Casinos have an advantage in blackjack because they can vary the odds in their favor. When a casino is dealing cards, it has a 1 in 3 chance of being dealt a blackjack. However, the casino can manipulate the odds in its favor by setting the house edge as high as 1.46% – meaning that for every $100 played on blackjack, the casino would earn $146.46. This allows casinos to make more money from players by depressing the payout tables and making it less likely that players will hit a royal flush or other high-paying hand.
In contrast, casinos cannot set the house edge on Pai Gow poker because there are no redeals. This means that if a player bets $5, they will receive back $10 regardless of whether or not they win the hand. As a result, casinos must keep the payout tables closer to even in order to make as much money from players as possible. Because Pai Gow poker is less prone to manipulation by casinos, it has a house edge of just 0.50%.
