources

1. Blackjack en.wikipedia.org Provides the standard 3:2 payout, frequency of blackjack, and house edge ranges.
2. Blackjack Odds (3 to 2 opposed to 6 to 5) wizardofodds.com Gives the house edge increase for 6:5 payouts relative to 3:2.
3. Blackjack wizardofodds.com Supports the effect of payout variations on house edge.
4. Optimal Betting in Casino Blackjack tandfonline.com Explains that blackjack odds change as cards are dealt.

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.