6-5 Blackjack

Why 6-5 Blackjack Sucks

6/5 Blackjack is a disturbing and relatively new trend in casino blackjack. 6/5 Blackjack is meant to take money out of your pocket. It's as simple as that and new blackjack players need to know the truth.

The History of 6/5 Blackjack

It was always taken for granted that a casino would pay 3-to-2 on a natural blackjack. If you drew a 21 on your first two cards, you take 50% more bet home. Players who bet $10 win $15 on a natural blackjack.

But in the last few years, Las Vegas casinos decided to change the old formula. Casinos set up 6/5 games, where the house pays only 6-to-5 on a natural blackjack.

So on a natural blackjack, the casino pays only $12 on a $10 bet. That becomes a huge difference in the amount of money you win in an hour's time. Changing the payoffs on blackjacks adds 1.39% to the house edge on that game of blackjack.

How did the casinos get away with this?

To walk past a 3:2 blackjack game and play 6:5 blackjack seems crazy. The answer is that casinos found a slick new way to market their new game, tricking novice players into handing over more money to the house.

Single Deck 6/5 Blackjack

Single Deck blackjack preys on the half-informed blackjack player if it only pays out at 6 to 5 for a blackjack. Almost everyone who steps into a casino knows that fewer decks mean better odds for blackjack players.

At a time, card counters began to affect the odds of blackjack by counting cards. In a one-deck game, if two Aces or seven "ten-cards" have been dealt, then you can keep track of what's been used and bet according.

To stack the odds in their favor again, casinos began adding more decks to the game. Most casinos use either 6-decks or 8-decks per game these days. This significantly cuts down on the advantage to card counting. So players see a one-deck game advertised and think, "Hey, I've got the odds in my favor here."

Don't Fall For It

Most single deck blackjack games are 6/5 blackjack now. Look for the sign that says "Blackjack pays 6/5" or something like that. If you see the 6:5 sign, walk away from the game. Whatever advantage you think you can gain from card counting, you're going to lose an automatic 1.39% from the 6/5 payouts.

If you've been playing 6/5 Blackjack and just figured out the trick, then stop. Then spread the word around to family and friends to stop playing this game. Not only are your friends giving away odds at the blackjack tables, but they're going to look foolish to the other blackjack players walking by the table. And you'll look smart explaining why 6/5 Blackjack is a scam.

See also:

• The Kelly Criterion
• Traits of Winning Blackjack Players
• Beat The Dealer Blackjack Book Review
• Card Counting Software
• Millionaire Casino Download
• Blackjack Sites Ordered By Traffic
• Card Counting in Blackjack
• Free Online Blackjack
• Blackjack Weaknesses
• Learning New Blackjack Skills
• Ryan Board Interview
• Bad Ideas in Blackjack
• Pro Blackjack Tips
• Blackjack Decision Making