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As blackjack moved to digital platforms, it evolved into a game that's more riveting, accessible and best of all, challenging. From a single deck, the game evolved to include double and multiple decks to make the game more exciting. Find out the difference between a single and a double blackjack deck here at Bitcasino!
In the early days of casinos, single deck blackjacks were the holy grail of blackjack games. With a deck of only 52 cards, players found it easier to strategize and guess the cards that will be dealt. However, this eventually paved the way for unfair advantages and card counting, hence the creation of the double deck blackjack game.
By having two decks in rotation, casinos levelled the playing field and made it harder for players to count cards and predict the outcome.
The more cards are dealt in a single game, the higher the casino edge becomes. However, this should not deter you from playing since double deck blackjack still has its charm and advantages.
Blackjack decks: What’s the difference?
Playing single deck blackjack
It’s easy to understand blackjack. All you have to keep in mind is your cards and the dealers. You’ll be dealt with two initial cards either face-up or face-down depending on the table you’re playing. Meanwhile, the dealer’s card will have one face-up card and one that’s face-down.
You can either stand, hit, split or double down depending on your hand and strategy. The important thing to remember is that you have to beat the dealer’s hand. Whoever has the hand closest to 21 or hits 21 first wins the round.
Playing double deck blackjack
There’s no significant difference between a single deck and a double deck blackjack game besides the number of decks in rotation. Both of them utilise the same gameplay and follow the same rules. You’re also allowed to make the same basic actions like hitting, standing and splitting pairs.
As their names suggest, a single deck only uses 52 cards while the double deck blackjack game doubles that. Having more cards on the deck moves the game up a notch since there are more pairing possibilities for your hand.
For instance, double deck games specify that the dealer should hit a soft 17 instead of standing. A soft 17 happens when a hand has an ace counted as 11 with additional cards that total a 17.
This gives you more options to double down or multiply your wagers 2x on the following instances:
- A soft 14 hand against the dealer’s 4
- A soft 18 hand against the dealer’s 2
- A soft 19 hand against the dealer’s 6
Another difference between single and double blackjack decks is the surrender. At a single deck game, you can surrender when you think the dealer has 21 or has a better hand than you.
On the other hand, a double deck game doesn’t have the same option. However, this won’t affect your chances of winning because you can use that to your advantage by wagering for an insurance bet.
Consider taking insurance for the following hands:
- 15 against a dealer’s ace
- 17 against a dealer’s ace
- A pair of 8 against a dealer’s ace
Advantages and disadvantages: single vs double decks
When it comes to strategy, the difference between single and double blackjack decks is knowing when to hit (H), stand (S) or double down (DD). Since there are fewer cards for you to consider with a single deck, there are more options for you to double down when the hand you’re holding is in your favour.
Here’s a table to illustrate your strategy options for single deck games:
Having lower cards on your hands gives you more opportunity to hit since you have an approximate idea of what cards can be dealt to your hand. Moreover, you can also double down your bet or stand when things are favourable as shown on the table.
The same strategies can be utilised for double deck games. However, you will have fewer options to double down since there are 103 cards that can affect your decision and alter your gameplay. The cards are more volatile and you won’t have the advantage of predicting what comes next.
You’ll more likely be able to predict the results better on a single deck than a double deck because you can keep track of the cards that have already been played. The odds are also better for you to hit the winning hand since you only have to deal with 53 cards.
How casinos differentiate between single and double decks
Most casinos offer more games with double and multiple blackjack decks than their single deck counterparts. This is so the players won’t be able to cheat the game through card counting, making the playing field even for everyone.
Casino payouts for blackjack decks
Single deck games have a 6:5 payout. This house edge won’t affect your game too much if you play a few rounds at a time but it does put you at a disadvantage when you play riskier strategies with higher stakes.
Double deck and multiple deck blackjack tables have a 3:2 payout for the winning hand. Although you won’t have the upper hand when it comes to strategy because there are more cards in rotation, you’d still get better payouts whenever you win.
Thanks for reading and happy learning 😉
Karl
Bitcasino.io