Multi-hand blackjack is popular online and it’s been creeping into casinos thanks to new electronic and stadium gaming installations. While the extra action may be fun, this may not be a good gamble for casino blackjack players.
Blackjack players will sometimes play more than one hand at a time in a casino with a live dealer. Playing more than one hand against a dealer isn’t quite the same as playing multi-hand blackjack against a computer or machine in a casino. We’ll mostly look at the latter today.
The lower limits for electronic blackjack games encourage multi-hand kind of play with numerous gambling options on one screen. The large-scale stadium gaming installations allow players to enjoy blackjack on the same screen as other games such as roulette, 3 card poker, and baccarat. Of course, playing multi-hand blackjack is a popular option.
Playing more multiple hands of blackjack isn’t for everyone
Learning and perfecting basic strategy is the easiest way to keep the house advantage low regardless of the rules and payouts of a live blackjack game. While perfecting basic strategy isn’t quite easy for everyone it’s the simplest way to play sharper and longer.
Playing one hand of blackjack correctly is difficult for most recreational blackjack players. Imagine trying to play more than one hand with perfect basic strategy. It’s that much more difficult.
Experienced, advantage blackjack players and card counters have the skill to optimally play multiple hands of blackjack at once. Not everyone has the skill to play more than one hand at a time and that’s okay. The good news is that players have the option of playing more than one hand.
Playing more than one hand of blackjack at a time also involves risking more money each time the cards are dealt. When playing multiple hands against a dealer the player may have to increase at least one wager. Playing multiple hands at once isn’t for all bankrolls.
One of the best attributes of playing blackjack is lost with multi-hand blackjack. Playing blackjack – live or machine – has low volatility. This allows for a mellow even keel gambling experience. This is part of the fun for many blackjack players. Personally, this is what I enjoy most about playing blackjack.
Why electronic versions of multi-hand blackjack may be appealing
There’s less pressure playing multi-hand blackjack against a machine than versus a human. Using real money at normal limits can also discourage recreational players from playing more than one hand at once at a live blackjack game. Additionally, some casinos may require a higher minimum bet when playing at a table.
All of these issues are relieved when playing more than one hand of blackjack against a machine. Depending on the game, there’s no pressure to make a play.
Playing multi-hand blackjack against a machine only requires equal additional wagers. The lower minimum bets of $5 (or less) make it easier on the wallet for someone to play more than one hand of blackjack.
Playing a single hand of electronic blackjack can be a little slow for some players. Adding more hands could make the experience more fun.
So, is multi-hand blackjack in a casino right for you? That depends on your tolerance for risk and volatility versus action on the screen. Multi-hand blackjack in a casino isn’t for everyone but more people are enjoying it than ever.
