Blackjack House Edge Calculator
Every rule on the felt has a price. Set the table below exactly as the casino deals it — decks, H17/S17, DAS, surrender, payout — and see the house edge against perfect basic strategy, plus what the game costs per hour of play. It's the same rule-pricing model the free blackjack trainer shows in its settings, anchored to published values and accurate to about ±0.02%.
Common games, priced
The tables you'll actually find, best to worst. The spread between the top and the bottom of this list is bigger than most players imagine — sitting at the wrong table costs more than every strategy mistake you'll make at the right one.
| Game | Rules | House edge | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-deck S17 (the good shoe) | 6D · S17 · DAS · late surrender | +0.32% | Chart |
| Single deck, 3:2 | 1D · H17 · no DAS · no surrender | +0.34% | Chart |
| 8-deck S17 (Atlantic City style) | 8D · S17 · DAS · late surrender | +0.35% | Chart |
| Double deck | 2D · H17 · DAS | +0.43% | Chart |
| 6-deck CSM | 6D · H17 · DAS · LS · continuous shuffler | +0.52% | Interactive |
| 6-deck H17 (the standard game) | 6D · H17 · DAS · late surrender | +0.54% | Chart |
| Single deck, 6:5 | 1D · H17 · no DAS · blackjack pays 6:5 | +1.73% | Interactive |
| 6-deck, 6:5 blackjack | 6D · H17 · DAS · LS · blackjack pays 6:5 | +1.93% | Interactive |
What each rule costs
Each rule's effect on the standard 6-deck game, one change at a time. Red rules cost you; green rules are worth seeking out. This is the shopping list to read a casino's felt with.
| Rule | Edge impact | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Blackjack pays 6:5 instead of 3:2 | +1.39% | The single most expensive rule in common use — worse than every other bad rule combined. |
| Dealer hits soft 17 (H17 vs S17) | +0.22% | The standard shoe game already includes it; S17 gives it back. |
| Double on 10–11 only (vs any two) | +0.18% | Common in European games. 9–11 costs about half as much. |
| No double after split | +0.14% | Quietly removed at some pitch games. |
| No-hole-card / ENHC | +0.13% | European deal: your doubles and splits lose in full to a dealer blackjack. |
| No surrender (vs late surrender) | +0.07% | Small on paper, but it also removes the most-missed correct plays. |
| Resplit aces allowed | −0.07% | A player-favorable extra worth looking for. |
| Hit split aces allowed | −0.18% | Rare, and worth real money when offered. |
House edge questions
What does the house edge actually mean?
The casino's average take per bet, over the long run. A 0.5% edge means fifty cents of every $100 you wager — not per $100 you bring, per $100 that crosses the felt. Short sessions swing wildly around it; the edge is what's left when the swings average out.
What's a good house edge?
Under 0.5% is a good game; 3:2 blackjack with S17 or late surrender gets you there. Around 1% means the rules are working against you. A 6:5 payout pushes any game near 2% — at that point the deck count and every other rule are rounding errors.
These numbers assume perfect play, right?
Yes — every edge on this page is against exact basic strategy for that rule set. A typical by-feel player gives up another 1.5–2% on top. Closing that gap is free: learn the basic strategy chart and drill it in the trainer until it's automatic.
Can the edge go negative?
With basic strategy alone, only on promotional games. With card counting, yes — a Hi-Lo counter playing the deviations with a proper bet spread turns good rules into a 0.5–1.5% player edge. The Bankroll Lab prices that side of the game: EV per hour and risk of ruin for your exact spread.
Why does the CSM game show a lower edge?
A continuous shuffler removes the cut-card effect, which is worth a few hundredths of a percent to a basic-strategy player. But it also makes counting impossible — the discard pile goes straight back into play. Lower edge for the flat bettor, dead game for the counter.