The odds for blackjack favor the house; however, the house edge for blackjack is lower than other games.
If a player and dealer were to stand on 17 and over but hit on 16 and under, they would both have a bust rate of 29%.
This would seem even; however, a dealer claims the bet for any player who busts, even if they bust themselves. This puts the odds back in the hands of the casino.
If a player follows a basic blackjack strategy and a few simple rules, the player can reduce the house edge to around 0.5% compared to an average of 6%