Top 5 Unfavorable Blackjack Rules
Despite the fact that a basic strategy can be used to reduce the house edge to less than one half of one percent in a game of blackjack, there are still several unfavorable blackjack rules that can be annoying to many players. Understanding the reasons for these rules and the best ways to overcome them can not only help players have more fun when they play this classic casino game, but it can also help players win more money by implementing a better strategy than ever before.
#1 - Even Money Blackjack Payouts
Players should always avoid venues in which a blackjack pays only even money. This is because a natural two-card blackjack should always pay at least three to two, and venues that offer less are simply not playing fair. Of course, the exception to this is a blackjack variant that offers players multiple other ways to win and reduce the house edge overall.
#2 - Six to Five Blackjack Payouts
Like the even money payout, the six to five payout simply seems like a rip off when it is compared to the traditional three to two payout. The common ruse with such a game is that the casino will typically advertise it as a single deck game which is normally a great deal. However, the six to five payout is only marginally better than an even money payout, and no player wants that.
#3 - Strict Double Downs on Only 10 or 11
There are some venues out there that will only allow players to double down when their two-card hand totals are 10 or 11, or just 11 in some cases. This is a rule that is commonly only applied to single-deck games, and it increases the house edge by anywhere from .25% to .7%.
#4 - Eight Deck Shoe
A traditional game of blackjack can be played with one, two, four, six or eight decks of cards in the shoe, and each additional deck that is added to the shoe increases the house's edge. Compared to a game that is played with only one deck, the use of eight decks of cards increases the house's edge by a whopping .61%. There are some rules that can offset this, such as if the dealer is forced to stand on a soft 17 or if late surrender is allowed.
#5 - The Dealer can Hit on Soft 17
For blackjack aficionados, this is by far one of the most unfavorable blackjack rules even devised. Simply put, it means that the dealer can hit on a soft 17--or a 17 created with a six and an Ace--rather than being forced to stand. It increases the house edge significantly by giving the dealer a better opportunity to create a higher hand. Most of the time, it is recommended that games in which the dealer can hit on a soft 17 be avoided.
Mixed Rules
Although this list of the worst blackjack rules out there seems as if casinos are attempting to play unfairly, this is not the case. Most of the time, casinos will balance an unfavorable rule with one that helps to increase the player's edge just slightly. However, it is still up to the player to weigh these and determine the ways in which their overall odds will be affected.
This is a list of the Top 5 factors that more advanced players should consider. However, if you are a novice player, you should learn the basic rules of the game first.
