Blackjack vs Roulette

The sheer wealth of choice available to you means there’s always something new to try. You might be tempted to try everything, but perhaps you’re more interested in finding your absolute favourite game and getting good enough at it to beat the house, or at the very least become a highly experienced and knowledgeable player.

To help you choose the best game for you, we're taking a look at two of the most iconic games of them all: online Blackjack and online roulette.

Each Game Explained

Both blackjack and roulette are two of the most simple games you can find, making them some of the most popular options. Here's the objective for each:

Roulette: Correctly predict the number(s)/section(s) of the roulette wheel that the ball will land on.

Blackjack: Build a hand of cards that equals 21 or is higher than the dealer's hand to win.

For more information on each game, find our complete blackjack rules and roulette rules guide at 21.co.uk.

Which game has a better house edge - blackjack or roulette?

One of the main deciders between these two casino games is the house edge. The lower the house edge, the better the probability of achieving a win.

Although the house edge varies between the two games depending on the version you play and whether or not you're using basic strategy in blackjack, we can see that the house edge is always going to be lower in the game of blackjack.

Roulette House Edge

• French roulette: 2.70%
• American roulette: 5.26%
• European roulette: 2.70%

Blackjack House Edge

• Classic blackjack: 0.5% - 2.0%

Comparing Payout Odds in Blackjack & Roulette

The number of betting options is greater in roulette than what you'll find in blackjack, but there is a fair share of side-betting options in blackjack.

Payout Odds in Roulette: 35:1

Payout Odds in Blackjack: 1:1 for a win (3:2 or 6:5 for achieving blackjack)

Roulette and Blackjack: Are they games of skill or chance?

Let's get one thing out of the way first: Both Blackjack and Roulette are ultimately games of chance.

While you might be able to bet sensibly and play the odds, at the end of the day you don't choose the cards you're dealt or where the ball lands. That said, Blackjack gives you more control to players with the option to apply strategy to the scenarios they find themselves in.

The random nature of both these games creates the house edge that exists, and because of the house edge, there is always going to be a limitation for how far skill can take you. In Blackjack, the house edge can be reduced by learning and deploying a variety of strategies depending on the hand you are dealt, as well as the hand of the house.

Roulette, on the other hand, is all about random chance. The roulette wheel will determine where the ball lands, and there is nothing you can implement to improve your odds.

The Use of Strategy in Blackjack & Roulette

As we have already said, there's no getting away from the fact that Roulette almost entirely lacks the strategic element that some find so engaging when playing Blackjack. Whether this is a problem depends on what kind of a player you are. While there are those for whom beating the house through their own efforts is a key aspect of gaming, there is an equal number who get all of their enjoyment from the act of giving up their influence on the events of the game and really relying on luck to win. That said, Roulette is not entirely based on luck.

Clearly, the spin of the wheel and the way the balls land is entirely random, but what Roulette has that Blackjack does not is a variety of ways to manage your risk. Blackjack's risk management is binary: You either put more or less money down on each hand.

In Roulette, you can split your chips over several numbers and both colours if you're looking to make a lower-risk move or put them all on one number or one colour.

How Difficult Are Blackjack & Roulette?

Blackjack:

Blackjack is an easy game to play but a hard game to master when you take strategy into consideration. If you're not interested in learning strategy, the game's rules are very simple, allowing players to quickly pick up the rules if new to the game. For some, the difficulty of reading the game and understanding which way to go is a big aspect of it.

Roulette:

On the other end of the spectrum, Roulette is about as easy as a game can get. The concept is easy to understand, and despite having a wide range of betting options, these are visualised across the betting table.

Some of the inside bets are less obvious and require awareness before you consider placing them. Our roulette bets guide covers everything you need to know about the different options available.

Variations of Both Games

It is possible to find variations of both games, although some are more rare than others.

Versions of roulette:

• American roulette
• European roulette
• French roulette

Versions of blackjack:

• Spanish 21
• European blackjack
• Double exposure blackjack

It's worth keeping an eye out for these versions as they can heavily influence the rules and house edge, which could alter your decision for which game to choose.

Which game is best to play?

Below you will find a summary of the pros and cons for blackjack and roulette to help you decide on which game is best for you.

Even though roulette has higher payout odds, this also reflects the chances of winning and the risk involved.

Try Online Blackjack and Roulette For Yourself

If you’re undecided about which game you prefer, the good news is that there is a wide range of options for you to try them both for yourself. From classic online Blackjack and video Roulette, which use simulated graphics to deliver the experience to online blackjack and online roulette games which put you in front of a real dealer via HD video streaming, there are some fantastic versions of both games available right here at 21.co.uk.

Play Online Blackjack