I’ve played blackjack around the world for many years. About 4 or 5 years ago, Harrahs started offering 6-5 payout blackjack on the strip. I said then, and I’ll repeat now, that this game is a SUCKER BET. Blackjack with a 3-2 blackjack payout carries with it a house edge of around 0.5% depending on number of decks played. With 6-5 payout blackjack, a $10 blackjack pays only $12 instead of $15, and that greatly affects the house edge in the medium term. The house edge almost triples to about 1.5%. At that level this game becomes worse than baccarat or craps to play.

It’s fine when just one or two casinos in Vegas offer this bad payout because there is plenty of competition we gamblers can visit to get a better return… however, latest statistics suggest that now 25% of all blackjack tables in Las Vegas are paying out at 6-5, and to get a true 3-2 return now requires higher average bets. Personally, I think the proliferation of these bad odds games means only one thing: it’s time to stay away from the Strip if you’re a blackjack player. Play online – or play in other land-based areas where the payouts still provide a chance to break even or win. At 1.5% edge, your money will disappear faster than a speeding bullet on the Las Vegas Strip blackjack tables!

There’s a saying of some casino executives and consultants: ‘Sometimes it’s OK to have sucker bets if the suckers are enjoying themselves’. Make sure you are NOT one of the suckers! After all, getting better gaming value is what www.howtobeatthecasinos.com is all about!