3 To 2 vs 6 To 5 Blackjack - Why You Should Only Play 3 To 2
Knowing the difference of 3 to 2 vs 6 to 5 blackjack payouts is vital before you hit any online or in-person table. You should never play 6 to 5 blackjack, as every player in the United States has legal 3 to 2 blackjack sites that pay real money at their disposal. We review the best 3:2 online blackjack sites here and what the difference between the payout structures is. When you find that our experts have answered why you should only play 3 to 2 blackjack or any other questions you may have, we recommend trying out one of the platforms on this page as they give superior payouts and have an excellent assortment of games.
What Blackjack Games Pay 3 To 2?
The blackjack games that pay 3 to 2 instead of 6 to 5 depend on the casino you play at, but some have a wide assortment of games that pay 3:2. For example, Bovada pays 3 to 2 on all of their blackjack games. That includes single deck online blackjack, multideck, and perfect pairs. Other blackjack sites and in-person casinos are typically much more selective in the games with 3:2 payouts. Most online blackjack sites will let you see their payout rates for each game before you sign up. In our experience, if they don’t they are likely trying to hide the fact that they are blackjack games that pay 6:5.
Are There 3:2 Live Dealer Blackjack Games?
Yes, there are a few live dealer blackjack sites that pay 3:2. Those blackjack casinos are led by industry titans like Bovada, Slots.lv, and Café Casino. Each website has a few different versions of live dealer blackjack with 3 to 2 payouts, including single deck and high roller options. In fact, it’s often easier to find 3 to 2 live blackjack games online than in person because of the way that retail casinos have worsened many of their bj payouts to 6 to 5.
What is the difference between 3 to 2 and 6 to 5?
The numbers in each refer to payout ratios when getting a blackjack. Basically, when you win a game of 3:2 blackjack with a 2-card 21, you get $3 for every 2 that you bet. This reduces to a ratio of 1.5:1, meaning that you multiply your bet by 1.5 when you get a blackjack. When you play 6:5 blackjack and hit it, you get paid out at a 6:5 ratio, so you win $6 for every 5 that you bet.
This reduces the payout ratio to 1.2:1 - you only get $1.2 for every dollar that you bet when you win. We know this doesn’t sound like a big difference, but stuff like this matters a lot over time when playing real money blackjack. The less you win, the worse the game is for you - and that’s a big big deal. There really isn’t much of a benefit to the consumer at all when it comes to 6:5 vs 3:2 blackjack - you just get paid out a little less.
Best 3:2 Blackjack Sites
| Rank | Casino | Highlights | Rating | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
100% Up To $3,000 |  |
Visit Bovada |
| 2 |  |
200% Up To $3,000 | |
Visit Slots.lv |
| 3 |  |
100% Up To $1,000 | |
Visit Ignition |
| 4 |  |
250% Up To $1,500 | |
Visit Cafe Casino |
1
Bovada:
All of the blackjack tables on Bovada payout 3 to 2 regardless of the minimum bet that you have to place. It could be a $5 minimum bet table or a $250 minimum and $10,000 max bet table, you’ll always get a 3 to 2 payout. You’ll also never have to wait to play at any of their tables with over 30 tables available and countless bet behind opportunities as well.
2
Slots.lv:
There are two types of blackjack games on Slots.LV that payout 3 to 2 blackjack wins. Those are your normal 6-deck game and early payout blackjack where you could take your winnings before the dealer takes a second card. If you are at a casino and can’t find any table that isn’t in their high limits room that pays out 3 to 2, have no fear as Slots.LV is available to you right from your mobile device and you can log in to your account and play 3 to 2 tables in just seconds without it being a high limits game.
3
Ignition:
You’ll never find a 6 to 5 payout on Ignition with all 34 of their blackjack tables paying out 3 to 2. To play at any of their blackjack tables, you’ll go to their live dealer tab usually found at the top of the page and once you click on it, every blackjack table that is in session will be the first games that you see. On a bet as little as $5, ignition would payout $7.50 on a two-card blackjack hit rather than the $6 you’d make at land-based casinos paying out 6 to 5.
4
Cafe Casino:
With Café Casino, you can play any 3 to 2 payout blackjack game with Bitcoin and the other cryptocurrencies that they accept. The greatest thing about this is that when playing 3 to 2 payout games with crypto, you get to cash out with the crypto as well. First off, the retail casinos that only pay 6 to 5 on blackjack wins do not let you play with any forms of cryptocurrency. Also, any of the online casinos that are run by state gaming commissions do not offer crypto play either.
Why should I look for a 3:2 Blackjack Table?
Because you get paid more when you do. It’s actually really simple math. Let’s say you bet $100 at a 3:2 table, and you win a blackjack with that bet. You will get back $150. If you make the same bet at a 6:5 table, you will only get back $120. You can see how this kind of thing will add up over time. Basically, since blackjack is such a fair game, blackjack casinos have to juice the odds somehow, and this is the thing they came up with to do it - reducing payouts and flattening the odds in their favor. Note that, of course, there is no guarantee of winning at either table, just that when you do win, it’s better that you get paid more and not less.
Why do 6 to 5 tables suck at Blackjack?
Because, as a corollary to the above, you get paid less when you win at a 6:5 table than when you win at a 3:2 table. It’s very simple math. This is why it’s important to find 3:2 tables if you can - it helps keep you in the black, and keep you playing more. Apparently this change has not been enough to change player behavior - people still sign up to play 6:5 blackjack, but we want our readers to know better. Not knowing the benefits of 3:2 blackjack tables is like entering a casino or signing up online without knowing the blackjack dealer rules first.
Payout comparisons for a 3 to 2 table vs a 6 to 5 table
Below, we’ve put together some information that should help to illustrate the difference between a 3:2 table and a 6:5 table. For the purposes of this illustration, we’ll assume that you started out with $100, and won five blackjacks in a row, betting your full bankroll and winnings each time. Though this is not advised when betting on legal blackjack, nor likely to happen, this should help demonstrate how quickly the change in odds starts to matter.
| 3:2 Table | 6:5 Table | |
| Starting Money | $100 | $100 |
| Bankroll After Win 1 | $250 | $220 |
| Bankroll After Win 2 | $625 | $484 |
| Bankroll After Win 3 | $1,562.5 | $1,064.80 |
| Bankroll After Win 4 | $3,906.25 | $2,342.56 |
| Bankroll After Win 5 | $9,765.63 | $5,153.63 |
As you can see the difference in payouts is absolutely massive, both individually and cumulatively speaking in all states that have blackjack casinos. This is to say nothing of what a run like that could do for you when you’re down money. Basically, playing on 3:2 tables is strictly better than playing on 6:5 tables, and we highly recommend it. For those wondering where to play 3:2 blackjack online, check out Bovada, Slots.lv, or Ingnition, as they accept players in 45 states.
Do casinos ever change tables from 3:2 to 6:5?
It is rare that the casino will change the table odds, especially if there are people at it. It's more likely they adjust the table minimum if people are waiting or nobody is playing. But, you'll know it's been the amount of time to stay at a blackjack table if they ever lower the odds from 3:2 to 6:5 in front of you.