The 6:5 payout is a great source of anger for many blackjack players. Paying out 6 for every 5 bet instead of the original 3 for every 2 for a natural blackjack is a rip off, but casino companies claim that this is merely their way of meeting rising costs and keeping the blackjack tables running. However, at the 2011 Global Gaming Expo (G2E) a panel took on this assertion.
Panelists came up with other means of meeting casino costs that doesn’t dupe loyal players the way the 6:5 payout does. One startlingly simple solution offered by panelists was to introduce cup holders at the tables. Fidgeting with drinks and knocking them over in moments of excitement or ire causes long hold ups which annoy other players as well as cost casinos considerable amounts of money (after all, the more hands played per hours the more money earned – not to mention the costs of replacing damaged felt!).
Introducing more blackjack variations like Blackjack Switch and Spanish 21, or introducing sucker bets is another viable option. Experienced players will opt out of risky side bets anyway, while inexperienced and casual players often enjoy them. Let’s hope casino execs take these ideas to heart, because who wouldn’t prefer a cup holder over a lousy 6:5 payout?
