Types of blackjack differ in the cards, the payouts or the dealer's rules, and those differences decide what each game costs you. Of the games in the table, Double Deck has the lowest house edge (0.39%) and Single Deck 6:5 the highest (1.44%), under the rules shown. Rules differ from table to table.
What sets a game apart
Two tables can both be called blackjack and still cost very different amounts to sit at. The name tells you the target, 21, and little else, which is why the different types of blackjack are best told apart by their rules. What sets one game apart from another is a short list of rules, and the same handful keeps turning up: how many decks are in the shoe, what the dealer does on a soft 17, whether the dealer takes a hole card, what a natural pays, which hands you may double or split, whether you can give up half your bet, and the one odd rule the game is built around. Change one of them and you have a different game with a different house edge. These blackjack variations are the whole reason this site compares games instead of listing them.
Fewer decks help the player, because every card removed moves the odds further and naturals turn up more often. A single deck looks best on paper, which is why it is often sold with a worse payout.
A soft 17 holds an ace counted as 11. Where the dealer must stand on it, the player is better off. Where the dealer hits it, the house gains a little on every round.
Most tables deal the dealer a second card face down and peek for a natural. The European style deals it only after the players have acted, which makes doubles and splits riskier.
A natural paying three to two is standard. Six to five looks close and takes far more from the player than any other single change. It is the rule to check first.
The hands you may double, whether you may double after a split and how often you may resplit all tilt the edge. Restricting doubling to totals of 9, 10 or 11, as Double Exposure does, costs the player.
Late surrender lets you give up half the bet after the dealer checks for a natural. A few games offer a rescue on a doubled hand instead. Both trim the cost of a bad spot.
Bonus payouts, free doubles, a dealer 22 that pushes, tens removed from the deck, two face-up dealer cards. This is the rule that gives a variant its name, and it always takes something back.
Comparison matrix
Every game below is one row, read across the rules that matter and ending in the house edge. The figures are averages per starting bet under the rules in that row, worked out from regulator rule documents and listed with their assumptions on the methodology page. Two rows are plain blackjack, included as yardsticks so you can see how far each variant moves away from ordinary play. Select any column heading to sort. Read down a column to see how the games compared on that rule, and across a row to see what one game does.
Atlantic City rules Plain blackjack
| Eight decks | Stands | 3:2 | Any two cards, after split | Late | 0.36% 0.56% if the dealer hits soft 17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Double Deck
| Two decks | Hits | 3:2 | Any two cards, after split | None | 0.39% |
Spanish 21
| Six decks of 48 | Stands | 3:2 | Any cards, after split, with rescue | Late | 0.41% 0.81% if the dealer hits soft 17 |
European Blackjack Modelled reference
| Six decks | Stands | 3:2 | Any two cards, after split | None | 0.52% 0.41% if a dealer natural takes only the original bet |
| Comparison rules Plain blackjack | Six decks | Hits | 3:2 | Any two cards, after split | None | 0.62% |
Free Bet Blackjack
| Six decks | Hits | 3:2 | Any two cards, after split | None | 1.02% 0.71% if the dealer stands on soft 17 |
Single Deck 6:5 Modelled reference
| One deck | Hits | 6:5 | Any two cards, after split | None | 1.44% |
Blackjack Switch
| Six decks | Hits | 1:1 | Any two cards, after split | None | No figure published |
Double Exposure
| Six decks | Hits | 1:1 | Hard 9 to 11, not after split | None | No figure published |
Pontoon
| Eight decks of 48 | Hits | 3:2 | Any cards, after split, with rescue | Late, against ten or ace | No figure published |
House edge is the average loss per round as a share of the starting bet, under the rules in the row. The figure beside a headline shows the same game under its other documented rule. Rules differ from table to table, so check the felt before you compare.
The odds
Which blackjack has the best odds? Under the rules shown, the lowest house edge belongs to ordinary blackjack with a generous rule set, and the variants sit close behind or well above it. The gap between games is often smaller than the gap between two tables of the same game. The same title can be a good game or a poor one depending on the small print, so which blackjack has the best odds depends on the rule card as much as the name.
Take four games that publish two documented versions. Atlantic City rules cost 0.36% (Atlantic City blackjack, dealer stands on soft 17. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 8 decks, dealer stands on soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, late surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) with the dealer standing on soft 17 and 0.56% (Atlantic City blackjack, dealer hits soft 17. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 8 decks, dealer hits soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, late surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) when the dealer hits it. Spanish 21 moves from 0.41% (Spanish 21, dealer stands on soft 17. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 6 decks of 48 cards (the ten-spot cards removed), dealer stands on soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any number of cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces may be resplit, split aces may be hit, late surrender, a doubled bet may be rescued, a player 21 beats a dealer 21, bonus payouts: 5-card 21 pays 3:2, 6-card 21 pays 2:1, 7-or-more-card 21 pays 3:1, 6-7-8 mixed pays 3:2, 6-7-8 suited pays 2:1, 6-7-8 in spades pays 3:1, 7-7-7 mixed pays 3:2, 7-7-7 suited pays 2:1, 7-7-7 in spades pays 3:1, bonuses are not paid on split hands. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) to 0.81% (Spanish 21, dealer hits soft 17. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 6 decks of 48 cards (the ten-spot cards removed), dealer hits soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any number of cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces may be resplit, split aces may be hit, late surrender, a doubled bet may be rescued, a player 21 beats a dealer 21, bonus payouts: 5-card 21 pays 3:2, 6-card 21 pays 2:1, 7-or-more-card 21 pays 3:1, 6-7-8 mixed pays 3:2, 6-7-8 suited pays 2:1, 6-7-8 in spades pays 3:1, 7-7-7 mixed pays 3:2, 7-7-7 suited pays 2:1, 7-7-7 in spades pays 3:1, bonuses are not paid on split hands. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) on the same rule. Free Bet Blackjack runs from 0.63% (Free Bet Blackjack, Nevada rules of play. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 6 decks, dealer hits soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any number of cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces may be resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender, a dealer 22 pushes every hand still in play, free doubles on hard 9, 10 and 11 (any number of cards), free splits on every pair except fours and tens. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money. Free doubles and free splits are paid by the house, so they add to the result but not to the chips the player wagers.) under the Nevada rules of play to 1.02% (Free Bet Blackjack, dealer hits soft 17. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 6 decks, dealer hits soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces may be resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender, a dealer 22 pushes every hand still in play, free doubles on hard 9, 10 and 11 (first two cards), free splits on every pair except tens. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money. Free doubles and free splits are paid by the house, so they add to the result but not to the chips the player wagers.) with the dealer hitting soft 17. European Blackjack reads 0.41% (European Blackjack, a dealer blackjack takes the original bet only. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 6 decks, dealer stands on soft 17, no hole card, a dealer blackjack takes only the original bet, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) if a dealer natural takes only the original bet and 0.52% (European Blackjack, a dealer blackjack takes every bet. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 6 decks, dealer stands on soft 17, no hole card, a dealer blackjack takes every bet including doubles and splits, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) if it takes everything.
The top of the ranking is set by rules, not by names. The bottom is set by one rule. A single deck paying six to five costs 1.44% (Single deck blackjack paying 6 to 5. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 1 deck, dealer hits soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 6:5, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.), more than double the comparison rules at 0.62% (Comparison rules: 6 decks, dealer hits soft 17, double after split, blackjack pays 3:2. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 6 decks, dealer hits soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) and nearly four times a double deck paying three to two at 0.39% (Double deck blackjack. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 2 decks, dealer hits soft 17, no hole card, a dealer blackjack takes only the original bet, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.). Fewer decks cannot rescue a short natural payout.
A low edge is not the same as a good evening. The figure says what a table keeps on average over a very long run, not what happens in a session, and games with bonus hands swing harder than plain ones. Read the edge as the price of the game and the twist as what you get for it.
Atlantic City rules
Dealer stands on soft 170.36%
Dealer hits soft 170.56%
Spanish 21
Dealer stands on soft 170.41%
Dealer hits soft 170.81%
Free Bet Blackjack
Nevada rules of play0.63%
Dealer hits soft 171.02%
European Blackjack
Natural takes original bet only0.41%
Natural takes every bet0.52%
The landscape
Sorting the games into families makes it easier to place any table you meet, and it is the quickest way to learn the types of blackjack. Each family collects blackjack variations that change the deal in the same way. The four below cover the games on this site, and each family is defined by what it does to the ordinary deal.
The game is ordinary blackjack and only the rule sheet changes. European Blackjack deals the dealer a single card first and draws the second after every player has acted. Double deck and single deck games change the shoe. Atlantic City style tables add decks but let the dealer stand on soft 17 and offer late surrender. The danger here is the small print: a six to five natural turns a single deck into the costliest game on the page.
Spanish 21 removes the four tens from every deck, then pays bonus hands, lets a player 21 always win and allows late surrender and a rescue on doubles. Free Bet Blackjack pays for your doubles on hard 9, 10 and 11 and for most splits, and in return a dealer 22 pushes against every hand that has not busted. In both, the gift is real and so is the price. The matrix shows the net result.
Blackjack Switch deals you two hands and lets you swap their second cards, but a natural made by swapping pays even money and a dealer 22 pushes. Double Exposure shows both dealer cards and gives the dealer the ties, with even money on a natural. No house edge is published here for either game, because the calculation has not been completed to the standard used for the rest, so their rows carry no figure rather than a guess.
Pontoon is the Australian cousin: tens removed, a dealer who starts with one card and a set of pay rules of its own. It plays like blackjack with the vocabulary changed. Like the two games above, it has no published house edge on this site. Side bets such as pair bets sit beside any of these games and have a separate edge of their own, so they do not change the game they are added to.
Choosing by what you like
Nothing here says which game to gamble on. It matches the rules you like to the game that has them, and says what each one costs.
You want the lowest cost per hand
Standard rules, dealer stands on soft 17, natural pays 3:2
Plain blackjack with player-friendly rules is the cheapest table on this page, and double deck sits in the same range. The trade-off is that nothing about it is new. It is the game everything else is measured against. Check the payout and the soft 17 rule before anything else.
You like bonus hands and a player 21 that always wins
Spanish 21
Five-card 21s and suited sevens pay extra, and surrender and double rescue soften a bad hand. Expect more decisions and more variance than plain blackjack. The price of the missing tens is in the figure, and it moves sharply with the dealer's soft 17 rule.
You want more doubles and splits without risking more chips
Free Bet Blackjack
Free doubles and splits make ordinary decisions feel lighter. The catch is the dealer 22 push: a hand that would have won is returned instead. Its house edge is higher than most games here, and it changes with which regulator's rule sheet is used.
You want the original European deal
European Blackjack
With no hole card the dealer cannot peek, so doubling and splitting carry the risk of a dealer natural. Whether that costs you only the original bet or everything is a rule to read on the table, and the two versions show different figures.
You are tempted by a single deck
Check the payout first
One deck is attractive and often paired with a six to five natural. Under that pairing the game is the costliest in the matrix. Take a single deck only when a natural still pays three to two.
You are curious about a different game altogether
Pontoon, Switch or Double Exposure
These change what a hand is. They are good for learning how rules reshape a game, and this site gives them no house edge figure. Treat them as something to try with play money, where nothing is at stake.
How the figures are made
Every house edge on this page is calculated from the game's rules, not copied from another website. Rules come from the regulators that publish rules of play, such as gaming commissions and boards, and each figure names the rule set it assumes. Where two documents disagree, both versions are run and both figures are shown, which is why some rows carry a second number.
The edge is worked out by following the cards through the deal exactly, then checked against very large runs of simulated hands. Where a figure is an approximation, such as the way split hands are handled, the game's page says so. Fixed cash prizes are left out of every edge because their value depends on the size of the bet.
Figures on the home page are per starting bet, the usual way to quote a house edge. Games where the player adds chips, such as doubles and splits, can also be measured per amount wagered, and the game pages show that version where it differs. Nothing here models a venue's shuffle machine, table limits or promotions.
Read the full method for the checks and their limits, and the list of rule documents for each regulator and the date each was read. For the meaning of any term, see the glossary. Nothing on the site is advice to gamble, and every table uses play money: see responsible play if you plan to play for real elsewhere.
Go deeper
Play money
Every variant has its own table with its own rules printed on the felt. Cards come out of a shoe with a burn card and a cut card, the dealer follows the house rules of that game, and every chip is play money.
The table loads only when you ask for it, so reading the rules never waits on the game.
Questions
Blackjack splits into four families: standard blackjack with different rules, trade-off games such as Spanish 21 and Free Bet Blackjack, games that change the hand such as Blackjack Switch and Double Exposure, and relatives such as Pontoon. The comparison matrix above shows every game against the rules that set it apart.
No variant wins by name. Under the rules shown, ordinary blackjack with a dealer standing on soft 17 and a three to two natural is lowest, at 0.36% (Atlantic City blackjack, dealer stands on soft 17. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 8 decks, dealer stands on soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, late surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) for Atlantic City rules, with double deck at 0.39% (Double deck blackjack. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 2 decks, dealer hits soft 17, no hole card, a dealer blackjack takes only the original bet, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.). The rules at the table matter more than the title on the felt.
The costliest game in the matrix is single deck blackjack paying six to five on a natural, at 1.44% (Single deck blackjack paying 6 to 5. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 1 deck, dealer hits soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 6:5, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.). One deck helps the player, but the short payout takes back far more than the deck returns. Always check what a natural pays before you read anything else on the felt.
Yes. The four tens are removed from each deck, a player 21 always wins, and bonus hands such as a five-card 21 pay extra. Late surrender and a rescue on doubles are available. The changes cut both ways, so the figure, 0.41% (Spanish 21, dealer stands on soft 17. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 6 decks of 48 cards (the ten-spot cards removed), dealer stands on soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any number of cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces may be resplit, split aces may be hit, late surrender, a doubled bet may be rescued, a player 21 beats a dealer 21, bonus payouts: 5-card 21 pays 3:2, 6-card 21 pays 2:1, 7-or-more-card 21 pays 3:1, 6-7-8 mixed pays 3:2, 6-7-8 suited pays 2:1, 6-7-8 in spades pays 3:1, 7-7-7 mixed pays 3:2, 7-7-7 suited pays 2:1, 7-7-7 in spades pays 3:1, bonuses are not paid on split hands. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) with the dealer standing on soft 17, is worth reading.
European blackjack deals the dealer one card and draws the second only after players finish, so doubles and splits can meet a dealer natural. American tables usually deal a hole card and peek first. The modelled European game gives 0.52% (European Blackjack, a dealer blackjack takes every bet. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 6 decks, dealer stands on soft 17, no hole card, a dealer blackjack takes every bet including doubles and splits, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) if a dealer natural takes every bet.
Yes. A dealer who hits soft 17 improves the house position, and the figure shows it: Atlantic City rules read 0.36% (Atlantic City blackjack, dealer stands on soft 17. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 8 decks, dealer stands on soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, late surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) when the dealer stands and 0.56% (Atlantic City blackjack, dealer hits soft 17. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 8 decks, dealer hits soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, late surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) when the dealer hits. It is one of the quickest rules to check on a table, because it is printed on the felt.
A three to two natural pays one and a half times the bet, while six to five pays one and a fifth times. That gap shows up in the house edge: single deck blackjack at six to five costs 1.44% (Single deck blackjack paying 6 to 5. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 1 deck, dealer hits soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 6:5, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.), against 0.39% (Double deck blackjack. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 2 decks, dealer hits soft 17, no hole card, a dealer blackjack takes only the original bet, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces are not resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money.) for a double deck game paying three to two. It is the most expensive single rule change.
Mostly no, but a handful of decisions change. No hole card, free doubles, a dealer 22 push or removed tens each move the right play in specific spots. The pages for Spanish 21, Free Bet Blackjack and European Blackjack each print a chart for their own rules, so you can see the cells that change.
The house pays for your doubles on hard 9, 10 and 11 and for most splits. The catch is that a dealer 22 pushes against every player hand that has not busted. The house edge runs from 0.63% (Free Bet Blackjack, Nevada rules of play. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 6 decks, dealer hits soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any number of cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces may be resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender, a dealer 22 pushes every hand still in play, free doubles on hard 9, 10 and 11 (any number of cards), free splits on every pair except fours and tens. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money. Free doubles and free splits are paid by the house, so they add to the result but not to the chips the player wagers.) to 1.02% (Free Bet Blackjack, dealer hits soft 17. House edge per starting bet: the average loss per round as a share of the bet placed before the cards are dealt, doubles and splits included in the result. Rules: 6 decks, dealer hits soft 17, dealer checks for blackjack with a hole card, blackjack pays 3:2, double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to 4 hands, aces may be resplit, one card to each split ace, no surrender, a dealer 22 pushes every hand still in play, free doubles on hard 9, 10 and 11 (first two cards), free splits on every pair except tens. The player follows the printed strategy chart for these rules from a full shoe, and never takes insurance or even money. Free doubles and free splits are paid by the house, so they add to the result but not to the chips the player wagers.), depending on which documented rule set is used.
They are calculated from the rules each row states, then checked against large simulations, and every figure names its assumptions. They are averages over very many hands, so they describe the price of a game and not what happens in one session. Where a calculation is approximate, the game page says so, and the methodology page explains the checks.
Blackjack Switch, Double Exposure and Pontoon have no figure here because their calculation has not been completed to the standard used for the others. A figure that may be wrong is worse than none. Those games are still described and can be tried at a play-money table where one is available.
Read the felt and the rule card. Five lines settle most of it: what a natural pays, whether the dealer hits soft 17, how many decks, whether you may double after a split, and whether surrender is offered. Compare what you find with the matrix above. Rules differ from table to table, even within one casino.
