A Comprehensive Guide to Blackjack Payouts
One of the main reasons blackjack is one of the most popular of all table games is because the player has so much control. From any hand dealt, the player decides to stand, hit, or double down.
Having a full understanding of the different blackjack payouts, the probabilities of triggering larger payouts, and the payout rates to avoid, will give you more confidence when playing. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know in this comprehensive blackjack payouts guide!
Calculating Payout Odds in Blackjack
What we mean by calculating payout odds in blackjack is establishing the probability of you, the player, getting a payout, as well as how the house edge works. Once you know your odds of getting a payout, you can weigh your betting strategies and bankroll management at the table.
Probability of Winning Each Hand
In an average game of blackjack, you have around a 42.2% chance of winning a hand. This leaves an 8.5% chance of drawing with the dealer, and a 49.3% chance of the dealer winning. However, the table’s rules, the number of decks in play, and your application of optimal strategy will swing your probability of winning.
You can also look to the dealer’s up card to work out your probability of winning a hand. If the up card shows two to eight, the player has the advantage, ranging from 5.4% to 23.9%. Showing a card valued from nine to ace gives the house the advantage, which ranges from 4.3% to 16.9%.
House Edge
As blackjack puts the decision-making into the hands of the player, the house edge can vary a fair bit. If you make the best plays per basic strategy, the blackjack house edge sits at 0.5%. However, miscalculated plays can push the house edge out to 2% or even 4%, depending on the table’s rules. It’s incredibly low for casino games.
Payout Structure in Blackjack
There are a few different ways to get a payout in blackjack, including winning the round, getting blackjack, and cashing in on the insurance option.
Standard Payouts
The standard blackjack payouts are 1:1 for getting a higher hand value than the dealer while remaining under 21. You can also take out insurance if the dealer’s up card is an ace. You bet half the value of your initial bet and if the dealer shows natural blackjack (a value of 21 from two cards), you get a 2:1 payout.
Blackjack vs Regular Wins
If you get blackjack, the payout will either be 3:2 or 6:5. If the payout is 6:5, you may want to change tables. At 3:2, you get an additional 50% bump on a regular blackjack payout for beating the dealer without getting to 21. So, blackjack (3:2) pays more than regular wins (1:1).
Importance of Payout Ratios
Payout ratios are very important to your long-term strategy and ability to shorten the house edge. In fact, payout ratios are one of the more influential factors. Using a basic strategy at a 3:2 table gives a house edge of around 0.5%, but at a 6:5 table that house edge surges to 2% even when using basic strategy.
Common Payout Odds in Blackjack
Online blackjack has expanded blackjack payouts drastically. Still, at just about every table worth playing at, these are the odds of the top common payouts in blackjack.
Natural Blackjack (3:2)
Getting natural blackjack, which is when you’re dealt a hand value of 21, starts at odds of around 4.83%. This is for single-deck play. With each additional deck in the shoe, the probability edges out to 4.78% with two decks, 4.75% with four, and 4.749% with six. Overall, the odds remain similar enough that the number of decks doesn’t matter too much.
Insurance (2:1)
Insurance only becomes available if the dealer’s hole card shows an ace. From there, the dealer needs to reveal an accompanying ten-value card, which would be a ten, jack, queen, or ace. Putting your own two cards aside, of the 51 remaining cards of a single deck, only 16 are the ones the dealer needs. This gives them a 31.4% shot at drawing a ten card or a 68.6% chance that you’ll lose the insurance bet that only pays 1:1 anyway.
Even Money (1:1)
Once you put your chips down, on average, you’ll have odds of 42.2% of winning that next hand. Some of that calculated win percentage does factor in a 3:2 blackjack payout, but most of those wins will be at 1:1.
6 to 5 Odds
At blackjack tables with odds of 6:5 for blackjack, you’re essentially forfeiting £3 for every £10 bet that hits blackjack. At 3:2, you return £25 from £10, but at 6:5, it’s only a £22 return, marking a 12% loss by comparison.
Variations in Blackjack Payouts
Table rules and blackjack variants can all make blackjack payouts differ slightly. They can also vary the probabilities of getting a blackjack payout if you apply a sound strategy.
European Blackjack vs American Blackjack
Opposite to the difference between American Roulette and European Roulette, the rules of American blackjack games slightly favour the player over European versions. In European blackjack, the dealer only gets their second card after all of the players have performed their moves.
It’s a minor draw from the house edge, but in the American game, the dealer’s ability to check for natural blackjack before players can increase or double down on their bets is an advantage to players. In American blackjack games like Vinnie Jones Blackjack, the house edge is cut down by another 0.05%.
Table Specific Rules
The biggest table-specific rule that impacts blackjack payouts is the 3:2 or 6:5 payout on getting a hand value of 21. You may also find that some variants of blackjack offer side bets with different payout values – often far higher than the usual top pay of 3:2. In Lucky Ladies Blackjack, the top payout is 100:1 for a queen of hearts pair.
Strategies for Maximising Blackjack Payouts
At any table, the key to maximising blackjack payouts is to manage your bankroll long enough for a potential early bad run to level out and to apply a strategy that allows you to make optimised plays on every hand.
Effective Bankroll Management
On any given hand, the dealer has a 49.3% chance of winning. However, this doesn’t mean that it will be a tie or a player win on every other turn. It’s always best to plan for your session and ensure that you have enough funds to place the same bet value throughout.
With RNG blackjack games like Multihand Blackjack, you can play a hand in about 30 seconds, if not less. So, if you’re planning to play for an hour, you’d split your session bankroll by 120 and bet that amount on each game. Of course, in this instance, a £120 bankroll would be split evenly into £1 per hand.
At the end of the session, you’ll have whatever you won left over and can take that as your winnings. Some like to lean into bankroll and bet sizing strategies like the Fibonacci sequence and the Martingale system, but when not applied to 50-50 bets, these forms of win-chasing and loss-redeeming can backfire tremendously.
Blackjack Strategies
The main blackjack strategy that you need to know is basic strategy. You can find it perfectly laid out in a colour-coded table online for any blackjack game rules or deck count. The charts demonstrate the optimised way to play any hand against any dealer up card based on the calculations of probability.
Card Counting and Payout Implications
Card counting begins with understanding basic strategy. From there, you’ll need to apply hefty memory tricks to work out which cards have left the shoe. Anyone who can master card counting can bring down the house edge significantly in physical games of blackjack. Online, with a slight exception to live casino blackjack, the round-to-round reshuffle essentially eliminates the effectiveness of card counting.
Tips for Understanding Blackjack Payout Odds
Every rule that’s part of gameplay on any given blackjack table will influence the blackjack payout odds, from the number of decks to when the dealer is forced to stand. To get the best blackjack payouts you need to register all of these factors.
Pay Attention to the Table’s Rules
As we’ve gone through, one of the biggest table rules that matters is how much each kind of win returns. Ideally, look for 3:2 on blackjack, 1:1 on wins, and 2:1 on insurance. Being given the chance to double down in certain situations can also help improve your odds if played correctly.
Then, there are dealer rules to consider. For the most part, table rules dictate that the dealer will either hit on soft 17 or stand on 17. Needing to stand on 17 is marginally better for the player because hitting on soft 17 offers a 0.8% chance that the dealer will get to 18 or better, compared to a 0.4% bust chance.
How Game Variation Impacts Payouts
Game variation changes the house edge, and thus, the odds of getting a blackjack payout. As payouts will usually be at the same ratio, playing at tables with more favourable game variations makes those payouts marginally more likely.
Understanding Betting Options and Side Bet Payouts
Side bets have become big favourites in blackjack for their colossal odds. Popular side bets include Perfect Pairs, 21+3, Suit’em Up, Lucky Ladies, Buster Blackjack, and Lucky Lucky.
To ensure that tables with lots of side bets are worth playing, check that the core blackjack payouts remain the same. Some shave the blackjack payout to 6:5 for example, to allow for side bets. It’s also important to keep in mind that side bets have such long odds because they are very unlikely to happen.
As for regular betting options, the vast majority of players who can’t card count should always ignore insurance. This especially rings true for online blackjack players. Quite simply, the probability of the dealer getting the card that they need – less than a one-in-three shot – greatly outweighs the cost (50% of your bet) and return (1:1) of the bet.
FAQs
How are potential winnings calculated in blackjack?
Potential winnings in blackjack are calculated by applying your bet size to the ratio of the odd, and then by adding in your bet amount. At a regular table, you’ll get 3:2 for a hand that hits 21. This means that for every £2 bet, you’ll get £3 back. So, a bet of £10 will return £15 from the win as well as return your £10 wager to pocket £25. For a regular win, you’ll get 1:1 odds, so a winning £10 bet will return £20.
What are the odds of winning in blackjack?
On any given hand, your odds of winning in blackjack is around 42.2%, with a push or draw set at close to 8.5%.
What are the best odds at the blackjack table?
The best odds at a standard blackjack table are 3:2 for winning blackjack, 1:1 for regular wins, and 2:1 for insurance. When you take side bets into account, you could win up to 100:1 in 21+3, 25:1 in Perfect Pairs, and even a massive 5000:1 if you find a Super Sevens table!
How do you maximise the odds in blackjack?
To maximise the odds in blackjack, you should learn basic strategy. You can find the strategy as a chart, but with it, you can make the optimised play for every hand dealt, maximising your odds in the long run.
What are the odds of getting a 21 in blackjack?
In a single-deck game of blackjack, the odds of getting 21 from your initial hand is around 4.83%. That percentage decreases very slightly with the number of decks in play and if the deck is shuffled between rounds – both of which are common elements of RNG online blackjack games.
How much does blackjack payout?
Blackjack pays out at 3:2 at most blackjack tables. This means that if you bet £20 and get a value of 21 in your hand, you’ll be paid £50, which is £3 for every £2 bet plus your original stake.
Why avoid 6 to 5 blackjack tables?
A blackjack table that offers odds of 6:5 instead of the standard 3:2 reduces the payout when you get blackjack, which in turn increases the house edge from around 0.5% for 3:2 tables to close to 2% at 6:5 tables.
Does blackjack pay 1 to 1?
Blackjack doesn’t pay 1:1. Winning a hand at a blackjack table without getting 21 pays 1:1, while blackjack will usually pay 3:2.
What is the most common payout for blackjack?
The most common payout for blackjack is 3:2, but beware the tables that make the blackjack return 6:5.