Bottom line: If the felt says “blackjack pays 6 to 5,” treat that as a different and substantially more expensive game.
The direct cost
The short pay removes 0.3 betting units every time the player receives a winning natural. Because naturals occur roughly once in 21 hands, the long-run penalty is commonly about 1.4 percentage points, with the exact change depending on the full rules and model.
Matched example
Our supported one-deck H17, 6:5, no-DAS profile carries a 1.69824% house edge despite using only one deck. That is worse than every supported 3:2 profile on the calculator.
Table check
- $10 natural: $15 profit at 3:2
- $10 natural: $12 profit at 6:5
- The reduced payout does not change ordinary 1:1 wins
- Do not trade away 3:2 merely for fewer decks
Method note
House-edge values reproduce the Wizard of Odds “basic strategy with cut card” model for the stated complete profile. Last reviewed September 20, 2026.