9/4/09 - The game of blackjack is one of the best bets in the casino. Many casino games hold a big edge over the player, and your odds of winning money can vary from game to game. Blackjack variations offer the player the opportunity to learn strategy and lower that edge, increasing your odds to win. 
Depending on the variation of the blackjack game you’re playing, your odds can change considerably. Knowing your odds for the variation you’re playing is something every gamer should know. And it should be understood that these odds don’t reflect individual sessions, and will be closer to accurate over an extended period of play.
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The house edge over the player on the blackjack tables depends on the player’s decision making. If the player has no clue how to play the game, and they make poor decisions, the house edge can be double or triple that of the edge the casino will have over a player who knows basic strategy. A player that plays perfect basic strategy in a six-deck blackjack game can expect to give up .58 percent to the house. This is a small edge compared to games like Roulette or Red Dog, which hold edges over the player higher than 2.5%.
Blackjack odds change dramatically depending on the variation of the game that’s being played. The number of decks in the game can change the house edge from 0.35% for a double-deck game, to 0.61% in an eight-deck game. If the game let’s you double down after splitting a pair, you will get back 0.13% of that edge from the house. A game with a late surrender rule that allows you to surrender your hand and give up half of your bet on your first two cards cuts the house edge by 0.07 percent.
On the other side of the coin, if you’re playing in a game where the dealer will hit on a soft 17, you will be giving up an extra 0.22% edge to the house. Games that only allow you to double down on 10 or 11, restricting you from a lot of double down opportunities, increase the house against you by 0.25%. The real bad one is the variation that only pays 6 to 5 on a blackjack hand. This one increases the house edge over you by a big 1.40%, compared to a regular game.
