Blackjack Odds: What Are Your Chances of Winning Blackjack?

Blackjack has a reputation for being one of the most player-friendly card games on the casino floor, and the blackjack odds are a big part of why.

The house edge is small, the win rate is higher than you might expect, and the calls you make at the blackjack table can shift the numbers in your favour. Knowing what those numbers look like is what helps you pick the right table and play the right hand.

This blackjack odds guide walks you through payouts, win rates, bust chances and the house edge. Take a seat at our online blackjack games when you're ready to put any of it into practice.

Blackjack Payout Odds

Payout odds are the place to start when thinking about playing blackjack, since they tell you what each result is worth before you place a single bet. Blackjack odds at most tables fall into a handful of outcomes, each with its own return. Splitting and doubling don't change what those outcomes pay, only how much you've staked on them.

Here's how a standard table pays out once the cards are dealt and the hand is settled:

A quick takeaway: the 3/2 tables pay better than the 6/5 ones. Worth checking which odds your blackjack table offers before you sit down.

If you’re still learning the basics of the game of blackjack itself, our breakdown of the rules of online blackjack is the place to start. It covers card values, the betting actions and how a hand plays out from deal to result.

Blackjack Side Bet Odds

Side bets sit alongside your main hand with their own result and their own payout. They're optional, they're settled separately, and the blackjack side bet odds can look very tempting on paper.

Here's how the most common ones pay:

Big numbers, yes. The catch is that side bets typically carry a higher house edge than the main game, so they're worth treating as an extra rather than a strategy. For the full breakdown of Perfect Pairs, 21+3, Insurance and the rest, take a look at our guide to side bets in blackjack.

Blackjack Odds of Winning

Now to the part everyone wants to know. The blackjack odds of winning any given hand are around 42.22%.

The odds of winning bl already include the dealer's fixed rules and the small edge the house keeps. The dealer takes around 49.1% of hands, and the remaining 8.48% land as a push: you and the dealer hit the same total, and your stake comes straight back.

As for landing a natural blackjack (an Ace paired with a ten-value card on the deal), the odds sit between 4.75% and 4.83% depending on the number of decks in play. Fewer decks, slightly better chance.

On the flip side, the odds of losing a blackjack hand are around 49.1%, which is the dealer's win rate from earlier. Add in the 8.48% push rate, and you can see why the odds of winning (and losing) blackjack is closer to a 50/50 than most casino games.

Player Bust Odds

Here's where the decisions start to matter, and where blackjack strategy comes in. Your chance of busting depends entirely on the hand total you're sitting on when you decide to hit.

On 11 or less, the bust chance is 0%. You can't lose with one more card, so the door is wide open. From 12 upward, the odds start stacking up: around 31% at 12, 56% at 14, and 62% at 16. By the time you're on 17 or higher, you're more likely to bust than not. And on 21, anything extra breaks the hand outright.

These numbers are the foundation of the basic strategy; the playbook most experienced blackjack players use to decide when to hit and when to stand. You'll find the full breakdown in our guide to blackjack betting strategies.

Dealer Bust Odds

You're not the only one at the table making moves, of course. The blackjack dealer plays by fixed rules, and their chance of busting depends on the up-card showing and the Soft 17 rule the table uses (whether the dealer hits or stands on a soft 17). The figures below are for when the dealer stands on a soft 17, which is the most common rule.

A 5 or 6 is the dealer’s weakest spot, since they'll need more than one card drawn to make a strong total without busting. A 7 or higher tilts things back their way. Worth a glance before you make your move.

Blackjack House Edge

Every casino game has a house edge. It's the cut the casino takes for hosting the game. Blackjack's edge is one of the smallest of any game on the floor, which is a big reason the game is so popular. The exact figure depends on which version you sit down at, as the table below shows.

Casino house edge and RTP always add up to 100%, so a 0.39% house edge means a 99.61% RTP. In plain terms, in European Blackjack, for every £100 wagered across many hands, the game is built to return around £99.61. The lower the house edge, the higher the RTP, and the more your stake works in your favour over time.

The house edge figures in the table assume a 3/2 payout on a blackjack win. A 6/5 blackjack table pushes the house edge up to around 1.9%. A 1/1 blackjack table pushes it higher still, to around 2.8%. The blackjack table and payout structure you pick can affect your overall return more than the version of the game itself.

The blackjack odds outlined in this guide only apply when the game is properly run. Every regulated online blackjack table keeps the deal random and independently tested by external auditors. This is the reason online blackjack isn't rigged when you play at a UK-licensed casino.

Play Blackjack at Virgin Games

You've got the numbers behind your chances of winning blackjack. Now for the fun bit.

At Virgin Games, you'll find a full spread of blackjack tables. Classic single-deck games, multi-hand options, side-bet-rich tables like Blackjack Match, and a live casino floor with real dealers running the cards in real time. There's a table for however you like to play.

Prefer the tables in your pocket? The Virgin Games mobile casino app puts every one of them at your fingertips, so you can sit down for a hand wherever you happen to be.

FAQs

What are the odds of getting blackjack?

The odds of landing a natural blackjack on the deal sit at around 4.8%. More decks in play nudges the number very slightly down, closer to 4.75% in a six-deck game.

What are the blackjack odds of winning a hand?

The blackjack odds of winning any given hand are around 42.22%. The dealer wins about 49.1% of the time, with the remaining 8.48% landing as a push.

Does blackjack have better odds than roulette?

In terms of the house edge, yes. Blackjack averages around 0.5%, compared with 2.7% for European Roulette and 5.3% for American Roulette.

What are the best blackjack side bet odds?

The biggest standard payout is the 21+3 Suited Three of a Kind at 100/1. Perfect Pairs (Perfect) pays 30/1, and 21+3 Three of a Kind matches that figure.

Why is the 3/2 payout better than 6/5?

A 3/2 blackjack win pays one and a half times your bet. A 6/5 win pays 1.2 times. Same hand, smaller return, and the house edge climbs to match.

Now you know the blackjack odds inside out, the tables are ready when you are. Virgin Games has European Blackjack, Single Deck, Multihand, Blackjack Match, Phoenix Blackjack, and plenty more, payouts and side bets included. Sign up and play today.

All offers mentioned correct at the time of writing but may be subject to change.