Why some blackjack tables pay 6 to 5

Why do some blackjack tables pay 6 to 5? The short answer

Tables pay 6 to 5 because it earns the casino more without changing how the game looks. The cards, the dealer and the decisions are identical; only the bonus for a natural shrinks. Wizard of Odds' table of rule variations (opens in a new tab) puts the cost to players at 1.39% of every stake, which is several times the whole house edge of a good 3 to 2 game. Its blackjack basics (opens in a new tab) page goes further, describing short-paid blackjacks as a rule strongly in the casino's favour and urging players to accept nothing worse than 3 to 2.

If you are new to blackjack payouts, the key point is that a blackjack is the only hand that pays more than even money in the standard game. Shave that payout and you take money straight from the player's best moments.

What a 6 to 5 blackjack payout actually pays

Payouts are written "to 1" style: winnings first, stake second, and you keep your stake on top. At 3 to 2 you win £3 for every £2 staked; at 6 to 5 you win £6 for every £5.

6 to 5 sounds bigger than 3 to 2 because the numbers are larger. That impression is exactly backwards: 3 to 2 is 1.5 to 1 and 6 to 5 is 1.2 to 1. Our full comparison of 3:2 against 6:5 walks through more examples.

The maths: how 6 to 5 adds 1.39% to the house edge

You can get very close to the published figure with simple arithmetic. A blackjack needs an ace and a ten-value card. Treating the shoe as infinite, the chance is (4/13 × 1/13) × 2 = 8/169, about 4.73%. From a single deck it is 4 aces × 16 tens ÷ 1,326 two-card hands = 64/1,326, about 4.83%.

When the dealer also has blackjack, your hand pushes and the payout doesn't matter. That happens about 4.73% of the time, so your blackjack actually gets paid about 4.73% × 95.27%, or 4.5% of hands. Each paid blackjack is 0.3 units short (1.5 minus 1.2). Multiply: 4.5% × 0.3 ≈ 1.35% of every stake. The exact figure from Wizard of Odds, which allows for the cards already dealt, is 1.39%.

The per-hour figures assume 60 hands an hour at £10, which is an illustration, not a measured pace. Expected loss is stake × house edge, as our page on expected value explains, so the extra cost scales directly with how much you bet and how fast you play.

Why casinos choose 6 to 5 over 3 to 2

• It is the biggest single lever. Few other rules move the edge by more than a few tenths of a percent. The dealer hitting soft 17 costs players 0.22%; banning doubling after splits 0.14%. 6 to 5 costs 1.39%.
• Players rarely notice. Blackjacks come only about once every 21 hands, so the shortfall feels occasional, even though it affects the average on every hand.
• It funds attractive-looking features. A 6 to 5 table can advertise a single deck or low minimum stakes while still earning more than a standard shoe game.
• It is allowed. No Gambling Commission rule sets blackjack payouts. Operators must tell you the rules and the chances of winning, so the payout is published, but choosing the payout is up to them.

The result is a game that looks familiar but costs far more. Our guide to how casinos make money covers the wider business logic.

The single-deck 6 to 5 trap

Fewer decks help the player. Wizard of Odds values a single deck at +0.48% against an eight-deck shoe, all else equal. That is why 6 to 5 is often paired with single-deck games: the casino offers the rule players have heard is good, then takes back three times as much through the payout.

A worked example from Wizard of Odds makes the point: a single-deck game with a 0.05% house edge rises to 1.44% once blackjack pays 6 to 5. In pounds, the expected cost of a £10 hand goes from half a penny to about 14p. Over 60 hands that is roughly 30p against £8.64.

No combination of friendly rules on a normal table makes up for 6 to 5. Our page on single-deck blackjack explains what to look for, and the number of decks page shows how much each deck is worth.

Games that pay even money on blackjack by design

Not every reduced payout is a trap. Some variants pay even money on blackjack but give something valuable back elsewhere, which is part of the published game design rather than a quiet rule change.

• Blackjack Switch: you play two hands and may swap their second cards. Blackjacks pay even money and a dealer 22 pushes, yet Wizard of Odds' Blackjack Switch analysis (opens in a new tab) gives a 0.58% house edge under six-deck Las Vegas rules.
• Double Exposure: both dealer cards are face up, so you know exactly what you must beat. Blackjacks pay even money and the dealer wins ties except on naturals; Wizard of Odds lists edges from 0.26% to 1.47% depending on the rules.

The test is simple: compare the overall house edge, not one rule. Even money on its own costs 2.27%, so a variant needs a big compensating feature to justify it.

How to spot a 6 to 5 blackjack table online

1. Open the game and find the help or rules screen (often an "i" or question-mark icon).
2. Look for the line about blackjack payouts. It should say a blackjack pays 3 to 2 or 3:2.
3. Check the game's stated RTP or house edge; operators must give information on your chances of winning.
4. Note the deck count and soft 17 rule too, so you can compare tables fairly.
5. If the payout is 6 to 5 or lower and the game has no compensating feature, choose a different table.
6. Use the house edge calculator to turn the edge into a cost per hour at your stake.

We don't state that every UK online table pays 3 to 2, because no regulator or developer statement sets a UK standard. Most branded live and RNG games list their payouts in the help screen, so check each one.

6 to 5 blackjack myths

• "6 to 5 pays more because the numbers are bigger." It pays 1.2 times your stake, against 1.5 times at 3 to 2.
• "It only matters when I get blackjack." The shortfall comes from your best hands, but it raises the average cost of every hand you play.
• "Good strategy makes up for it." Correct basic strategy reduces the edge on any table, but it can't recover 1.39%.
• "Single deck is always better." Only if the payout stays at 3 to 2.

For more misconceptions, see our page of blackjack myths, or read why the standard bonus is 3 to 2 in the first place.

Where to play 3 to 2 blackjack and how the offers fit

Our partner welcome offers are slot offers, so they won't fund blackjack: table and live games are often excluded or count for less towards wagering. For blackjack, browse the casino's table game lobby and read each game's payout line. Casumo's welcome deal is a 50% bonus up to £100 on a first deposit of £20 or more for new customers who opt in, wagered 10x within 7 days, with a £5 maximum bet while active (18+, game, play and payment restrictions apply). 10bet gives new UK customers a 100% match up to £25 when they pick the casino welcome bonus at sign-up and deposit within 7 days, with 10x wagering on slots inside 3 days, a £1,000 cap on bonus winnings and Skrill and Neteller excluded (18+, terms apply).

Coral offers new players 100 free spins, 10p each on selected slots, for depositing and staking £10 on slots, with 48 hours to accept, 7 days to use the spins and no wagering on winnings; some payment methods don't qualify (18+, terms apply). See the blackjack hub for rules and strategy before you choose a table.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.