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Maryland moves toward dealer hits soft 17
Roaring 21
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While casino gambling has struggled to establish a strong foothold in Maryland, the lobbying of casino operators has struck a blow to blackjack players that visit the local casinos. The Baltimore Sun reported in its June 18th edition that dealers will now be able to hit a soft 17 in the standard live blackjack games in Maryland casinos.
Allowing a blackjack dealer to hit a soft 17 slightly swings the edge in favor of the house, thereby producing a greater margin of profit. While state gambling regulators have approved the measure, it still must pass the state legislature in Annapolis before it can be implemented. A similar request was rejected just in a recent year.
A “soft” 17 is any hand that totals 17 and contains an ace. The ace can be counted as one or eleven. Because the hand cannot be busted by taking one hit like the beatable hard 17 (a seven and a ten), dealers are given a powerful weapon in their arsenal. A hard 17 will beat many players but allowing the dealer to hit the soft 17 will often allow them to outdraw players with 18, 19, or 20.
Charles LaBoy, the assistant director for gaming in Maryland states that the increased edge is a mere 0.2 percent, not enough to change the fact that blackjack still offers the best odds in the casino for a player. Some of the blackjack rules at Maryland casinos are player friendly; they pay 3/2 on player blackjacks instead of 6/5, for example. LaBoy characterized the rule change as an effort to continue this player-friendly environment by using increased revenues to offer more blackjack tables with low minimum bets.
At least one well-known blackjack player is crying foul, or at least publicly challenging the proposed rule change. Tom Hyland began his blackjack career in the casinos of New Jersey. He says that the soft 17 rule is a great barrier to the player. Hyland should know. Atlantic City was one of the first gambling destinations in the United States to introduce the soft 17 rule. The casinos’ profit from blackjack has risen accordingly, argues Hyland.
Hyland explains the 0.2 percent edge increase this way: if a player bets $100 per hand and plays 100 hands an hour, the casino will generate an extra $20 in profit. Hyland says this is a huge windfall for the casino over time.
The rule-change proposal was supposedly rejected in a recent year on the argument that it was one-sided and unfair, but regulators showed no such hesitancy in a recent year in approving the request. The process of final approval may take months, but approval by the Maryland legislature is likely. Once the measure takes effect, players will be alerted to the rule change via a placard placed at each blackjack table.
What H17 Means for Your Strategy Sheet
Dealer hits soft 17 is not a “feel” rule—it changes indices and marginally raises house edge compared with dealer stands on soft 17. Always use a chart that matches H17 vs. S17, and re-check the felt every time you sit. For context on why casinos tweak these rules, read why casinos change blackjack rules and compare liberal blackjack rules with what you actually see in Maryland.
Verify today’s Maryland felt before you bankroll a trip
Regulators and operators sometimes adjust placards after pilot programs. The article above captured an older legislative and media cycle—treat rule quotes as historical unless you confirm current postings on the floor or the state gaming site.
When you visit a Maryland property, photograph the printed payout and soft-17 language, then compare with your strategy card. If anything disagrees with your chart, walk before you autopilot the wrong decision for half a shoe.
FAQs: dealer hits soft 17
What is the difference between H17 and S17 for players?
H17 lets the dealer improve soft totals that would have stood under S17, which slightly increases busts but also yields more completed 18–21s against your made hands.
Do I need a new strategy card?
Yes—pair-specific plays and some soft-double lines shift; use an H17 chart for Maryland if placards say the dealer hits soft 17.
Does a 0.2% bump matter?
It is small per hand but compounds over volume; serious players still shop S17 tables when they can.
Frequently asked questions
What does dealer hits soft 17 mean?
The dealer takes another card on hands like ace-six that count as 17, which changes optimal player strategy versus stand-on-soft-17 games.
Does H17 increase the house edge?
Yes, slightly compared with the same rule set where the dealer stands on all 17s.
Should I use a different basic strategy chart?
Use a chart labeled for H17 or S17 to match the felt; mismatched charts create unnecessary errors.
The house already has an acceptable advantage. The casinos are raking in the cash. They have no need to add to their edge. This rule should not be adopted.
Well said, thanks!