Why Don't Casinos Carry 10-Cent Chips to Pay off 6-5s at Proper Odds

Does Andrew have any comment on why players aren't paid properly with dime (or maybe specially made 20-cent chips) so that they can actually be paid properly and to not give the casino any more than necessary? Why should the casinos withhold any more money from players than they already do by paying them 6-5 instead of 3-2?

[Editor's Note: This question was prompted by our QoD on 10/29/18 about rounding down payoffs on natural blackjacks at 6-5 tables, written by our man behind the curtain, Andrew Uyal. Andrew responds in today's answer.]

The fact of the matter is, the casino isn't paying people proper odds on 6-5 blackjacks (and odds on the 6 and 8 on the crap table, for that matter). The casino is simply offering $6 on naturals for every $5 bet by a player.

It’s easy to paint the casino with the ripoff brush. But the casino is a business. It’s impractical to be able to accommodate true and proper odds for any bet a customer places. Offering $6 for every $5 bet is the closest practical way to do it -- without having to worry about 10-cent or 20-cent chips.

The dealers and supervisors are happy to explain that betting $7 will only pay $8 and $8 will only pay $9, etc. In fact, they're encouraged to educate the players about proper bets and payouts. And remember, the dealers work for tips. Of course they’re inclined to tell you that betting in $5 increments is better for the player as far as these payouts are concerned.

If, after that explanation, someone still chooses to bet $7 and is upset about an $8 payout, instead of the true $8.40, I’m afraid the burden is on the player.

I haven’t heard nearly as many complaints about players betting 50-cent pieces on a 3-2 table and only being paid 50 cents (even money) instead of 75 cents, due to there not being quarters on a blackjack table. To me, this a more valid complaint, because the casino does carry quarters on some of its games (pai gow and baccarat). It doesn’t usually come up, though. Maybe because 3-2 payouts have been around longer and players realize that the burden lies with them if they bet the 50-cent piece.

The bottom line for me as a floor supervisor is this. The best way to think about it isn't that the casino doesn't pay proper odds. Again, that's true. But they aren’t actually offering proper odds. They’re simply offering an extra $1 on blackjacks for every $5 a player wants to bet.

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Comments

Dave Dec-10-2018

Non-standard

Using dime chips (or real dimes) would slow down the game's payout AND cost the casino the dime they are paying out. Those are two good reasons to not do it. Another reason is, by not doing it, it discourages players from making the non-standard bet in the first place.

Note that in some jurisdictions, notably Atlantic City, payouts for non-standard bets must be rounded UP. For this reason, non-standard bets are not allowed, except for dealer toke bets.

Pat Higgins Dec-10-2018

Pat H

It makes since to me that the player should educate himself to the fact that a 6/5 Black Jack game is a terrible gave to play.  My wife and I will simply not play a 6/5 game.  Example:  If you bet $10 and the 3/2 win is $15 but a 6/5 pay off the win is only $12, you are suffering somewhere near a 30% difference.  Another example bet $100 and you have payouts of $150 Vrs $120 a $30 dollar difference.  Now some super math genius may be able to correct the difference in percentages but in dollars the $30 looks like a really big difference to this old country boy.  


So buy a book or research on the internet and educate yourself.  Screw the casinos who have 6/5 games.  There are still a lot of casinos who offer a much more favorable 3/2 game.

Just my $.02 worth.

kinosh Dec-10-2018

Totally agree

It's on the players to understand the games and bet properly. BJ is nothing compared to craps when it comes to betting in correct increments, otherwise the casino will round DOWN!

Ray Dec-10-2018

6 5 BJ

I sat down at an electronic BJ just last week, partly because the usually mimic the live game in rules, and also because I can bet less per hand AND get slot points for my play. I bet $3 and then noticed (in small print) that BJ pays $3.60. I quit playing because I avoid 6-5 BJ but just wanted to let the questioner know that machines pay by the dimes.

Question of the Day - 10 December 2018

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