Blackjack versus slots; that’s the question facing the rookie gambler and experienced gambler alike. These are the two most popular games in the casino because they’re entertaining and easy to learn. Players are familiar with both before they ever walk into a casino, even when they’re not familiar with the casino floor plan.
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The choice often comes down to which game a gambler is more comfortable playing.
But given how easily a player can become proficient on either game, there’s a more important question:
Which game has better odds in 2022?
In this post, I examine the blackjack versus slots debate. In the end, you’ll have a clear frontrunner, and your next trip to the casino might be your most rewarding gambling experience to date.
Table of Contents
Two of the Most Straightforward Casino Games
Blackjack is the most popular casino table game in the United States. The game’s basic concept is simple, and many players have a base knowledge of the game before making their maiden casino visit.
It’s crucial for novice casino gamblers to be comfortable at the games. One of the most significant fears casino gamblers have concerns making mistakes that either:
- Cost them money
- Make them look foolish
- Both 1 and 2.
Blackjack alleviates much of that trepidation, which is a factor to the tables staying full in casinos across the globe.
Despite the massive piles of cash pouring into the casino from the blackjack tables, nothing holds a candle to the slot machines. Slot machines account for over 65% of all casino revenue by most estimations. And you can read about how much a casino makes per day here.
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The spinning reel games make it almost impossible for players to make mistakes. More importantly, when you have a goof, there aren’t fellow gamblers, the dealer, and the pit boss staring at you.
See also: How Many Decks Do Casinos Use for Blackjack?
Deciphering the Odds for Blackjack or Slots
When considering a casino game, the first thing I look at is the house edge. You must know how the casino game will pull your money away from your bankroll.
The house edge is the mathematical advantage casinos have in a game. It represents the difference between the odds of a winning bet and the corresponding payout.
For example, say you had a casino game where the dealer flipped a coin, and players merely bet on heads or tails. If the game paid a winning bet at 1 to 1, the house edge would be 0%.
Unfortunately, casinos can’t keep the lights on without taking a piece for themselves. So, every game in the casino is crafted to draw players’ money.
Learning how the house edge beats you consistently has benefits that the majority of gamblers ignore entirely.
How the House Edge Never Stops Grinding on Your Money
Whether you’re playing a garden variety blackjack game or spinning away on the slots, the house edge is constant. You can reap the rewards of variance and steal wins from time to time, but the long-term edge never ceases.
That’s why gamblers can go on a hot streak and suddenly have a massive chip stack one minute, then be close to bankruptcy a short time later. The house edge is constant, and it always catches up to players.
Imagine you play a slot machine with a house advantage of 10% and win a jackpot of $5,000. If you keep playing the same device, the 10% edge will continue to grind against you until you’re broke.
Using that 10% edge and your new $5,000 bankroll as an example, here’s how your money would vanish.
First, you play through your $5,000, and the house gets 10% (possibly more or less due to variance), which will leave you with $4,500. The next time you play through, the house takes another 10%, and you’re now left with $4,050.
The dollar figure for your losses gets smaller with each subsequent play-through, but the average is 10%. Blackjack operates the same way but doesn’t offer the benefit of large jackpots to boost your bankroll and fight off bankruptcy.
What the House Advantage Looks Like for Slots
When you’re deciding between blackjack versus slots, the house advantage is an important aspect. Slot machines are notorious for having one of the highest house advantages in any casino.
The penny slots are popular with players of all experience and bankroll levels because they offer the lowest barrier to entry. However, the house edge on the average penny slot machine in Las Vegas is over 11%.
When you move up in denomination, the house advantage drops significantly. Yet, in many areas, the nickel slots have one of the lower house edges.
You can find nickel slots with a house advantage of around 5%, which rivals many popular table games. Research the payback percentages for the slot machines in the area where you gamble.
It won’t specify which games are best, but you’ll have an idea about how each denomination pays out.
At First Glance, the House Edge in Blackjack Is More Appealing
Straight away, the house edge in blackjack is a better value for players. The worst rules in a blackjack game will still produce a house advantage that can rival the best slot machines.
When you play a standard game with 3 to 2 payouts for a natural, the house edge is around 2%. Yet, players can slice that to only 0.5% by implementing the basic strategy.
Blackjack is the clear winner from the standpoint of which game is more appealing regarding the house edge. However, how quickly that edge takes your money is another concern that gamblers should address.
See also: Can You Count Cards in Online Blackjack?
Your Expected Hourly Loss for Slots
One of the most critical things for recreational gamblers to look at is how the house edge and rate of play come together. Many casino gamblers are merely trying to make their bankroll last until it’s time to leave.
If you want to know how long you can gamble with your available funds, you must understand how much you can expect to lose per hour. You’ll get a clear picture of how far your money will go by combining your average bet amount, the house edge, and play rate to formulate the expected hourly loss.
The typical slots lover will spin the reels around 600 times per hour. If you’re playing a Las Vegas penny slot machine, you can assume you’ll face a house edge of 11%.
Now, you may be thinking that you can afford to throw pennies away for days, and that’s probably true.
But most players will play max credits (typically five) and max lines (up to 50).
Imagine you’re playing a game for five credits and ten pay lines. Suddenly, you’re staking $0.50 on every spin. Still, it doesn’t sound like much; most blackjack tables have a $10 minimum.
Take your 600 spins and multiply that by $0.50; that’s $300 that you’re putting into play each hour. Your expected hourly loss is $33 playing the penny slot machine.
Most casino gamblers can afford to spend a day in the casino at that rate. But if you’re on a multi-day casino trip, it’s not uncommon for gamblers to go bankrupt before their trip concludes.
The Predicted Losses Per Hour Playing Blackjack
Can blackjack beat the slot machines when it comes to your hourly losses?
You can still find some $5 blackjack tables in Las Vegas, but most start at $10 per hand. The average number of hands per hour in blackjack falls between 40-200 depending on how many players are at the table and how efficient the dealer is.
To compare blackjack versus slots, 50 hands per hour seems fair. The house edge on decent blackjack games is 2% without using the basic strategy.
That means you’re betting $500 per hour, and the house is keeping $10. That’s a substantially better figure than slot machines at $33.
By using basic strategy on every hand you play, the hourly loss drops to $2.50. You won’t need a vast bankroll to play a game for $2.50 an hour.
I can’t think of a better entertainment value inside or out of the casino for that price. Blackjack holds a significant lead going into the home stretch.
Blackjack versus Slots (Which Has Better Odds)
Blackjack has better odds across the board, but some blackjack games throw players a curveball by stipulating a 6 to 5 payout for a natural.
The slight change more than doubles the house advantage and moves blackjack into the same territory as the higher denomination slots. Still, you’ll be losing less per hour because the rate of play is much slower.
Blackjack isn’t merely the game with better odds. Basic strategy has been mentioned several times, and it’s another aspect of the game that allows players to engage and get more bang for their buck.
Conclusion
The internal debate gamblers have between blackjack versus slots is understandable. The games are recognizable to newbies, and both have their perks.
Yet, blackjack, which has better odds, is a casino staple that won’t bankrupt you before the casino trip concludes. Playing blackjack will consistently send you home with more cash in your pocket.
