There really is only one house advantage in blackjack

There. I said it. I'm sure I'll get a lot of angry response or emails, but there really is only one advantage that the house has over the player in blackjack. Do you know what it is?

The house plays last.

In a full Blackjack game with seven players at the table and one dealer the cards are dealt in the play moves clockwise from first base to third base. To be correct, I should say that it's clockwise from the Dealer's perspective. At any rate, once every player receives there two cards and the dealer has his two cards, with one of them face-up, then every player in turn makes his hit or stand decisions. It will start with the player on the dealers left and proceed clockwise to the player on the dealers right.

Then the dealer plays last. If he busts, it only makes a winner out of  everyone left with bets on the layout. Prior to that, as play went around the table, if a player had busted he lost immediately (and the dealer immediately took his money). If the dealer goes on to bust on that same hand, the player who busted doesn't get his money back, he's already lost it. That's why I say that the dealers advantage, and the only real house advantage, is that they get to play last.

Think about it. The dealer makes his hit/stand decisions based on a set of rules. (Usually, they must always hit if their total is under 16, and they must always hit on a soft 17. And they always stand on  a hard17 or higher.) If you as a player, are using basic strategy, and you should be, then you are also making your hit and stand decisions on a set of rules, also.

So you're both using a set of rules to play, and your rules are actually better for you than the dealers are. You get to double down, or split pairs, or surrender, if it's offered in the joint you're playing at. The dealer gets to do none of those things. So you actually have better rules and better playing conditions than the dealer does. Also, if you get a blackjack you get paid at 3 to 2, an increase of 50%. If the dealer gets Blackjack he doesn't get to take an extra 50% of your money.

If it wasn't for the dealer playing last the house wouldn't have any advantage in blackjack at all. And obviously a casino is not going to offer a game to customers that they don't have an advantage at.

So that's why I say that the dealers only advantage, is that they get to play last.