Blackjack is often the best game to play in a casino. However, there are rules that can change that. In one case, a rule change makes blackjack worse than triple-zero roulette. These bad rules include mandatory side bets, antes, 6/5 payouts, no double down after splitting, limiting the hands that may be doubled, only allowing a split once, and carnival blackjack variants with a large house edge.
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Mandatory side bets
The worst blackjack games in Las Vegas have mandatory side bets. The Bonus Spin wheel is used at Binion’s, Four Queens, Fremont, and Golden Nugget. The mandatory side bet is $2 at all blackjack tables on the casino floor at Golden Nugget.
With a $5 flat bet and the 6/5 Lucky Cat variant played in the front pit at Golden Nugget, the house edge is almost 9%. The $10 6/5 games with a $2 mandatory side bet have a house edge of 5.5% at the minimum bet.
The other casinos have a $1 side bet required. The house advantage at these tables is in the 2.64% to 3.91% range.
Blackjack antes
Many California and Oklahoma casinos have a required ante at some or all blackjack tables. The low-limit tables at Mystic Lake also have one.
It is even worse than the required side bet described above because it is dead money that goes straight to the casino. This money is not in play. A $1 ante on a $10 bet increases the house edge by about 9% before accounting for the other rules.
Blackjack pays 6/5 or even money
The payout on a blackjack is one of the most important rules to consider. It should pay 3/2. However, some casinos lowered that to 6/5. This increases the house edge by 1.4%. Some video blackjack games pay 6/5 these days. Other electronic blackjack games, typically on Game King machines, pay even money. This raises the house advantage by 2% when compared to a 3/2 game.
Bad double down rules
A lot of the value in a blackjack game is the ability to double down. This is where a player doubles the bet and receives one card.
The worst double down situation is when it is not allowed. That adds about 2% to the house advantage. This usually only happens on Game King blackjack machines. Other bad rules include not being able to double down after splitting, only on 9-11, or 10 and 11 only.
Bad split rules
Most casinos allow players to split pairs up to four hands. Many also allow this on aces. However, some casinos, especially in Pennsylvania, only allow players to split once. This is also normal on video blackjack and at casinos online. Some video blackjack games do not allow the player to split anything. This adds about 2% to the house advantage.
Aces may only split once in most cases. Each hand receives one card and cannot be hit. Exceptions include variants like Spanish 21, Super Fun 21, and Most Liberal 21. Many Game King video blackjack games also allow split aces to be hit. Some casinos allow aces to be re-split into up to four hands. Re-split aces is most common at six-deck and eight-deck games, though a few double-deck games allow it in Nevada and Mississippi.
Dealer pushes on 22
Some blackjack variants have a rule that allows the dealer to push players who were not dealt blackjack when the house makes a 22. It adds about 7% to the house advantage. This is always done to offset favorable rules in blackjack variants. I have never seen push on 22 at a blackjack table that did not have many player-friendly rules in exchange for it.
In Las Vegas, push on 22 is found at Blackjack Switch and Free Bet Blackjack. Other games from the past with this rule include Burn 20, Down Under Blackjack, Power Blackjack, Triple Attack Blackjack, and Zappit 21. Some of these games are still available in other gaming markets and online casinos.
Player loses ties
Circus Circus has Double Exposure Blackjack. This game started at Vegas World, which is known as The Strat today. The player loses all ties, except on blackjack. This adds about 8% to the house edge. The player-friendly rules at Double Exposure Blackjack, which exposes both dealer cards to the player before a decision to hit or stand is made, are not nearly enough to counter the player losing on ties.
With perfect play, Double Exposure Blackjack has a house edge of almost 2%. However, the strategy for it is difficult and nothing like a traditional blackjack game. Most players will lose more than that without studying it first.
