When To Double Down In Blackjack (& When Not To)
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Doubling down is an exciting move to make in blackjack – and profitable if you get it right.
In this post we’ll explain when you should and shouldn’t double down and how to signal the move in a casino.
The double down in blackjack is when you doubleyour bet in the middle of a hand, after which you only receive one more card.
It’s risky because if you get dealt a low card, youcan’t hit again, and could risk losing twice as many chips.
Knowing when to double down during a game ofblackjack is essential.
It’s all about getting the balance right betweenplaying it safe and taking the risk – being sure you have an advantage.
There are three times we’d recommend placing theblackjack double down bet:
This is because you have a fantastic chance to hit 21, and even if you don’t, you’re likely to get a score close to that magic number.
Here you should generally only double down if the dealer is showing a lower card.
You might be tempted to stay as you are, especially with a soft 18, however there’s actually a great chance of improving your hand with a single card.
Once again, only when the dealer is showing a low card. Providing you get a reasonably high card, you’ll be in very good shape against the dealer.
Please remember that you won’t always find things going your way when you double down.
The tactic, when used properly, will increase your winnings over a long period of time though.
Here’s a pretty obvious one: never doubledown when the dealer is showing an ace.
Quite simply, the chances of them getting blackjackare just too high.
Even if they check and don’t have blackjack, there’s a very good chance that they’ll end up with a total close to 21.
Never double down when you’re showing anything higher than an 11, as the chances of going bust are too high to risk.
It’s better to simply hit or stick on a lower total, and then hope that the dealer goes bust.
Basically, if you’re ever unsure whether to doubledown, stick to the safe option and keep your bet as it is.
You’ll see some players at a table doubling downall the time, and they’re usually the players losing money at a significantrate.
You shouldn’t be doubling down on the vast majorityof hands – only take the risk when you’re a clear frontrunner.
When looking to double down in blackjack, there’sonly one thing you need to do: push a stack of chips next to your initial bet.
This stack must be of equal value to your starting bet.
If pushing the extra chips onto the table doesn’t work (it will 99 percent of the time), simply tell the dealer your intention to double down and point with one finger to signal that you want one more card.
It really is that simple.
Top Tip: Don’t put the chips on top of the initial bet. This is frowned on by croupiers and other casino staff as it could mean you’ve tampered with the initial bet.
There’s one important thing to look for whendoubling down: the casino’s rules. The most basic of these will tell you whendoubling down is allowed.
Many casinos only allow players to double down whenthey’re showing cards totalling 10 or 11 – if you have any other value hand,you’ll only be able to continue as normal (unless you have the chance to split,of course).
Also, pay particular attention to the value thedealer must hit up to. Why? Well, this impacts on how likely they are to goover 21.
Most games make the dealer hit up to 17, however insome games, the dealer only hits up to 16 – something that makes it less likelythey’ll exceed 21.
The more likely they are to go over 21, the moreyou should think about making a double down blackjack bet.
Finally, learn whether the dealer checks forblackjack when they’re dealt an ace or a 10-value card – if they do check andthe game continues, they don’t have blackjack.
This makes your chances of winning when placing adouble down bet much higher.
You’ll know if they have blackjack, as the handwill stop there, and everyone will lose (except those who have also gotblackjack).
We get quite a few questions about doubling down inblackjack, so we’ve listed answers to the most common ones below.
Typically, you won’t be able to double down after splitting, however, you will find some online casinos that allow this to happen.
If you can double down after splitting, use thesame decision-making process you would when evaluating any normal hands dealtto you.
99 percent of the time you will not be able todouble down after hitting.
This is because it would give the player too muchof an edge over the casino.
Once you have hit, you won’t actually be able to doanything else other than hit again – it’s also not possible to split or getinsurance.
Generally speaking, yes. This is a really good wayof making money in blackjack, especially if you are a casual player.
Once again, this really depends on the card thedealer is showing.
If they have an ace or a 10-value card, you mightnot want to double down, as there’s a real chance that they could get a nicehand and easily beat you.
If they’re showing a 6 or lower, doubling down is afeasible option.
When you double down, you will only receive oneextra card.
Thinking that you will receive as many cards as youwant is one of the major mistakes made by those new to the game of blackjack.
This is where the risk of a double down blackjackbet comes in, as you could end up with a low total if a low card is dealt.
No, you can’t double down on 21.
If you could, everyone would do it every time thecroupier dealt them blackjack!
If you are lucky enough to get blackjack, you’llfind that the dealer pays you straightaway and you won’t be able to do anythingelse with your hand.
Once you’ve read these, why not practice playing blackjack for free or play online blackjack for real money?
