Blackjack is one of the oldest casino game genres in existence and it is enjoyed by millions of players around the globe. Out of the many variations that have emerged from the traditional game, Multi-Hand Blackjack has risen in popularity especially in the world of online gambling, where the game is played the most. Unlike other versions of blackjack, Multi-Hand Blackjack allows players to play multiple hands at the same time, which makes it one of the most popular styles on the Internet.
Currently, many software providers have developed their own take on Multi-Hand Blackjack, which is indicative of the game’s popularity. In this article, we will go over all important features of this game type, thereby giving you some insight into how to play Multi-Hand Blackjack.
How to Play Multi Hand Blackjack
Multi-Hand Blackjack is no more complex than any other blackjack variant and learning the game will take you no more than playing a few hands. Of course, there are some rules which you will have to learn by heart if you wish to be successful at the game, but it is nothing out of the ordinary and you should have no issue when you actually decide to play. Below, we will discuss factors such as the basic rules, payouts, insurance, the double down feature, splitting and more.
Basic Rules and Payouts
Multi-Hand Blackjack shares the same basic rules as other variants of the game. For one, you can expect to play Multi-Hand Blackjack with anywhere between 4 and 8 52-card decks. The cards feature their face value, the Ace can count as both 1 and 11, depending on the situation, while the Jack, Queen and King, all have a value of 10. The goal of the game is to have a better hand than the dealer without going over 21 points.
In terms of payouts, for every standard hand that you win, you will receive a sum equal to that of your bet or, in other words, equal money. When you hit a blackjack, the payout will be 3:2 in most cases. However, there may be some games which offer a 6:5 payout for a blackjack and it is our recommendation that you avoid those. Additionally, the Insurance side bet features the traditional 2:1 payout.
Multi Hand Feature
The Multi Hand feature is iconic to Multi-Hand Blackjack and it is where the game gets its name. Multi-Hand Blackjack allows players to play with more than one hand at once. Basically, this means that you may be allowed to play with up to 8 unique hands at any one time. For each hand, you will have to place a bet and each one can be acted upon independently of the others. Much like when you split a hand into two, so does the Multi-Hand feature allow you to play with more. When playing with more than one hand, players are not given any particular advantages or disadvantages. Instead, this feature only allows them to play at a faster rate, which also affects their bankroll since each hand requires its own bet.
However, not all bets have to be the same size. For example, you may choose to place 1 unit for one hand and 5 units for the other. Moreover, since you will be able to play with multiple hands, you will also have the opportunity to exploit different blackjack strategies for each hand. You may choose to play one aggressively, while with another hand, you may take a more conservative approach. Additionally, Multi-Hand Blackjack likely features lower minimum bets than the average blackjack titles, since the game developers would like you to enjoy the Multi-Hand feature.
Insurance in Multi Hand Blackjack
Insurance is a side bet which is offered to the player once the dealer draws an Ace as their first card. This is done so that, in the event that the dealer’s next card has a value of 10 and they hit a blackjack, you do not automatically lose your bet. The Insurance side bet is valued at half of your original bet and if the dealer does hit a blackjack, it will pay 2:1. This allows you to recoup the loss of the bet and keep your bankroll in the same state that it was before this happened.
The Insurance bet might sound good at first, but there are some things that you should be aware of before you decide to take it each time. For one, it will only pay out in less than half of all situations. The chance that the dealer will draw a card with a lower value than 10 are higher, which makes this bet redundant. Additionally, the fact that you will not make any profit from Insurance makes it less than ideal. For this reason, it is best advised that you do not take this bet in normal circumstances.
Double Down in Multi Hand Blackjack
Doubling down is one of the most important features in any blackjack game, even more so in Blackjack Multi Hand where you will need to carefully manage your bankroll, due to the fact that you will be playing with more than one hand. Basically, to double down is to increase the size of your original bet two times. When you decide to do this, you will be dealt one more card on the hand in question and you will not be allowed to interact with it any further. This means that once you press the ‘Double Down’ button, you will not be able to hit, stand or split until the next hand is dealt.
Doubling down is crucial to scoring large wins and you should master this as soon as possible. Of course, you should always keep a look at your bankroll and use this feature carefully, as it may cause you to bleed chips if you misuse it too much. In most general situations, we would advise you to double down when your hand has a value of 9, 10 or 11.
Splitting in Multi Hand Blackjack
Splitting is yet another popular feature of blackjack that is also present in Multi-Hand Blackjack. When you are dealt a hand of identical cards, you will be given the option to split them into two separate ones. Once you split hand, you will place one more bet and the resulting hands will operate independently from each other, each with their own set of cards, where you can stand, hit or double. Generally, there are hands which you would want to split and hands which you would like to keep intact. A hand of 4s, 5s, or 10s should never be split as the odds of you winning are relatively high. However, any other is perfectly safe to split and it may even be beneficial for you to do so.
Generally, each blackjack game comes with its own specific rules regarding splitting. Blackjack Multi Hand, however, can have multiple sub-variations which means that we cannot give you concrete details about what you can after splitting. This is why you should carefully read the rules of your game of choice before you start playing, so that you may be fully aware of what is allowed.
House Edge in Multi Hand Blackjack
The house edge is a very important factor to consider when choosing any casino game. The house edge refers to the statistical advantage that the casino has over the players and it is the rough percentage of all money wagered that the house will keep as a profit. House edge levels are calculated after hundreds of thousands of games and will only come into effect in the long terms. Therefore, we would like you to know that the house edge will only affect your games after you have spent a substantial amount of time playing them. In the case of Multi-Hand Blackjack, you will find that the game features on average insignificant house edge percentages.
Blackjack is one of the fairest casino games out there and the house edge for any given game normally does not exceed 2%. This is also the case with Multi-Hand Blackjack, but since the game is somewhat different in most online casinos, we cannot give you specific figures.
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