Blackjack has long been a favourite for strategy-minded casino players across the Western Hemisphere, particularly those who choose to play blackjack online in Canada. The game’s appeal lies in its blend of luck and skill, making it a perfect choice for those looking to maximize their odds of winning table games through smart and calculated play.
Understanding blackjack odds is essential to improve your results. Whether you’re trying to achieve the best blackjack odds of winning, using a blackjack odds calculator, or playing with an optimal strategy, getting a handle on the odds can significantly boost your success rate. Our latest blackjack guide here at Bodog Casino will show you how it all works.
What are the Odds of Getting Blackjack?
The odds of being dealt a “natural” Blackjack (an Ace plus a 10-value card for a score of 21) are dependent on the number of decks used in the game you’re playing. The fewer decks there are in the virtual shoe, the better your odds will be. Here’s a quick breakdown in terms of percentage.
– Single Deck: 4.82%
– Double Deck: 4.78%
– Six Decks: 4.75%
– Eight Decks: 4.74%
You can often tell how many decks are in your chosen game just by looking at the title. Single Deck Blackjack and Double Deck Blackjack are the easiest to spot. Most other games at Bodog Casino use six decks. If you play standard blackjack at a live casino, however, you’ll likely find eight decks in the shoe, giving you slightly worse odds of being dealt a natural.
How Blackjack Odds are Calculated
So how did we figure out those blackjack percentages you see above? Being dealt a natural can happen in two ways: Either you get an Ace first and then a 10-value card, or you get the 10-value card first and then the Ace. It’s essential to treat these as two different scenarios when you’re doing the math.
Let’s use Single Deck Blackjack in our example. In the first scenario, you have a 1/13 chance of being dealt an Ace, since there are four of them in a standard deck. Then you have a 16/51 chance of being dealt a 10-value card, since there are 16 of them (four Kings, Queens, Jacks and Tens) to be found in the deck’s 51 remaining cards. Multiply those fractions together, and you get 16/663, or roughly 2.41%.
In the second scenario, you have a 4/13 chance of receiving a 10-value card first, then a 4/51 chance of being dealt an Ace. The math works out the same: 16/663, or roughly 2.41%. Put those scenarios together, and you get that 4.82% figure we showed you – although the “true” answer is 4.827% when you add a decimal place.
As more decks are added to the virtual shoe, the impact of the card removal diminishes slightly. For example, in Double Deck Blackjack, our first scenario gives you a 1/13 chance of receiving an Ace, then a 32/103 chance at landing a 10-value card, giving you a 2.39% shot at making Blackjack this way. Then it’s 4/13 x 8/103 for Scenario No. 2, which also works out to 2.39%, for the grand total of 4.78% you see above.
Blackjack Odds Chart
Fortunately, you don’t need to memorize these fractions and percentages if you want to learn how to play blackjack. But comparing the odds for the blackjack games on our menu here at Bodog Casino will help you understand what makes them different – and help you choose the best games to play. The following blackjack odds chart includes the payouts and house edge examples for each number of decks you’ll find at Bodog. Keep in mind that house edges in blackjack will change depending on whether the dealer hits on soft 17, and other specific rules for the game you’re playing.
| Number of Decks | Blackjack Odds (/000) | Payout (Natural) | House Edge |
| Single Deck | 4.827% | 3:2 | 0.15% |
| Double Deck | 4.780% | 3:2 | 0.46% |
| Six Decks | 4.749% | 3:2 | 0.64% |
| Eight Decks | 4.745% | 3:2 | 0.66% |
Using a Blackjack Odds Calculator
A blackjack odds calculator can be a valuable tool for helping you understand your chances of winning based on specific game rules and strategies. By entering the key details like the number of decks in the shoe, the cards that were removed, and the payout ratios and rule variations, you get an accurate readout of your expected return for the decisions you can make with each blackjack hand.
For example, let’s say you’re playing Double Deck Blackjack at Bodog Casino, which includes the following rules:
– Dealer stands on soft 17
– Split up to two hands
– Split Aces receive one card only
– Double any two cards
Since the decks are automatically reshuffled at Bodog after each hand, let’s start with the full 104 cards in the virtual shoe, and let’s say you’re dealt a hard 12, while the dealer’s up-card is a Six. Here are the expected returns for each of your four options as per the calculator:
– Stand: -0.16
– Hit: -0.17
– Double: -0.33
– Surrender: -0.50
According to the calculator, your best play in this situation is to stand with your hard 12 – which is typically the right play when the dealer’s up-card is six or lower. It’s still a tough spot to be in, but on average, you’ll only lose about one-sixth of your original bet. Note that the Surrender option will always cost you half of your wager no matter which cards are dealt.
Blackjack Odds with Perfect Strategy
Because you don’t have the opportunity to count cards when you play online blackjack, using a perfect blackjack strategy is your only way to minimize the house edge. By using a blackjack calculator and/or following a blackjack strategy chart, you increase your chances of winning by making the best decisions possible, based on your hand and the dealer’s up-card. As mentioned earlier, games with fewer decks in the shoe offer the most favourable blackjack odds with perfect strategy.
If you’re hoping to improve your odds of winning blackjack by learning and memorizing the optimal strategy for all the different games you can play at Bodog Casino, start by working on a near-optimal strategy that you can use no matter which table you’re sitting at. A simplified strategy will come very close to minimizing the house edge, since most of the time you’ll be making the same plays regardless – like always standing when you’re dealt a pair of Kings.
Once you’ve got that simplified blackjack strategy down pat, you can sharpen your skills for any one particular game by learning where to switch things up. Remember that hard 12 you were just dealt, with the dealer getting a Six? Standing might be a viable simplified strategy, but if the only thing you change in the aforementioned rules is to make it Single Deck instead of Double Deck, hitting becomes your recommended play.
What is Blackjack Insurance? Should You Take It?
Insurance is a side bet you can place whenever the dealer’s up-card is an Ace. You’ll be paid out at 2:1 if the dealer has blackjack; however, the house edge for this bet is around 7.4% for the standard six-deck games at Bodog Casino. The only time insurance is profitable over the long run is when you’re counting cards, which is not possible when you play blackjack online in Canada.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you should never take insurance. Online blackjack should be played for entertainment purposes after all, so if you enjoy placing these side bets, and you’re willing to take on that higher house edge, it’s your call. Knowing the odds means you’ll be able to make a well-informed decision about which bets you place.
Best Blackjack Games for Beginners
If you’re new to blackjack, it’s wise to avoid live casino games with unfavourable rules like 6:5 payouts for a natural Blackjack, or eight decks in the shoe. Instead, stick to games offering 3:2 payouts and fewer decks, like Single Deck Blackjack or Double Deck Blackjack at Bodog Casino.
Playing online at Bodog also lets you take your time in-game using your blackjack strategy chart, so you can try out all of our different game types, many of which include a Practice mode where you can play without risking real money. This is a great way to become familiar with our wider menu of blackjack games, including both the classics and exciting variations.
Tips to Improve Your Odds of Winning
Let’s summarize what we’ve already covered here in five simple steps you can use the next time you play blackjack at Bodog Casino:
– Use a blackjack odds calculator to familiarize yourself with the probability of various outcomes.
– Follow a perfect strategy by referencing a blackjack strategy chart during play.
– Avoid the Insurance bet if you’re trying to minimize the house edge.
– Choose games with favourable player rules, like those offering 3:2 payouts for a natural.
Play online for practice before wagering real money. Ready to test your blackjack skills? At Bodog Casino, you can play blackjack online in Canada and across the Americas with the best odds and the most interesting games. Whether you’re using a blackjack odds calculator or mastering the blackjack odds with optimal strategy, we have the perfect game for you. Give online blackjack a try today at Bodog, and we’ll see you at the tables.