3:2 vs 6:5 Blackjack
Never play 6:5 blackjack if a 3:2 table exists. The smaller blackjack payout adds about 1.4% to the house edge — it costs more than every strategy mistake you'll make combined.
No rule on the felt matters more than the two little numbers after "BLACKJACK PAYS." Players study charts for hours, then sit at a table that silently taxes them more than any misplayed hand ever could.
The math in one table
| On a $20 bet | 3:2 table | 6:5 table |
|---|---|---|
| Blackjack pays | $30 | $24 |
| You're shorted | — | $6 per blackjack |
| Blackjack frequency | ~4.7% of hands (about 1 in 21) | |
| Added house edge | — | ≈ +1.4% of every bet |
Put that in context: a 6-deck H17 game played with perfect basic strategy has a house edge around 0.6%. Switch the payout to 6:5 and it jumps to about 2.0% — the casino more than triples its take, and there is nothing your strategy can do about it. You can play every hand perfectly and still pay more than a sloppy player at the 3:2 table next to you.
What it costs per hour
At $25 bets and a typical 70 hands per hour, the 6:5 rule alone costs about $25 extra per hour in expectation (70 × $25 × 1.4%). Over a weekend trip, the "same game" with the small print quietly takes hundreds more — for the identical cards, identical decisions, identical fun.
How to spot it (and what to do)
- Read the felt arc near the dealer: "BLACKJACK PAYS 3 TO 2" or "…6 TO 5." It's always printed. If a digital sign lists rules, check there too.
- Beware the cheap-table trap. Casinos put 6:5 disproportionately on the lowest-minimum tables. A $15 minimum 3:2 game is far cheaper to play than a $10 minimum 6:5 game.
- Single-deck 6:5 is not a deal. "Single deck!" sounds player-friendly, but with the 6:5 payout it's one of the worst common games in the house. The payout rule outweighs the deck count by a mile.
- Ranking the rules: 3:2 payout first, then S17 over H17 (~0.2%), then extras like double-after-split and surrender. None of the others come close to the payout rule.
Frequently asked questions
Why do casinos offer 6:5 at all?
Because it works. The rule was introduced in the 2000s on single-deck games and spread because most players don't read the felt — and a $6 difference on one hand doesn't feel like the ~1.4% permanent tax it is.
Does 6:5 change basic strategy?
No — every chart play stays the same, because the payout only affects hands where you're dealt a natural and have no decision to make. That's what makes it so insidious: skill can't defend against it.
Is 6:5 ever acceptable?
Only if it's genuinely the only game available and you accept you're paying ~3x for the entertainment. If any 3:2 table exists at any nearby minimum you can afford, that's the better seat — even at a higher minimum.