GREED OR EVOLUTION?
6:5 Blackjack: How casinos are changing the game and why players should care
By Al O’Grady
I often get feedback from readers and one enthusiastic comment I typically get is why I have not written about casinos paying 6:5 on blackjacks. As we all know the norm has always been a 3:2 payout on blackjack but this game continues to evolve, and this is another chapter in that evolution. Casinos on the Las Vegas Strip seem to have embraced this more than others, but that begs the question, why?
There is the glib response, “Because they can,” but I summarize it in one word, greed.
Let us start with the math and the impact this can have on the player. Playing 6:5 blackjack means that the player wins $6 for every $5 wagered, or $1.20 for every $1 bet when getting that beloved A-10 combination. With the 3-2 game, the player wins $3 for every $2 wagered, or $1.50 for every $1 bet. That means the casino has pilfered an extra $0.30 for each $1 wagered from the player when he gets a blackjack. But what does that do to the overall house edge? It is very difficult to give a perfect answer to this because of the minor variations in the house rules from casino to casino (i.e., no doubling after splitting, hitting vs sticking on a soft 17, allowing surrender, etc.). But in general, if a player is playing perfect strategy the house may have a 0.5% edge over him in a 3:2 game. That means the house can realize a $0.50 edge for each $100 wagered over time. In a 6:5 game, that house edge increases to 2%, which means the casino realizes income of $2 per $100 wagered. When you multiply that by the number of people playing blackjack on the Vegas Strip, 24-7, 365 days a year, the added revenue stream can be staggering.
But is 6:5 blackjack the industry standard? Certainly not. Is it a growing trend? I cannot offer conclusive evidence one way or the other. While doing research for this article it was exceedingly difficult getting recent data showing how many casinos have gone or will be going to the 6:5 game. It is very much location driven. In a report from 2015, 64% of casinos in Vegas had 6:5; nine percent of casinos in the Midwestern states had it; 18% in the West; 17% in the East; and 25% in the southern U.S. I deal in Canada, and I am not aware of any casino with 6:5 in the province of Ontario. Regardless how many casinos are going the 6:5 route, the industry is certainly watching with keen interest.
Casinos must be incredibly careful not to be a victim of their own success. When run properly, a casino is a license to print money. I have never known anyone that put a casino into bankruptcy, with one exception, and that man went on to become president of the United States in 2016, but I digress. Casinos are successful because they always have a house edge, and they prey upon their customers’ greed. They constantly dangle that proverbial carrot in front of the player’s nose with grand illusions of easy money and lots of it. Greed may be a player’s downfall, and it could be a casino’s as well. It is no wonder that greed is one of the seven deadly sins.
Corporations run casinos and are always looking to maximize profit. But short-term revenue enhancement can lead to long-term diminishing growth. Business 101 is to give the customer what he wants at a profit. But if increased profits lead to a decrease in customer satisfaction, the player will not see a value proposition and will take his business elsewhere. To the keen observer this may seem elementary, but unfortunately, we are assuming that all players are rational.
Speaking from personal experience, it boggles the mind how many players will buy in for $500 to $1,000 at a $25 table and not have a clue about basic strategy. If they do not know what to do with 15 against a dealer’s six, do you think they understand the ramifications of 6:5 vs 3:2 payouts on a blackjack? Casinos are relying on this ignorance. PT Barnum would be proud. He knew that there is a sucker born every minute and that a fool and his money are easily parted. The thing is, there are a number of us that enjoy games of chance and understand the odds but take great exception to being taken advantage of by the big, bad casino.
So, what does the intelligent gambler do? How do we fight back? The quick answer is not to play. Not only refuse to play at the tables that have 6:5 payouts, but also refuse to stay at their hotel as well, and most importantly let the pit boss know your displeasure but do it in a respectful fashion.
You can write a formal complaint to the Nevada State Gaming Commission. You might roll your eyes at that suggestion, but do not underestimate this. If a bully can take advantage of you, they will. If you throw up the white flag, the bully has won without a fight. On a similar note, reach out to local government officials and let them know you will not be making the trip to Vegas. Tell them there are plenty of casinos across the country and Vegas is no longer the only game in town. Vegas thrives on tourism and if this rule change impacts the number of people coming in, they will reconsider how casinos are treating its customers.
While I may be showing my age by suggesting a letter-writing campaign, Gen-Xers and those under 30 have a ubiquitous device: the cell phone. They frequent social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. These are excellent platforms not only to voice displeasure but also to educate others, calling for blackjack players to boycott the 6:5 game.
Another suggestion is to play a different game. Baccarat has better odds for the player than blackjack. It is an incredibly easy game to play, and the action can get intense.
These are all ideas to fight back against the casino, but in the end, money rules. Las Vegas will change the 6:5 blackjack rule if it starts affecting their bottom line. Back in the early 1990s, they experimented with marketing Vegas as a family vacation spot. It didn’t take long to realize that dad doesn’t want to bring his 9-year-old daughter to a place called Sin City, and high rollers don’t want to shoot craps with little Johnny tugging at their coattails. Vegas changed back then, and it can change again with 6:5 blackjack—but only if we speak their language. Money talks, and actions speak louder than words. Let your voice be heard and make the casino take action.
Good luck at the tables and do not forget to tip the dealer.
Al O’Grady has been a blackjack dealer for over seven years. He is a freelance writer with an economics degree and is currently pursuing a degree in mathematics.
