I don't doubt the numbers you quote as being what the casino actually takes in on the game, Gene. The point is that, unlike slots, where the game is the game and players have no effect on the odds, blackjack is interactive. Playing a perfect basic strategy on a single deck game results in a zero return to the house. Few players do this and as a result the return to the house is acceptable, maybe as high as 10-12%, but probably closer to 2-3%. Notice that 3-7% return slots and VP are replacing blackjack tables in more and more locations. There is a reason.

Bottom line is pit hold is the theoretical edge from the rules of the game plus the return from all the wrong plays that the tourists make. They make a lot <g>.

DonL