Why some players are happy with a 6:5 payout
If you’ve read any of our other blackjack articles you’ll already know our feelings when it comes to the 6:5 blackjack payout. This is something that is becoming increasingly common and while we have always suggested that these tables should be avoided, it’s getting harder and harder to do that. The surprising thing is that there are players out there who simply don’t care. They’re more than happy to take their seats at any casino in Vegas and play regardless of what the payout is.
The reality is that playing a 3:2 game will always be better than playing a 6:5 one and that’s why many players simply won’t understand why other players aren’t concerned by this. While those who are looking to improve their game and maximize their winnings will always be looking for the best house edge and payouts, the truth seems to be that recreational players are less bothered. These are players who only play occasionally and when they do it’s all about fun. Does that make them a little crazy or can there be a logical explanation as to why these players just don’t care? Let’s take a look.
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A low-frequency game
If you look at a typical blackjack table where all of the seats are filled, you’ll find that there are around 60 hands in play each hour. When it comes to a player or dealer receiving blackjack, this will happen less than 5% of the time. That means that during each hour of play at the table there will be around three blackjacks. When you look at how rarely a blackjack appears it makes more sense that a recreational player will be less concerned with how much one will payout.
When you consider a typical player visiting the likes of Atlantic City and Las Vegas, it’s unlikely that their blackjack sessions will go beyond two hours. That means that these players simply aren’t interested in the payout rate as they’re only playing a few hands. Now, to an advanced player, or a more serious recreational one, this is likely to sound ludicrous as it comes down to throwing money away. However, these concerned players are likely to be playing more hands and for longer meaning that the impact would be more significant.
Playing with a 6:5 blackjack payout – on a limited budget
The kind of blackjack players reading this article are those who are likely to play more often and wager more money, than a typical recreational player. Players like you look to understand the ins and outs of the game to ensure that you have the very best chances of winning. This means mastering strategy and, at times, exploring betting systems. This route sees players gambling more. This is a stark contrast to less serious players.
A report from 2021 shows that those who visit Vegas to gamble come with a budget of $717.51. This budget is there to cover the whole stay. Now, when it comes to how long players stay in Vegas, the average is around 4 days and around 40% of these people staying for 4 days have a gambling budget of $600. This budget, spread over 4 days, is hardly significant. The amount that’s likely to be wagered on each hand means that the difference between a 6:5 and a 3:2 payout are hardly going to be noticeable.
6:5 blackjack payout – Understanding the recreational player’s mindset
Okay, so sitting down and playing at a 6:5 table isn’t the smartest move. However, that’s easy to say for readers like you who have a degree of dedication to the game. For the recreational player, the idea of playing at a 6:5 table is perfectly understandable. While visiting Vegas, these players are gambling for less than 3 hours each day and they are limited to a budget of just $200 per day. Sometimes this budget will be even less.
As we’ve seen, a regular visit to a casino hardly brings an abundance of blackjacks being dealt. When you look at players who are playing much less, they’re going to see even fewer blackjacks. That’s exactly why these players just don’t care. It’s not just the payout levels that these players don’t care about. Given just how little they play they have no interest in learning basic blackjack strategy or mastering card counting. They just want to enjoy the game.
In the mind of a recreational player, the difference in house edge between a 3:2 and 6:5 game is negligible. That means that there are other things to consider when it comes to their game of blackjack. For many what matters most is the location and the environment that they’re playing in.
Blackjack math – 6:5 blackjack payout
More advanced players have an awareness of blackjack math and how it works. They know the actions that they can take to increase their chances of a win and they understand that there is a long-term impact of actions that are taken during a game. This means that these players can stomach a loss as they know that, over the long term, things will change as long as they’re using perfect basic strategy.
The type of recreational players who are happy to play at a 6:5 table just aren’t bothered with blackjack math. They play one game at a time and have no care about any potential long-term effects: they simply won’t be playing long enough for anything to become significant.
Final thoughts
Now, we’re not encouraging you to suddenly embrace 6:5 payouts. In fact, we’re as clear as ever in that these tables should be avoided as much as possible. The more that players accept this reduced payout the more casinos were likely to see offering it. However, it still makes sense why some players just don’t care.
The recreational player just wants to enjoy the casino experience and have a good night out. Yes, they’re throwing money away but ultimately it’s each to their own.
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