Soft 17 and Blackjack Odds Simplified

Understanding how soft 17 works and how blackjack odds are calculated can dramatically improve your decision-making at the table. Both concepts can seem confusing for beginners, but they’re actually simple once broken down. This guide explains soft 17 in plain English and shows you how it affects dealer behavior, house edge, and overall blackjack odds.

---

What Is a Soft 17 in Blackjack?

A soft 17 is a hand that totals 17 with an Ace counted as 11.
Examples of soft 17 include:

• A + 6
• A + 3 + 3
• A + 2 + 4

Because the Ace can shift between 11 or 1, soft 17 is “soft” — meaning the hand cannot bust with one hit.

---

Soft 17 vs Hard 17

A hard 17 contains no flexible Ace.
Examples:

• 10 + 7
• 9 + 8
• K + 7

Hard 17 is a much stronger total because it’s fixed.

Soft 17 is weaker because:

• It often loses to dealer 7–A
• It has less winning potential
• The Ace flexibility doesn’t guarantee strength

---

Dealer Rules on Soft 17

Casinos use one of two rules for soft 17:

1. H17 — Dealer Hits Soft 17

Dealer must hit on soft 17 (A+6).
This increases the house edge because the dealer improves more often.

2. S17 — Dealer Stands on Soft 17

Dealer stands on soft 17.
This is better for players and lowers the house edge.

Important Tip:

Always choose an S17 table if you can.
It’s one of the most player-friendly rules in blackjack.

---

How Soft 17 Affects Player Strategy

When you’re the player, soft hands are powerful because the Ace lets you take more risks.

Soft Hand Strategy Basics:

• A2–A6 → hit or double depending on dealer up-card
• A7 → sometimes stand, sometimes hit, often double
• A8 → usually stand
• A9/A10 → always stand

Soft 17 specifically (A+6) is a doubling hand in many situations.

Soft 17 Examples:

• A6 vs 2 → hit
• A6 vs 3–6 → double
• A6 vs 7–A → hit

Soft 17 is NOT a hand you should stand on as a player.

---

Why the Soft 17 Rule Changes Odds

If the dealer hits soft 17, they:

• Improve more often
• Make 18–21 more frequently
• Bust slightly less

This rule shifts the house edge by about 0.2%, which is significant over time.

---

Blackjack Odds Simplified

Let’s break the math down into simple, usable concepts.

Overall House Edge

With perfect basic strategy, blackjack has a house edge of:

• 0.5% on player-friendly rules
• Up to 2%–4% on bad tables (like 6:5 blackjack)

Soft 17 rules are part of what determines this edge.

---

Dealer Bust Odds

Dealer bust percentage by up-card:

• 2: 35%
• 3: 37%
• 4: 40%
• 5: 42%
• 6: 42%
• 7+: Busts far less often (10–17%)

This is why players stand more against 2–6 and hit more against 7–A.

---

Odds of You Busting

Your bust chance depends on your total:

• 12: 31%
• 13: 39%
• 14: 43%
• 15: 49%
• 16: 52%

These odds explain why hitting 16 feels bad — but it’s often still the correct move.

---

Soft Hands and Player Odds

Soft hands improve your odds because:

• You can hit without busting
• You have more ways to reach 18–21
• You gain extra doubling opportunities

This is why soft hands are some of the most profitable hands in blackjack when played correctly.

---

Examples of How Soft 17 Affects Odds

Example 1 — Dealer Hits Soft 17

Dealer has A + 6.
They hit → draw a 5 → now 21.

This improved the dealer’s outcome.

---

Example 2 — Dealer Stands Soft 17

Dealer has A + 6 → stops.
You can beat them with 18, 19, 20, or 21.

Your odds are better.

---

Example 3 — Player Soft 17 vs Dealer 4

Correct move: Double
Your odds improve because:

• Dealer 4 is unstable
• You can’t bust
• One strong card makes 18–21

---

Example 4 — Player Soft 17 vs Dealer 10

Correct move: Hit
Soft 17 is too weak; your odds improve by hitting.

---

Soft 17 Rule Summary Table

Rule	Dealer Action	House Edge
H17	Dealer hits soft 17	Higher
S17	Dealer stands soft 17	Lower (better for players)

---

Conclusion

Soft 17 is one of the most important concepts in blackjack. Knowing whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17 helps you choose better tables, improve your strategy, and understand the overall odds of the game.

For players, soft 17 is a flexible hand that lets you be more aggressive, while for dealers, hitting soft 17 increases the house’s advantage. Once you understand these rules and basic blackjack odds, your decision-making becomes faster, clearer, and more profitable.