This post pits two of the most thrilling table games, Blackjack and Poker, against each other in terms of their odds. And here arises the logical question: which type of poker?
Since 1972, the highlight of the World Series of Poker has been a no-limit Texas Hold ’em game, so let’s compare this variant’s odds to Blackjack’s.
Blackjack vs. Texas Hold’em: which game has the better odds?
Another reason why Texas Hold ’em is the most comparable poker variant to Blackjack is that both are played with three cards.
Win rate
In Blackjack, a player’s win rate remains relatively steady, no matter if they are an old hand or a novice. By contrast, Texas Hold’em’s win rate depends mainly on one’s playing strategy.
House advantage
Online or land-based, a casino must win most of the time to remain in business. Poker and Blackjack make no exception.
If you sit at a blackjack table for the first time, the house will have a four-percent edge. Masters of the game have reduced the casino’s advantage to just 0.5%.
Texas Hold ’em has no house advantage because you are playing against other players or a computer.
Online vs. table poker
The classic version of Texas Hold’em shows who the strong players are. They may lose to a rookie once or twice at the green table, but their consistent strategies always pay off in the end.
You can use software to calculate your odds when you play Texas Hold’em online against other players.
Still, the final decision on how to play a particular hand is yours. Beginners can use simple online poker odds calculators.
Online Blackjack
There are various online blackjack real money apps and sites. Experienced players avoid playing Blackjack online because card counting is almost impossible. Hence, the house edge is more significant than 0.5%.
Loss rate
in the long run, Texas Hold’em appears to have better ROI than Blackjack because you cannot eliminate the half-percent house advantage.
The amount you win from other players minus your buy-in is your profit. If your Texas Hold’em loss rate is below 50%, you can tap yourself on the shoulder.
Are there professional blackjack players?
This is an excellent question to ask. For one thing, you always play against the casino, so they may ban you if you manage to take their 0.5% edge away.
Second, poker is the more popular of the two games; hence, it is more televised. As the official variant of WSOP, Texas Hold’em draws in the lion’s share of broadcast cash.
How much money do professionals make?
And if a medium-ranked poker professional makes between $20,000 and $45,000 a year, expert blackjack players are seldom heard of.
Bryce Carlson and Arnold Snyder are two of the biggest names in classic Blackjack. Of course, there are many others, but they mostly make their money writing about the game rather than playing.
Final thoughts
To sum up, Texas Hold’em’s long-term odds are better than Blackjack’s because you rely on your skills in reading other players and calculating your chances.
By contrast, Blackjack is more beginner-friendly. Even if you lose most hands initially, your losses will not be discouraging. Even if you start winning half of your hands, the house will invariably keep its half-percent advantage.