Looking at an online casino games library filled to the brim with blackjack game variations can be intimidating. Players who are still learning how to play blackjack might even be scared off by the sheer range of variants of online random number generator (RNG) titles and online live dealer games for blackjack. Fortunately, almost all variants of blackjack fall under one of two categories: single-hand or multi-hand blackjack. Once a player understands the unique features of each, they’ll be much better equipped to pick up any other rules unique to their chosen variant.
What’s the Difference Between Single- and Multi-Hand Blackjack?
“Single-hand” and “multi-hand” are blackjack terms that refer to the number of hands one can play simultaneously. This affects not only a player’s opportunities to win during a given deal, but also determines how quickly cards in the deck are used up, which may affect strategies like card counting.
Crucially, two blackjack games where the only difference is between single- and multi-hand play, will have identical odds and house edge. That said, in multi-hand blackjack, a player will have access to more information on the cards that remain in the deck since more cards will be face-up on the table during a single deal.
Single-Hand Blackjack in Detail
In single-hand blackjack, a player is limited to playing one hand per deal unless they can split their hand. This is by far the most common version of blackjack, widely played in brick-and-mortar casinos, online live dealer casinos, and in single-player, online blackjack games.
At the start of a single-hand blackjack deal, a player is dealt two cards. After that, they can stand, double down, or possibly split — but that’s all they can do during that deal. The only way to see more cards is to hit or double, and risk busting.
A common misconception is that single-hand blackjack is played with only one deck of cards, which theoretically improves a player’s odds since each card that’s drawn will have a bigger impact on the next draw. But this is false — single-hand blackjack can be played with any number of decks, and most often is played with more than one. Although most in-person casinos and online live dealer casinos offer single-hand blackjack, these casinos often offer multi-deck versions of these games.
Multi-Hand Blackjack in Detail
In multi-hand blackjack, one can opt to play several hands simultaneously during a single deal, although one is typically allowed to play a maximum of four. While few in-person casinos offer multi-hand blackjack, a player can find many online multi-hand titles in both live dealer and single-player variants.
Before a deal hits the table, a player will be asked to select how many hands they wish to play. After that, they’ll place their bets and receive two cards for each hand. The player will be asked to act for each hand in order, which means no skipping around to try and flush 10s out of the deck.
Since multi-hand blackjack uses more cards per deal than single-hand blackjack, multi-hand games can work quite well with advanced blackjack strategies.
