Definition
Payout is the ratio at which a winning bet returns. A 3:2 payout means you win $3 for every $2 wagered. A 6:5 payout means you win $6 for every $5 wagered — a smaller win on the same bet.
Common blackjack payouts
| Outcome | Payout | $10 bet wins |
|---|---|---|
| Regular win (you beat dealer) | 1:1 | $10 |
| Natural blackjack (3:2 table) | 3:2 | $15 |
| Natural blackjack (6:5 table) | 6:5 | $12 |
| Insurance (when dealer has BJ) | 2:1 | $10 on a $5 insurance bet |
| Doubled bet (you win) | 1:1 of doubled stake | $20 (won $20 on the $20 doubled bet) |
| Push | 0:0 (bet returned) | $0 (no win, no loss) |
3:2 vs 6:5 — the worst rule change in modern blackjack
A 6:5 blackjack payout adds approximately 1.4% to the house edge. That's not a typo. A typical 6-deck S17 game with 3:2 payouts has a house edge around 0.44%; switch to 6:5 payouts and the edge jumps to ~1.84%.
Why the impact is so large: blackjacks land roughly 4.8% of hands. On a $10 bet, the difference between $15 and $12 is $3 per blackjack — small per hand, but compounded across thousands of hands. Over a session of 100 hands at $10/hand, the expected loss difference is $14. Over a year of weekend play, hundreds.
Where 6:5 tables show up
6:5 was introduced in the early 2000s and has spread aggressively. Common locations:
3:2 tables typically have higher minimums ($25+ in Vegas) but are still findable on weekday mornings or at off-Strip locations like Downtown Las Vegas.
Other payout variations
Practice in BJNP
Of the 7 table presets in Blackjack Navigator Pro, two use 6:5 payouts (the "Short Pay" presets) and the rest use 3:2. The house edge for each preset is shown live, so you can see the cost of 6:5 directly: ~1.58% on the single-deck Short Pay preset vs ~0.26% on the Strip Premium preset.
Related terms