Multi-Deck Blackjack Odds and House Advantage

Blackjack games differ significantly based on the number of decks the game calls for. The number of decks used in the game will play a role in the player's ability to win simply because it affects the house advantage. This is why players are advised to choose a game with fewer decks in play, as the odds are more in your favour. The same is true for your strategies.

Playing blackjack games where 2 or more decks are in play, requires a different strategy than a single deck game. The odds of a player hitting a natural blackjack with more decks in play are decreased significantly, and it's also more difficult to keep track of cards or to count cards in multi-deck blackjack. Likewise in a single deck game, if a player does have blackjack, the odds of the dealer having blackjack is lower than in a multi-deck blackjack game.

Here is a table illustrating the house advantage based on the number of decks in play.

Number of Decks	House Advantage
Single deck	0.17%
Double deck	0.46%
Four decks	0.60%
Six decks	0.64%
Eight decks	0.66%

 

This chart is based on the same rules for each game -no surrender, re-splitting up to four hands, double after splitting, dealer hits on soft 17, double down on any two cards.

You can also use this chart to show you what actions you should take based on specific hands.