Game database
Blackjack
The rules of blackjack, the decisions a player makes, and why small rule changes move the house edge more than in almost any other casino game.
Filter and sort the game list
| Game | RTP | Volatility | Grid / lines | Released | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Infinite BlackjackEvolution · Live blackjack
|
— | Not published | Oct 2018 | ||
BlackJack MHPlay'n GO · RNG table game
|
— | Not published | 25 Oct 2012 | ||
BlackjackNetEnt · RNG table game
|
99.59% | Not published | — | ||
Lightning BlackjackEvolution · Live blackjack
|
— | Not published | — | ||
Free Bet BlackjackEvolution · Live blackjack
|
— | Not published | — |
Blackjack is a card game played against the dealer rather than other players. To win a hand, you must avoid going over 21 and then either finish with a higher total than the dealer or see the dealer bust1.
Cards two to nine count at face value, tens and picture cards count as ten, and an ace counts as one or eleven1. A two-card 21 is a blackjack. You choose whether to hit, stand, double or split, while the dealer has no choices and follows fixed drawing rules.
As a result, the house edge is unusually sensitive to the rules in force. Wizard of Odds calculates it at 0.28% under liberal Las Vegas Strip rules with optimal play2. Paying blackjacks at 6 to 5 instead of 3 to 2 adds 1.39 percentage points3, and a dealer who hits soft 17 adds about 0.221.
These are mathematical figures that assume every decision follows basic strategy. Departing from it increases the edge. Insurance is a separate side wager that pays 2 to 1 if the dealer's hidden card is worth ten, and it is capped at half the original bet1.
Each figure applies only to the rule set it describes. See our house edge guide for how they are derived.
FAQ
About blackjack
What is basic strategy?
Basic strategy is the set of mathematically best decisions for every combination of your hand and the dealer's visible card, under a particular set of rules. Published house edge figures assume it is followed on every hand. It brings the edge down to the level the rules allow, but it does not remove the house's advantage.
Why does a 6 to 5 blackjack payout matter so much?
Blackjacks come up often enough that cutting their payout has a large effect. According to Wizard of Odds, paying 6 to 5 instead of 3 to 2 increases the house edge by 1.39 percentage points. That is several times the whole edge of a game with favourable rules, which is why the blackjack payout is one of the first rules worth reading.
What does 'dealer hits soft 17' mean?
A soft 17 is a hand totalling 17 that includes an ace counted as eleven, such as an ace and a six. At some tables the dealer must stand on it; at others the dealer must draw another card. Wizard of Odds calculates that the hit rule costs the player about 0.22%.
Is digital blackjack dealt from a real deck?
Digital blackjack uses a random number generator to simulate shuffling and dealing, based on the number of decks stated in its rules. Live blackjack uses physical cards dealt on camera. Both follow the same basic rules, but deck count, payouts and dealer rules vary between versions, which is why a house edge figure only applies to the rule set it was calculated for.
Gambling can cause harm
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