Blackjack Payouts: 3:2, 6:5 and Worked Examples

A blackjack payout tells you how much a winning wager earns. An ordinary winning main hand usually pays 1:1, while an eligible natural blackjack uses the table’s separate rate, commonly 3:2 or 6:5. The ratio describes profit; returning your own stake is a separate part of the payment.

On a $20 bet, a 1:1 win earns $20 and returns $40 including the stake. A 3:2 natural earns $30 and returns $50. A 6:5 natural earns $24 and returns $44. Those are three different settlements, even though all three hands have won.

This guide works through the arithmetic, including pushes, surrender, doubles, splits and insurance. Dollar amounts are teaching examples, not suggested bets or advertised table limits. Check the exact game’s pay table and settlement conditions before applying an example to it.

Profit, returned stake and total return

Suppose you place $10 and receive $25 after a winning natural at 3:2. You have not made $25 profit. Ten dollars is your original money, leaving $15 profit. Conversely, getting $10 back after a push produces no profit at all.

The word winnings can be ambiguous in an interface or conversation. One display may identify the profit, while another shows a combined payment. Ask which amount a label represents, then reconcile it against the balance before betting. Our blackjack terms guide explains the surrounding vocabulary.

How to calculate a payout ratio

For a winning wager paying a:b, multiply its stake by a, then divide by b. That gives the profit. Add the winning wager’s returned stake to obtain the total return. This method assumes the quoted ratio means profit odds, rather than an explicitly stated return multiplier.

Using $15 at 3:2: $15 × 3 ÷ 2 = $22.50 profit. Add $15 to get $37.50 returned. Using the same stake at 6:5: $15 × 6 ÷ 5 = $18 profit, with $33 returned. Writing both lines prevents an easy mistake: multiplying correctly but forgetting what the answer represents.

A notation such as 2.5 times total return is different from 2.5:1 profit odds. The former includes the stake; the latter describes profit before adding it. Read the explanation beside a multiplier rather than silently converting its label.

For losses, the ordinary return is zero. For pushes, the stake comes back. For a valid half-stake surrender, half comes back. Do not force every outcome through the winning-profit formula.

Use the payout calculator in the Tools hub to check profit and total return at a stated ratio. It applies the arithmetic; the game rules still determine whether the wager qualifies.

Ordinary wins, pushes and losses

These examples use one $20 main wager, no insurance or side bets, and ordinary blackjack settlement. They distinguish the result of the cards from the money returned.

A winning twenty does not earn a larger ordinary payment than a winning eighteen. Both earn the same 1:1 profit on the same stake. The hand total decides whether it beats the dealer; it is not a multiplier for the money.

Similarly, a dealer bust does not repair a player hand that already busted. Our dealer rules guide explains the drawing and settlement sequence, including situations where a named variant changes the usual result.

What qualifies for the natural-blackjack payment?

An original ace with a ten-value card is a natural blackjack. Under standard comparison rules, that natural beats a dealer twenty-one made with three or more cards. If the dealer also has a natural, the ordinary result is a push rather than a premium win.

By contrast, 7 + 7 + 7 totals twenty-one but does not qualify as an original two-card natural. A + 5 + 5 also totals twenty-one without becoming a natural. If either wins as an ordinary main hand, use the ordinary rate, not the natural rate printed on the felt.

A two-card twenty-one created after splitting is ordinarily another separate category: it is twenty-one without the natural premium. OLG’s PlaySmart explanation explicitly makes that distinction for split aces. Check special variants for exceptions rather than treating any visible ace and picture card as proof of a premium.

Our card values guide explains counting. Counting the total correctly is the first step; identifying whether it is an eligible natural is the next.

3:2 versus 6:5 in dollars

The following table compares winning eligible naturals at identical stakes. It assumes neither hand is pushed by dealer blackjack and that no special rule alters the payment.

At a $20 stake, the difference is $6 per winning natural: $30 profit minus $24 profit. More generally, 1.5 times the stake minus 1.2 times the stake equals 0.3 times the stake. That is a comparison of one qualifying win, not a prediction of how often it will occur.

Six-to-five pays 20% less natural profit than three-to-two, because $6 is 20% of $30. It does not mean your total session return falls by 20%. Different denominators answer different questions.

MGM lists both natural payout rates, and BCLC publishes separate basic and 6:5 rules. These sources establish that the distinction exists; they do not establish the current rate at every Alberta table.

Double-down payments use the combined stake

Start with $20, then add another $20 for a full double. The hand now has $40 committed. If that hand wins at ordinary even money, its profit is $40 and the return is $80. If it loses, the return is zero and the loss is $40. A push returns the $40.

Calling this a double can obscure what changed. The winning ratio remains 1:1; you have increased the wager that the ratio applies to. It is not a 2:1 payout on a $20 stake with the additional $20 ignored.

A drawn card that brings the doubled hand to twenty-one does not convert it into an original natural. For example, 5 + 6 followed by a ten makes three-card twenty-one. Use ordinary winning settlement if it beats the dealer.

If a particular game permits doubling for less, calculate from the money actually committed. An original $20 plus a permitted $10 addition would be $30, with a $60 return on a 1:1 win. Permission and payment arithmetic are separate questions. See our double-down guide for the action and its stated strategy scope.

Split hands: settle each wager, then add

Splitting a $20 pair into two hands adds a second $20 stake. You now have $40 committed, distributed across two hands. Calculate each hand’s return before calculating the round’s net result.

If one hand wins and the other loses, the winning hand returns $40 while the losing hand returns nothing. Combined return is $40 against $40 committed: no overall profit. The first hand won, but the complete round broke even.

If one wins and the other pushes, the returns are $40 and $20. That is $60 returned against $40 committed, leaving $20 profit. If both lose, the round loses $40.

Now suppose one split hand is also fully doubled. Its stake becomes $40, while the other stays at $20, making $60 committed overall. If the $20 hand wins but the doubled hand loses, $40 comes back and the round loses $20. Counting only the two original $20 portions would incorrectly report a break-even round.

Resplits add further stakes. Keep one line per completed hand, and use our splitting guide for eligibility and split-ace restrictions.

Surrender returns part of a losing wager

A valid surrender that forfeits half of a $20 main wager returns $10. Its net result is a $10 loss. Receiving money back does not make it a win, because you originally committed more than the amount returned.

The same arithmetic on $15 gives $7.50 returned and $7.50 lost, subject to the game’s permitted units and payment procedure. Do not assume that every game offers surrender or accepts it at every point in the round.

Early and late surrender differ in when the option applies relative to dealer blackjack. A decision that looks available on one version may be unavailable on another. The surrender guide separates those timing conditions from the half-stake calculation.

For a personal round record, label the result “surrender” rather than “push”. Both return something, but a push returns the whole relevant stake and surrender does not. That label matters when you later check why your balance changed.

Insurance has its own payment ledger

Insurance is a separate wager on dealer blackjack. Under the usual terms, a $20 main wager allows up to $10 insurance, with a winning insurance wager paying 2:1. On that $10 insurance win, profit is $20 and its total return is $30.

For a non-natural main hand against dealer blackjack, the main $20 loses. The insurance returns $30 against $30 committed across both wagers, producing no net change. The $30 insurance return is not $30 profit to add on top of an unchanged main stake.

If the dealer lacks blackjack and your main hand later wins, the main returns $40 while insurance returns zero. Against the combined $30 commitment, that leaves $10 profit. If the main pushes instead, its $20 return leaves a $10 combined loss.

Our insurance and even money guide includes the full comparison, including a player natural. Even money can describe the ordinary 1:1 rate or the specific offer on a natural against an ace; identify which meaning applies.

When late dealer blackjack changes the amount at risk

If dealer blackjack can be discovered after player actions, check what happens to added double or split money. The dealing procedure alone does not tell you whether every added wager loses. Settlement wording is essential.

Consider a hypothetical non-busted hand with $20 originally staked and $20 added for a double. If the applicable rule takes all $40 on dealer blackjack, the return is zero and the loss is $40. If it takes only the original $20 and returns the extra $20, the net loss is $20.

Those examples illustrate two stated conditions; they do not assign either one to all games without a hole card. Busted hands and resplit structures can have further conditions. Record the actual rule before deciding which ledger is correct.

This is why a payout comparison should include more than the headline natural ratio. The same initial wager can create different later exposure under different rules.

Side wagers and special variants need separate rules

A side-bet pay table describes that side wager, not the ordinary main hand. If a hypothetical $2 side wager pays 10:1 profit odds, it earns $20 profit and returns $22 when its stated condition wins. That calculation does not establish a real game’s available prizes or the chance of qualifying.

Our side bets guide applies that accounting to Perfect Pairs and 21+3, with a labelled pay-table example, qualifying-card illustrations and a combined round ledger.

Check whether a displayed multiple includes the stake, whether only the highest qualifying prize pays, and whether a maximum applies. A large payout ratio does not by itself show whether a wager offers favourable expected value.

Named blackjack variants may also change the main-hand result. OLG describes Free Bet Blackjack’s Push 22 condition, where eligible bets still in action push on dealer twenty-two. Applying the ordinary dealer-bust row from this guide without that exception would overstate the payment.

Read the exact version’s rules for naturals, ties and special outcomes. A familiar game title is not enough to establish that every payment matches standard blackjack.

Payout rate is different from winning probability

Three-to-two answers how much a qualifying winning natural earns. It does not mean that three out of every two hands win, or that any particular number of hands must produce a natural. The payment ratio and event frequency are different quantities.

Wizard of Odds’ rule-variation analysis shows a material disadvantage from replacing 3:2 with 6:5 under its stated baseline. That is a model of the rule’s effect, not a guaranteed loss for an individual session. We have not assigned one universal house-edge percentage to every game described here.

For the mathematical background, read our odds and house edge guide. It separates payment ratios from probability and explains how wager amounts, rules and variance affect comparisons.

A useful comparison holds the stake and other rules constant first. Comparing $10 at one table with $25 at another mixes a change in payment terms with a change in money at risk. A better natural ratio is not a reason to exceed your budget.

Our basic strategy guide states its S17 assumptions. Strategy and payout rules both matter, but a correct decision does not guarantee the next result. The RTP guide explains long-run return terminology.

A five-round ledger you can check

This invented sequence uses no side wagers or fees. It is an accounting exercise, not a typical or expected run of cards. Round one is a $20 ordinary win: $40 returned, $20 profit. Round two is a $20 push: $20 returned, no change.

Round three is a $20 winning natural at 3:2: $50 returned, $30 profit. Round four starts at $20 and is fully doubled, then loses: $40 committed, nothing returned, $40 lost. Round five is a valid surrender of $20: $10 returned, $10 lost.

Add the commitments: $20 + $20 + $20 + $40 + $20 = $120. Add the returns: $40 + $20 + $50 + $0 + $10 = $120. The sequence breaks even despite containing two winning rounds.

Replace only the third round’s 3:2 payment with 6:5. Its return falls from $50 to $44. Total return becomes $114 against the same $120 committed, producing a $6 loss. This isolates the payment difference in a fixed example; it does not claim that future card sequences repeat it.

Checking a result on screen or at a table

1. Identify the game and the payout rule that applied when the wager was made.
2. Write down the original stake and every added split, double or insurance amount.
3. Classify each result: ordinary win, natural win, push, loss or valid surrender.
4. Calculate each return separately, then subtract the complete commitment.
5. Compare the result with the round history or chip settlement.

For an online query, keep the round identifier, time, relevant cards, stake breakdown and applicable rule text. A balance screenshot by itself may not explain whether the stake had already been deducted or whether several hands were settled together. Ask support to explain the individual transaction entries.

At a physical table, ask for clarification while the relevant round can still be identified, following the venue’s procedure. Avoid moving chips to demonstrate a different payment. Our Alberta casino directory is separate from this rules lesson; no venue-specific payout has been inferred from its listing.

If an amount produces fractional units, check the permitted denominations and rounding method. For example, $7 at 3:2 mathematically earns $10.50 profit. The example does not establish whether a particular table permits that stake or how its payment system handles fractions.

Hand settlement is not a withdrawal-time promise

A winning hand credited to a game balance and a payment reaching your bank are different events. The hand’s ratio determines its game settlement; withdrawal limits, verification and processing belong to the cashier stage.

For those questions, use our withdrawals guide. Do not interpret a blackjack ratio, theoretical return figure or successful round as proof of a particular withdrawal speed. Likewise, a pending withdrawal does not change the arithmetic of the original winning hand.

When reviewing your own session, account for deposits and withdrawals separately from game profit. Moving $100 from a bank account to a casino balance is a transfer of your money, not $100 of gambling winnings. Cashing out a balance also does not make the whole withdrawal new profit if it includes your original funds.

Keep the same units throughout a calculation. Dollars, cents and displayed game credits should only be combined after checking their stated conversion.

Balance timing matters too. Imagine a $100 balance immediately before a $20 wager. Deducting the stake leaves $80. An ordinary win then credits $40, bringing the balance to $120. A screen that shows a $40 payment and a $20 balance increase can therefore be internally consistent. For a push, crediting $20 would restore the balance to $100. Compare matching points in the round rather than comparing a balance after the stake deduction with a balance before the wager and calling the difference profit.

Three practice checks with answers

For each exercise, identify everything committed before calculating the net result. Assume ordinary settlement, permitted stakes and no fees unless the example says otherwise. These exercises test accounting, not whether the initial playing decision was correct.

A twelve-dollar natural

An eligible $12 natural wins at 3:2. Its profit is $12 × 3 ÷ 2 = $18. The returned stake adds another $12, so the total return is $30. If someone records $30 as profit, their figure is overstated by the original $12. At 6:5, the same hypothetical stake would earn $14.40 profit and return $26.40, before any game’s denomination restrictions are considered.

A doubled split hand and a push

Begin with $10, add $10 to split, then add another $10 to double one hand. Total commitment is $30. The doubled $20 hand wins and returns $40; the other $10 hand pushes and returns $10. Combined return is $50, giving $20 net profit. The pushed hand contributes returned money but contributes no profit.

A main-hand loss alongside a side-wager win

Use a hypothetical $10 main wager and a separate $2 side wager with a stated 10:1 profit payment. The main loses, while the side wager qualifies and returns $22. The round returns $22 against $12 committed, leaving $10 profit. Recording the side wager’s $20 profit alone would omit the main-hand loss. This invented pay table is only for practising the calculation.

Before using a payout example, check the wager type, natural eligibility, stated ratio and every settlement exception. The Guides hub links to the related rules lessons; our responsible gambling page covers setting limits and finding support. For a settled main hand, the Blackjack Calculator separates the stake, return and net result under its stated rules.

Common blackjack payout questions

Does a winning twenty-one always pay 3:2?

No. The premium depends on an eligible natural and the posted ratio. A winning three-card twenty-one ordinarily pays 1:1. A split-hand twenty-one ordinarily lacks the natural premium too. Check the exact variant for exceptions instead of choosing a rate from the total alone.

Is a push a win?

No. The relevant stake is returned, creating zero net profit on that wager. Other wagers in the same round may still have won or lost. Calculate those separately before describing the complete round as break-even.

Does doubling make the payout 2:1?

No. A full double increases the stake. A winning ordinary hand still pays 1:1 on the combined amount. Starting with $20 and adding $20 creates a $40 wager; an ordinary win earns $40 profit and returns $80 including that wager.

Does 6:5 pay more than 3:2?

No, when comparing the same qualifying stake. A winning $20 natural earns $30 profit at 3:2 and $24 at 6:5. The $6 difference is 20% of the $30 natural profit; it is not a statement that every session returns 20% less.

Can one winning split hand still leave no round profit?

Yes. With two $20 hands, one ordinary win returns $40 and one loss returns nothing. The $40 combined return equals the $40 committed, so the whole round breaks even. Count any extra double or resplit stakes before applying that example.

Is a winning insurance return all profit?

No. At 2:1, a winning $10 insurance wager returns $30, including its own stake, and makes $20 profit. The main hand still has its separate settlement. Subtract both stakes from the combined returns to find the complete round’s result.

How should I handle a fractional payout?

First calculate the mathematical amount, then check the game’s permitted stakes, denominations and payment procedure. A $7 wager at 3:2 mathematically earns $10.50 profit. That calculation does not establish whether a particular table accepts the stake or how its system handles fractions.

Does a credited winning hand mean an immediate bank payment?

No. Game settlement and a withdrawal reaching your bank are separate events. Cashier limits, verification and processing apply at the withdrawal stage. A withdrawal may also include your original money, so its whole amount is not automatically new gambling profit.

References

MGM GameSense, OLG PlaySmart and the cited Wizard of Odds analysis checked November 1, 2026. The BCLC PDF reference retains its October 31 check because the file was unavailable during this review. The worked dollar examples and five-round ledger are original calculations. Sources from other provinces or operators explain their stated rules; they do not establish every Alberta game’s current conditions.

1. MGM Resorts GameSense: Guide to Blackjack — ordinary wins, natural payout rates, splitting and surrender.
2. OLG PlaySmart: How to Play Blackjack — main-hand settlement, split-hand twenty-one and insurance.
3. BCLC: Rules of Play for Blackjack — published basic and 6:5 payout provisions and wager conditions.
4. OLG PlaySmart: Blackjack Variations and Side Wagers — variant-specific payment conditions, including Push 22.
5. Wizard of Odds: Blackjack Rule Variations — mathematical comparison of rule changes under a stated baseline.