Free Blackjack House Edge & EV Calculator
Blackjack is the lowest house edge game in the casino — but only if you play the right variant with perfect basic strategy. This calculator shows you exactly how much each hand costs you and why avoiding 6:5 tables saves you thousands.
🃏 Blackjack EV & House Edge Calculator
⚠️ The 6:5 Blackjack Trap (Costs You $1,200/Year)
Most Las Vegas Strip casinos have quietly switched their tables from 3:2 blackjack (the standard) to 6:5 blackjack. This single change increases the house edge from ~0.5% to ~2.0%.
For a $25 bettor playing 50 hands per hour (a typical casino session):
- 3:2 Table: Expected loss = $6.25/hour
- 6:5 Table: Expected loss = $25.00/hour
Over a weekend trip (12 hours of play), you lose $225 more at the 6:5 table. Always check the felt — if it says "Blackjack Pays 6 to 5", walk away.
🧠 Basic Strategy: Your $300/Hour Raise
The average recreational blackjack player has a house edge of ~2.0%. A player using perfect basic strategy faces only ~0.5%. The difference?
On $50 bets at 60 hands/hour, the "gut feel" player loses $60/hour. The basic strategy player loses $15/hour. That is $45/hour saved — or $360 per 8-hour casino session.
Basic strategy is not card counting. It is a simple chart that tells you the mathematically optimal play for every hand. It is legal, free, and most casinos let you bring a printed card to the table.
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