Blackjack payouts are simple until you meet the one that matters. Every winning hand pays even money, a push returns your stake, and a natural blackjack pays a bonus. On a good table that bonus is 3:2. On a bad one it is 6:5. That single line in the rules changes the house edge more than every other rule on the table put together.
On this page
Every blackjack payout
| Bet result | Payout | On a $10 bet |
|---|---|---|
| Win | 1:1 | +$10 |
| Natural blackjack, 3:2 table | 3:2 | +$15 |
| Natural blackjack, 6:5 table | 6:5 | +$12 |
| Natural blackjack, even-money table | 1:1 | +$10 |
| Push | stake back | $0 |
| Loss | stake lost | −$10 |
| Surrender | half stake back | −$5 |
| Insurance, dealer has blackjack | 2:1 on the insurance bet | +$10 on a $5 insurance bet |
Why 6:5 costs so much
A natural blackjack comes in about 4.75% of hands, roughly one in twenty-one. On each one, a 6:5 table pays 0.3 bets less than a 3:2 table. Multiply: 0.3 × 4.75% ≈ 1.4% of every stake you make, on every hand, whether you get a blackjack or not.
| Table | House edge with basic strategy |
|---|---|
| 3:2, S17, double after split | about 0.45% |
| 6:5, S17, double after split | about 1.85% |
| 6:5, H17, double after split | about 2.05% |
What it means over a session
| Hands at $20 | Blackjacks, about | Lost to 6:5 on those hands | Extra expected cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 5 | $30 | about $28 |
| 500 | 24 | $144 | about $140 |
| 1,000 | 48 | $288 | about $280 |
The middle column is the direct loss: $6 per blackjack at a $20 stake. The last column is the change in the expected result of the session, which is about the same.
Play live and RNG blackjack with crypto.
How to spot a 6:5 table online
- Read the info screen. It lists "Blackjack pays 3:2" or "6:5".
- Look at the felt. Physical and live tables often print the payout on the layout.
- Be careful with single-deck games. They tempt with fewer decks and often pay 6:5, which more than wipes out the deck advantage.
- Watch for novelty games. Variants with bonus payouts sometimes trim the natural to pay for them.
Is 6:5 ever worth it?
Only if it is the sole table at your stake and you treat the extra 1.4 points as the price of playing there. A 3:2 table is almost always available at crypto casinos; most live studio tables pay 3:2.
Even money on a blackjack
When you hold a natural and the dealer shows an ace, some tables offer "even money": 1:1 now instead of 3:2 later. It is insurance under another name, and it costs you in the long run. Decline it. Our insurance and side bets page explains why.
Questions and answers
What does 3:2 mean in blackjack?
A natural blackjack pays three units for every two staked: $15 on a $10 bet, plus your stake back.
What does 6:5 mean in blackjack?
A natural pays six units for every five staked: $12 on a $10 bet. That is $3 less than 3:2 on every blackjack.
How much worse is 6:5 blackjack?
It adds about 1.4 percentage points to the house edge. A 3:2 table at about 0.45% becomes a 6:5 table at about 1.85%.
Do online casinos have 6:5 blackjack?
Some tables do. The payout is printed in the table's rules, so check it before playing.