Blackjack remains the most popular table game in casinos around the US. There are still more blackjack games in casinos than any other table games.
Nevada casinos had a total of 4,889 table games during the 2021 fiscal year. About 45% of the table games in the state, 2,207, were blackjack.
There were more blackjack games by far than any others in Nevada casinos during the period. For comparison, only baccarat and roulette had more than 400 games in Nevada during the fiscal year.
The popularity of blackjack continues despite casinos changing rules to increase the house edge. Don’t get it twisted – the changes to increase the house edge for the casino aren’t good for players.
However, when a player uses perfect basic strategy, blackjack still has a lower house edge than many other table games. Similar to blackjack, casinos are looking to increase their house edge in other games.
This is one of the reasons blackjack remains popular in casinos today.
The Worst Blackjack Game Isn’t So Bad
The worst blackjack games pay 6:5 instead of 3:2. Yes, this is much worse for blackjack players. However, it’s not as bad as other table games in casinos today.
A 6:5 blackjack game with limited doubling and resplitting has a house edge of just over 2% when a player uses perfect basic strategy. Compare that to roulette and the worst blackjack game is a relative bargain.
Vegas Strip casinos continue to add a space on a roulette table without changing the payout. The house edge for the “000” roulette game is 7.69%. The house edge for a traditional 00 roulette is 5.25%.
Even the worst blackjack game has a lower house edge than roulette.
Never A Dull Moment Playing Blackjack
The pace of a blackjack game is never slow. The tempo isn’t too fast either. This keeps the players active which leads to more fun.
This isn’t the case with all table games. While craps is an exciting game, it takes time for dealers to pay players after each roll. At the same time, players have to quickly place bets once the table is clear before the roller shoots the dice.
This can be a stressful up-and-down drag. It’s also part of what makes craps so invigorating but it isn’t for everyone.
Other table games have similar slow periods while dealers reconcile wagers and consult paytables for how much to pay a player.
Blackjack keeps things simple with the same payout for every game. Dealers quickly see how much a player is to be paid and the game rarely has much downtime.
The tempo when playing blackjack is fast enough to keep players interested. It’s also slow enough to not cause players any stress when playing blackjack
Blackjack Ebbs And Flows Are Riveting
Blackjack has a low house edge and isn’t very volatile. Unlike some casino games, there aren’t many big financial changes on one hand.
The tempo of blackjack and the low volatility keep players engaged in the game. It’s not rare to watch a blackjack session bankroll that never increases or decreases more than a few units.
This is one of the fun parts of playing blackjack. Being able to enjoy a game for a long time without big swings in a bankroll allows players to remain at ease.
This also allows players to sit at the table longer without wild bankroll fluctuations. In turn, different players get to know one another making blackjack a social game.
Blackjack Is Social
Blackjack is a social game. While the tables are action-packed there’s adequate time to breathe while other players attend to their hands.
The game is played a such a pace that it allows players time to participate in the game while drinking and chatting with new and old friends alike.
Blackjack rules make the game simple to play on the surface. However, not everyone is familiar with basic strategy and may not offer the sharpest blackjack advice.
This is a fun game but players should always be aware that there are plenty of blackjack myths that are spread at the table. These untruths actually make the game that is “simple to play” a bit more complicated.
That said, there are so few casino games that involve player skill and are social that there will always be a case for blackjack being one of the most fun and social games.
