Blackjack Surrender House Edge

• Blackjack Surrender House Edgewater
• Blackjack Early Surrender House Edge

No surrender; Blackjack pays 3:2; Here are the different advantages for the casino using the blackjack house edge calculator from Wizard of Odds. Remember, the house edge is based on perfect basic strategy. Every misplayed hand increases the house edge for the casino. 1 Deck: 0.16%; 2 Decks: 0.46%; 4 Decks: 0.60%; 6 Decks: 0.64%; 8 Decks: 0.66%. The name of Blackjack Surrender derives from the game option ‘surrender’ which allows the players to give up their hand before the dealer reveals the face-down card. If such case, they get half their bet back. This is actually a quite advantageous option as it decreases the house edge with around 0.08%. What is the house edge in blackjack? Blackjack House edge - in general it is a RTP (return to a player) expressed in another way. If a casino has a “house edge” of 1% then it means that 99% of all the bets are returned for players and 1% is keeped by the casino. It is obvious that smaller “house edge” is better for players. Blackjack is one of the oldest gambling games in the casino. The game would not have survived as long as it has without the presence of a house edge. This is what guarantees that the casino will be a winner in the long run. Without a house edge no game could survive in a casino, and no casino would make any money. Blackjack is popular because it gives players a definite edge over the house. Players only need to study the rules of the game carefully to realize the truth of this statement. If a player gets blackjack, he/she will get a payout of 3 to 2, but if the dealer gets blackjack, the dealer gets paid 1 to 1.

Most players understand that the casino holds an advantage in blackjack. This advantage is known as the house advantage or house edge, and is usually under 1% in most blackjack games, provided players play using the optimal basic strategy under the rules of the game they’re playing.

What does the house edge or advantage mean? It is an expression of how much of each unit wagered that the casino can expect to win on average. In other words, if the house advantage is 1% and you make bets of $100, you can expect the casino to win $1 for every bet you make over the long run. The results of doubling down, splits, blackjacks and everything else are included in that calculation.

Obviously, no bet in blackjack would cause you to lose exactly $1 on any given $100 bet. However, if you played tens of thousands of hands, or looked at the aggregated results of thousands of customers playing at the casino, you would see that the casino was coming out ahead by about that 1% margin. This assumes of course that everyone plays perfect basic strategy. The reality is that casinos make more than that because of players that don’t know about basic strategy or prefer to gamble and bet with their gut when they are feeling lucky.

Blackjack Rules and the House Edge

Not surprisingly, different blackjack rules can have an impact on the size of the house edge. Some rules variations are beneficial to the player, while others increase the casino’s advantage.

The following is a rundown of how different rule changes can affect the house advantage. Credit to The Wizard of Odds for their excellent analysis of how rules affect the casino’s advantage. All rule changes and their effects are rated against a typical game with the following rules: a blackjack game with an eight deck shoe, where the dealer stands on all 17s, the player may double on any two cards, the player can double down after splitting, and the maximum number of hands the player may split to is four. This game would have a house edge of about 0.45%.

Remember, the lower the house edge the better. So negative values below are better for the player while positive values are better for the casino.

Promotional Rules

Many promotional rules are sometimes offered which can offer a lot of help to the player. For instance, if blackjacks pay 2-1, the house advantage is reduced by 2.27%. The following are some possible promotional rules variations that help the player, along with the amount by which they reduce the house edge:

• All blackjacks pay 2-1: -2.27%
• Triple down: -1.64%
• Five card Charlie: -1.46%
• 2-1 on suited blackjacks: -0.57%
• Six card Charlie: -0.16%
• Seven card Charlie: -0.01%

Using Fewer Decks

Most players have heard that blackjack games with fewer decks are friendly to players, but you might be surprised to find that the differences between these games are relatively small. In fact, the player will see almost no advantage unless only one or two decks are being used. Here’s how reducing the number of decks affects the house advantage:

• Six Decks: -0.02%
• Five Decks: -0.03%
• Four Decks: -0.06%
• Two Decks: -0.19%
• One Deck: -0.48%

Changing How the Dealer Plays

Blackjack Surrender House Edgewater

One of the biggest rules variations between various casino blackjack games is whether the dealer stands on all 17s, or hits on soft 17s (an Ace with another card or cards that total up to 17). The common rule of standing on all 17s is actually better for the player.

• Dealer hits on soft 17: +0.22%

Player Options

Changing the options available to the player can also have an impact on the house edge. For instance, allowing surrender, the option to hand in your cards and get half your money back before the hand is played, reduces the house edge. Allowing this before the dealer checks for blackjack is known as early surrender, while allowing it only after the dealer has checked for blackjack (and not received one) is known as late surrender. This is the effect of some common player-friendly rule variations:

• Early surrender against an Ace: -0.39%
• Late surrender against an Ace: 0%
• Early surrender against a Ten: -0.24%
• Late surrender against a Ten: -0.07%
• Hit after splitting Aces: -0.19%
• Drawing a Ten after splitting Aces counts as blackjack: -0.19%

However, in most cases, casinos are more likely to eliminate player options rather than give players a helping hand. Here are some rule changes that limit what the player can do, and their associated increases in the house advantage.

• Players can only split to three hands: +0.01%
• Players can only split to two hands: +0.10%
• Players may double down only on 9, 10 or 11: +0.09%
• Players may not double down after splitting: +0.14%
• Players may not split aces: +0.18%

Blackjack Short Pays

Perhaps the worst rules variation that can be found at casinos these days is the short pay blackjack. Traditionally blackjacks will pay 3-2 on your wager, meaning our example $100 bet wins $150. However, some casinos, particularly in Las Vegas, are now dealing blackjack games that offer less than this. While it may seem like a minor change, even a small reduction in the odds paid for a blackjack can have a huge impact on the house edge, turning what looks like a good blackjack game into a poor one. You should be particularly wary of games advertising “player friendly” rules such as single deck blackjack that only pay 6-5 or worse on a blackjack. Here’s how short paying blackjacks increases the house edge:

• Blackjack Pays 7-5: +0.45%
• Blackjack Pays 6-5: +1.39%
• Blackjack Pays 1-1: +2.27%

Casino House Advantage Infographic

Related News

Blackjack Surrender enjoys great popularity online because of its favourable rules and relatively low house edge. In this review, we’ll take a detailed look at the game and we’ll provide you with the basic strategy that will bring you optimal results, so make sure you read on.

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The name of Blackjack Surrender derives from the game option ‘surrender’ which allows the players to give up their hand before the dealer reveals the face-down card. If such case, they get half their bet back. This is actually a quite advantageous option as it decreases the house edge with around 0.08%. Below you can see a quick overview of the rules of the game.

• Basic Game Rules
• Return to Player: 99.62% Blackjack pays: 3 to 2
• Decks: 6
• Insurance: yes
• Multihand: yes
• Side bets: no
• Surrender: yes

• Split and Double Rules
• Split: any pair
• Resplit: no
• Double: any two cards
• Double after split: yes
• Hit split aces: no

• Dealer Rules
• Stands: on soft 17
• Peeks for Blackjack: yes
• Special Game Rules: The player can play up to five hands at a time. Only late surrender allowed.

• Bonus:100% up to £150
• Bonus code:not required
• Wagering contribution:20%
• Software:Playtech
• Link:Try now at William Hill

Blackjack Early Surrender House Edge

Note that in this review we’ll talk only about the Blackjack Surrender variation which is developed by Playtech, as it is the most popular one. There’s also a Blackjack Surrender game offered by Real Time Gaming but it’s really rare to stumble upon it, so we’ve decided not to cover it in this article.

Rules of the Game

Your goal in Blackjack Surrender, as in any other blackjack game, is to have a better hand than the dealer. That means having a higher hand total without going over 21. If you go over 21, you lose your bet. All the cards count as their natural numbers, all face cards count as 10 and the ace counts as 1 or 11, whichever is more suitable for the player.

The Playtech version of the game is played on a virtual table where there are five betting boxes, given that you can play up to 5 hands at a time. As you can see in the screenshot below, the table also features information about the rules of the game. As in most blackjack variations, here a natural blackjack (an ace and a 10-valued card) pays 3 to 2, insurance pays 2 to 1 and the dealer stands on 17, including on a soft 17 (an ace and a 6).

The game begins after you’ve placed your bet and hit the ‘Deal’ button. You’ll be dealt two face-up cards, while the dealer will receive one face-up and one face-down card. If your initial hand totals 21, then you have a ‘blackjack’ or a ‘natural’ and you automatically win, otherwise the game will continue. If, on the other hand, the dealer’s upcard is ace or ten, then they’ll peek for blackjack before you even have the chance to choose your next move. If they have a blackjack you automatically lose the hand, if not you’ll be able to make your next move.

You have several options to choose from. You can hit (ask for another card), stand (end your turn by accepting your hand as it is), double your bet at the expense of receiving one and only one more card, or surrender your hand if you feel it’s not strong enough. If you surrender your hand before your turn is over you will receive half your bet back and thus cut your loss by 50%. If you have a pair, you’ll also have the option to split it in two.

As I already mentioned, in the case that the dealer’s upcard is an ace, you’ll be offered another bet, called ‘insurance’. It’s equal to half of your initial bet and it pays 2 to 1 in case that the dealer has a blackjack. That means that if the dealer does have a blackjack, you’ll get the value of your initial and insurance bet and end up not losing anything. If the dealer doesn’t have a blackjack you’ll lose only your insurance money and the game will continue.

After your turn is finished and in the case you haven’t ‘busted’, i.e. the total of your hand is 21 or less, it’s the dealer’s turn. The dealer plays according to preset rules: they hit if the total of their hand is 16 or lower and stand if it’s 17 or more. If the dealer busts and you haven’t, you win the hand. If they stand, then whoever has the higher hand total wins. If it’s a tie, or a ‘push’ as it’s called in blackjack, both you and the dealer get your bets back.

For those who don’t know, there are two types of surrender options in blackjack – late surrender, which is the most common one, and early surrender which is quite rare. The first allows you to surrender a weak hand in exchange for half of your bet only after the dealer has peeked for blackjack, while the second allows you to do that even before the dealer peeks. On that note, Playtech’s Blackjack Surrender features only late surrender.

House Edge – What Are Your Odds?

As any other casino game, Blackjack Surrender’s rules are thought out in such way so that the casino always has a slight advantage and wins in the long run. When it comes to Playtech’s Blackjack Surrender in particular, the rules and the options are set in such way that with an optimal strategy the return-to-player percentage is 99.62%. This means that, with the exception of Blackjack Switch and Pontoon, Blackjack Surrender is the blackjack variation with the lowest house edge – 0.38%.

Blackjack Surrender Strategy Chart

In order to achieve the best theoretical return-to-player percentage when you play Blackjack Surrender, you need to follow the strategy illustrated below. Still, with optimal strategy there will be a house edge of 0.38% which you can decrease and even overcome if you pick a nice bonus which is usable on the game. Of course, you can combine this strategy with a progressive betting strategy, like Martingale or Fibonacci, but if you do so you increase your chances of busting before you can wager your bonus. Therefore, I would advise you to pick a certain bet limit and stick to it throughout the whole process of wagering your bonus.

Bonus Offers Suitable for Playing Blackjack Surrender

As I already mentioned, picking a nice bonus to play Blackjack Surrender with can decrease and even turn around the house edge in your advantage. Of course, the most advantageous bonuses for the users are the welcome offers, so we’ve taken it upon us to check which Playtech casinos offer welcome bonuses that can be wagered on Blackjack Surrender. Here are the results:

Casino	Bonus	Playthrough	*	Min. Deposit	Read More
William Hill	100% up to £150	20x bonus + deposit	20%	£10	Review
Eurogrand	25% up to £1000	35x bonus + deposit	20%	£10	Review
Winner	200% up to £300	35x bonus + deposit	20%	£25	Review
Ladbrokes	100% up to £500	20x bonus + deposit	5%	£20	Review

* Wagering contribution of Blackjack Surrender.

As you can see in the table above, the wagering contribution of Blackjack Surrender is set at 20% at all the above-mentioned casinos, except for Ladbrokes where it is 5%. This means that if you, say, bet £100 on this game, only £20 will be considered for the clearing of the bonus. Casinos set this rule because blackjack is to a great extent a game of strategy and players can wager their bonuses way too easily on it, as opposed to on other casino games based purely on luck, such as slots and scratch cards. In fact, the wagering contribution of blackjack surrender is quite high. Take, Blackjack Switch for example. In most casino this game contributes only 5% toward the wagering requirement, while in others it doesn’t at all.

But anyways, the best bonus you can claim for playing this game is the one offered by William Hill. Don’t get distracted by the low bonus amount! It may be true that it’s lower than the ones offered by other casinos, but it is in fact the most advantageous one. If you take into account the house edge and the wagering contribution of the game together with the wagering requirements for the bonus, you can easily calculate that there’s a huge chance you end up with a win.

Conclusion

Yes, there are a couple of blackjack variations that have lower house edge, but choosing to play Blackjack Surrender with the right bonus might just be the best choice you’ve made in your gambling career so far. And the right bonus, in this case, is the one offered by William Hill because of its favourable conditions. If you’re ready to start playing Blackjack Surrender but want to learn more about the operator and their offer, then make sure you also check out our in-depth William Hill Casino review where we take a really close look at all aspects of this gambling giant.