Why 6 to 5 blackjack sucks

6 to 5 blackjack is just like any other blackjack game, i.e. 6 to 5 blackjack games have the same rule variations as regular blackjack, except that when you play 6 to 5 blackjack, the payout of a natural blackjack is 6 to 5 instead of the usual 3 to 2.

For some people, this might seem like a better deal. The numbers 6 and 5 are bigger than 3 and 2, which means you get more money if you win, right? Wrong! With payout odds of 6 to 5, you get £6 for every £5 you bet. So if you bet £10 with the original 3 to 2 payout you will win £15, but with the 6 to 5 payout you will only win £12. This policy will severely affect a player’s bankroll on many hands of play. In standard blackjack, a good player would expect to lose an average of £2.60 per 100 hands, assuming he wagers an average of £10 per hand. The reduced payout in blackjack from 6 to 5 means that the same player would expect to lose more than £14 in the same 100 hands.

Indeed, 6 to 5 blackjack seriously reduces the chances of a player hitting a lucky streak and making a profit. In fact, a player would have to be extremely lucky just to break even. Many blackjack enthusiasts have spoken out against 6 to 5 blackjack saying that natural blackjacks have to pay 3 to 2 otherwise the player does not have a fair chance of winning.

They also warn that if 6 to 5 blackjack becomes standard in casinos, people will lose interest in blackjack and possibly table games in casinos. They say that a payout of 6 to 5 in blackjack makes the game inherently unfair and as customers begin to realize that casinos are ripping them off, they will leave in droves.

There was no immediate backlash against 6 to 5 blackjack because, it is alleged, most casual players don’t understand how much this change affects their chances of winning. When they realize that they are losing money five times faster than in standard blackjack games, they will start to leave.

The other problem is that many casinos, especially casinos in Las Vegas, have promoted 6 to 5 blackjack as being better for players. It’s been advertised as a “huge 6 to 5 payout”, as if 6 to 5 is better than 3 to 2. Sure, the numbers are bigger, but that’s about it! It is often found that casinos advertise the game as ‘single deck blackjack’, which at payout rates of 3 to 2 is good for the player (especially card counters), but 6 to 5 payout is in small letter. As players become more familiar with these tactics, it is said that their trust in casinos will decrease and that could be very detrimental to the entire industry.

If that’s not clear yet, stay away from any blackjack games that offer only 6-5 payouts on natural blackjacks. You will lose money faster than if you blew holes in your pockets! And losing money quickly in a game where you don’t have much of a chance to win is no fun at all.