Blackjack is one of the most popular games you can play at a land-based or online casino. There are many different variations – black jack online and live or the more traditional, land-based game – but once you have learned how to play one type of blackjack game, all others will be just as easy to play because they follow the same principles.
If you want to learn the basic mathematics behind standard blackjack odds and the implied probability rate associated with those odds, you’ve come to the right place.
What does blackjack pays 3:2 mean?
In many versions of standard blackjack, you will most likely see the words ‘Blackjack Pays 3:2’ somewhere in the betting area. It may even say ‘Blackjack Pays 6:5’ or ‘Blackjack Pays 1:1.’ Let’s take a quick look at what this means.
Quite simply put, when it says ‘Blackjack Pays 3:2,’ it means you will get $/€/£3 for every $/€/£2.00 that you wager. It’s fairly common and gives the house a slight edge with improved odds in their favour.
You could also say that 3:2 has a 40.00% implied probability rate (IPR). In the fractional odds format, 3:2 would appear as 3/2. In the American/moneyline odds format, it’s the same as +150, and in the decimal odds format, it’s the same as 2.50.
Let’s take a quick look at a few examples of how much you could win based on how much you bet with 3:2 odds when playing blackjack at any trustworthy online casino from a smartphone, tablet, desktop computer, or laptop.
- Bet $/€/£5.00 and win a hand of blackjack with 3:2 odds means your total return would be $/€/£12.50 (includes initial $/€/£5.00 stake returned + $/€/£7.50 profit)
- Bet $/€/£10.00 and win a hand of blackjack with 3:2 odds means your total return would be $/€/£25.00 (includes initial $/€/£10.00 stake returned + $/€/£15.00 profit)
- Bet $/€/£25.00 and win a hand of blackjack with 3:2 odds means your total return would be $/€/£62.50 (includes initial $/€/£25.00 stake returned + $/€/£37.50 profit)
If it says blackjack pays 6:5, which means a 45.50% IPR, or the same as 6/5 (fractional odds), +120 (American/moneyline odds), and 2.20 (decimal odds), the payout would be as follows, using the same betting examples mentioned above:
- Bet $/€/£5.00 and win a hand of blackjack with 6:5 odds means your total return would be $/€/£11.00 (includes initial $/€/£5.00 stake returned + $/€/£6.00 profit)
- Bet $/€/£10.00 and win a hand of blackjack with 6:5 odds means your total return would be $/€/£22.00 (includes initial $/€/£10.00 stake returned + $/€/£12.00 profit)
- Bet $/€/£25.00 and win a hand of blackjack with 6:5 odds means your total return would be $/€/£55.00 (includes initial $/€/£25.00 stake returned + $/€/£30.00 profit)
In other words, you’re better off sticking to the tables with 3:5 blackjack odds and avoiding the tables with 6:5 odds.
Tips for playing online blackjack
You may want to start playing online blackjack by practicing in the free-play demo mode. Many of today’s market-leading online casino software providers and game development studios that have produced today’s best online blackjack games usually have a free-play demo mode available in their games.
Always learn the rules before playing any online blackjack game, and when you do switch to playing in the real money mode, start playing at low-stakes tables.
You may also want to try to learn basic blackjack strategy to become a better player and make better decisions. Finally, always remember to gamble responsibly.
Final note
Computer-generated online blackjack games use RNGs (Random Number Generators) to determine the outcomes/results. If you want to take your online blackjack experience to the next level, you may want to try live dealer blackjack, where RNGs don’t produce the outcomes/results.
Live dealer blackjack games can only be accessed at licensed online casinos and are only ever available to play in the real money mode. Live dealers (actual humans) present the blackjack action to you, and these types of online casino games are the next best thing compared to playing blackjack at a land-based casino.
To play any online blackjack game for real money in most countries where online casino gambling is legally permitted, you normally have to be at least 18 years old. However, it might be 19 or 21 in some countries, like Canada and the US, respectively.
