6 to 5 blackjack is just like any other blackjack game, that is, 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? Mistaken! With payout odds of 6 to 5, you get £6 for every £5 you wager. So if you bet £10 with the original payout of 3 to 2, you will win £15, but with the payout of 6 to 5 you will only win £12. This policy will severely affect player bankroll in many hands of play. In standard blackjack, a good player would expect to lose an average of £2.60 per 100 hands, assuming he bets 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.
Effectively, 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 doesn’t 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 most casual players allegedly 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 walk away.
The other problem is that many casinos, especially those in Las Vegas, have promoted 6 to 5 blackjack as being better for players. It has 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! You often find casinos advertising the game as ‘single deck blackjack’ which at payout rates of 3 to 2 is good for the player (especially card counters) but the payout of 6 to 5 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 damaging for the entire industry.
If it’s not clear yet, stay away from any blackjack game that offers only 6-5 payouts on natural blackjacks. You will lose money faster than if you put holes in your pockets! And losing money quickly in a game where you don’t have much chance of winning is not fun at all.