Blackjack’s house edge is set by the game’s rules and provider math, not whether you deposit with crypto or fiat. Rule changes such as 3:2 vs 6:5 blackjacks, whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17, the number of decks, and whether you can double after splits move the edge by meaningful, quantifiable amounts.
What “house edge” and “RTP” mean in blackjack
House edge is the casino’s built-in advantage, while RTP is the long-run percentage the game pays back to players. In blackjack with sound basic strategy, the house edge is typically under 1% if the rules are player-friendly; worse rules lift it. Regulators such as the UK Gambling Commission require remote operators to test and monitor RTP for the games they offer.
Live dealer and RNG blackjack RTPs most players see
Mainstream live-dealer tables from major providers publish RTP around the high 99% range for the main hand. For example, Evolution’s standard live blackjack is widely listed at about 99.28% RTP, and Pragmatic Play’s ONE Blackjack also posts 99.28% for the main game. Variant tables like Free Bet or Power Blackjack run lower RTP than the providers’ regular blackjack.
In other words, a crypto casino that streams those same provider tables will present essentially the same RTP as a traditional, licensed online casino using the same provider and rules. Live-dealer rules are identical across a provider’s partner casinos; only limits, promos, and table branding tend to differ.
The four rule levers that move the edge the most
1) Blackjack payout: 3:2 vs 6:5
Switching from the classic 3:2 payout to 6:5 adds roughly 1.39 percentage points to the house edge, turning a good game into a poor one even if all other rules stay the same. This is the single biggest lever you’ll encounter on felt or online.
2) Dealer on soft 17: S17 vs H17
Having the dealer stand on soft 17 is worth about 0.2 percentage points to the player compared with hitting soft 17, all else equal. Games that advertise S17 usually carry higher minimums for that reason.
3) Number of decks
Fewer decks slightly help the player; moving from eight decks to a single deck improves the edge by roughly 0.56 percentage points, assuming comparable rules. Casinos can offset the single-deck benefit with other rule changes, so always read the placard.
4) Double after split and other player options
Allowing double after split, late surrender, and resplitting aces nudges the edge down; removing these options nudges it up. Wizard of Odds maintains a calculator showing the exact effect of 6,900+ rule combinations.
RNG vs live dealer: does online shuffle kill counting?
Most RNG blackjack games reshuffle every hand, which makes card counting ineffective and leaves your long-run results governed by the posted RTP and rules. Live tables are also designed to be resistant to counting through shoe management and monitoring. If you’re playing online—crypto or not—assume counting doesn’t change expectation.
Side bets: fun, but they raise the house edge
Popular side bets such as 21+3 and Perfect Pairs usually run far lower RTP than the main blackjack hand. Typical published figures are around 96.3% RTP for 21+3 on many live tables and double-digit house edges for some Perfect Pairs paytables. Sticking to the main hand preserves blackjack’s low edge.
Crypto-specific considerations that don’t change the edge
Provably fair implementations let some crypto casinos expose verifiable randomness for their in-house RNG blackjack variants. That can increase transparency, but it doesn’t alter the underlying expected value of a given ruleset. Whether you fund with BTC, ETH, or a card, the house edge comes from rules and provider math.
Regulated markets require operators to test and monitor RTP in production and to disclose rules and theoretical returns. If you’re choosing between two sites, compare the posted rules and RTP for the exact table you intend to play rather than the payment methods they accept.
Quick comparison: where crypto and traditional align or differ
Rules and RTP: If both sites host the same provider’s table and the same rules, the edge is effectively the same. Crypto doesn’t add or remove percentage points.
Variant choice: Some crypto-forward sites feature provider variants with lower RTP (e.g., Free Bet/Power) alongside regular blackjack; traditional sites do the same. Read each table’s help page.
Transparency: Some crypto casinos offer provably fair originals for RNG blackjack; this verifies randomness but does not improve EV.
Practical tips to keep blackjack’s edge low
Insist on 3:2 payouts and avoid 6:5 tables. This single rule can swing the edge by ~1.39 points.
Prefer S17 if available; it trims the edge by roughly 0.2 points vs H17.
Check deck count and player options like double-after-split and surrender on the table’s info page.
Skip side bets with lower RTP; keep action on the main hand.
Use a basic strategy chart matched to your exact rules to keep the edge near the posted figure.
Responsible gambling note
Only play where it is legal for you to do so and where you meet age and local compliance requirements. Licensed operators must test and monitor RTP and game fairness; always check licensing, table rules, and help pages before you play. If gambling stops being fun, seek safer-gambling tools or local support resources.
