Why Does Blackjack Favor the House?

The casino game of blackjack, also known as twenty-one, is the most popular table game in American casinos. Despite its popularity, blackjack actually favors the house. The house edge in blackjack is the percentage of each bet that the casino expects to keep over the long run.

The typical American casino keeps about a 4% edge on blackjack. That may not sound like much, but it means that for every $100 you bet, the casino expects to keep $4. .

 Exclusive BlackJack Casino Offers: 

One way the casino gains an edge is by using multiple decks of cards. When there are more decks in play, it becomes more difficult for players to keep track of which cards have been played and which remain in the deck.

This gives the casino an advantage because players are more likely to make errors when they can’t keep track of the cards.

PRO TIP:The house edge in Blackjack is created by the fact that the dealer always plays last. This means that, even if you have a good hand, the dealer has the opportunity to draw to a better hand and beat yours. As such, the odds are always in favor of the house.

Another way casinos gain an edge is by offering insurance bets. Insurance bets are offered when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace.

These bets cost half of the original bet and pay 2-1 if the dealer has a blackjack. While this may seem like a good deal, it actually favors the casino because the odds of the dealer having a blackjack are only about 9%.

Blackjack also favors the house because of what’s known as the dealer’s natural advantage. This is the advantage that dealers have because they act last in every hand.

This means that they can see what everyone else has done before making their own decisions.

The dealer’s natural advantage combined with player errors give casinos a significant edge in blackjack. That’s why, over time, casinos always come out ahead when it comes to this popular game.