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Blackjack Basic Strategy Edge Calculator

Work out blackjack basic strategy edge instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Blackjack Basic Strategy Edge Calculator

Starting from a roughly 0.18% edge for single deck with dealer standing on soft 17, each extra deck adds about 0.02%, dealer hitting soft 17 adds 0.22%, and 6 to 5 blackjack adds a full 1.39%. The 6 to 5 payout is by far the most expensive rule change, turning a near-even game into one with a worse edge than most other table games.

Formulas

House edge

edge = base edge + deck penalty + soft 17 penalty + blackjack payout penalty

Hourly cost

loss per hour = edge / 100 x hands per hour x average bet

Worked example

With the default values below, Blackjack Basic Strategy Edge Calculator returns House edge with basic strategy of 0.500%. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Number of decksaccepts 1–8
6
Dealer hits soft 17
Yes
Blackjack paysone of 3 to 2, 6 to 5
3 to 2
Hands per hourminimum 1
70

Results

House edge with basic strategy
0.500%
Units lost per 100 wagered
0.500
Units lost per hour per unit bet
0.3500
Extra edge from the rule variations
0.320%

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2House edge
  3. 3Hourly cost
  4. 4House edge with basic strategy= 0.500
  5. 5Units lost per 100 wagered= 0.500
  6. 6Units lost per hour per unit bet= 0.3500
  7. 7Extra edge from the rule variations= 0.320

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the Blackjack Basic Strategy Edge figure worked out?

edge = base edge + deck penalty + soft 17 penalty + blackjack payout penalty. Starting from a roughly 0.18% edge for single deck with dealer standing on soft 17, each extra deck adds about 0.02%, dealer hitting soft 17 adds 0.22%, and 6 to 5 blackjack adds a full 1.39%.

Why does this matter?

The 6 to 5 payout is by far the most expensive rule change, turning a near-even game into one with a worse edge than most other table games.

What do I need to enter?

Enter number of decks, dealer hits soft 17, blackjack pays, hands per hour. The defaults shown are a realistic worked example — swap in your own figures to get a result you can use.

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