How Is Blackjack Edge Calculated?

When playing blackjack, players are dealt two cards face down. The player then looks at their hand and decides whether to take another card, or stand.

If the player takes another card, they then compare the new card to their original two and make a decision: keep the original two, split the difference between the new and old card, or discard one of the original two. .

If the player stands, then their hand is considered complete. If they take another card, their hand is now considered “down” and the game continues as follows:

If the player’s original two cards are both equal to or greater than the new card, then they are “ahead” and receive a payout according to how much of an edge they have. For example, a player with an Ace and 2 of clubs would receive a 7-card blackjack (2+6=8) which gives them an Edge of 2.

If their original two cards were 2 and 3, they would also be ahead but only receive a 6-card blackjack (2+5=7). If their original two cards were 1 and 4, they would be behind with a 5-card blackjack (1+4=5).

If the player’s original two cards are not equal to or greater than the new card, then they are “behind” and receive no payout. For example, if a player has an Ace of hearts and a 2 of spades in their hand, they are behind with a 3-card blackjack (Ace-2=1).

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