The split is one of the most common moves in online blackjack. It’s a way to improve your chances of beating the dealer, but it will cost you extra. Here’s when to do it. by Jon Young Published May 21 2024, 12:00PM EDT

In a blackjack hand, you place a bet and receive two cards. You have the option of splitting your cards if they are of the same value (e.g., 6–6). Now, you must carry on betting on TWO hands. You place a second bet that’s equal to your first bet and play both hands in succession.

In general, you can “hit” (receive more cards) indefinitely until you decide to stand. However, at some Michigan online casinos, you can only draw one additional card per hand if you split aces. You won’t be able to double down on split aces, either.

What Hands to Split in Blackjack?

So, which hands should you split after you’ve claimed Michigan online casino bonuses? There are two factors you should consider: your own two cards and the dealer’s up card.

Don’t forget to print a cheat sheet if you’re playing at online casinos. This will show you the optimal plays depending on what cards are showing.

• Split Any Pair When Dealer Shows 4, 5, 6: This is a risky move, but splitting any pair when the dealer shows a 4-through-6 can be an advantage. The dealer has a high chance of holding a 10-card in the hole, which means they’ll be hitting and risking a bust if their up-card is 4, 5, or 6. Remember, the dealer will need to hit on a soft 16 in many Michigan online blackjack games.
• Split Aces: As we’ve discussed, splitting aces is a smart move and enhances your chances of making 21. You may only be able to hit once on each hand, but you have a chance to make two 21s if the cards fall your way.
• Split a Pair of 8s: 16 is a tricky total to play with. The smarter move is to split your 8s and hope for a 10 that will beat the dealer when they stand on 17.
• Split 2s, 3s, 7s: Cheat sheets generally advise splitting low cards like twos and threes if the dealer also shows a low card.
• Split 6s: 12 is another tricky hand for you to play. Hit and get a 10 or face card and you bust. It’s better to split the 6s, pay the extra bet and hope to draw to 21 with one or both hands.
• Split 9s: 18 (9-9) is a strong hand but watch what the dealer has. If the dealer shows 8 face up, split your 9s instead and hope to draw to 19 on one or both of your new hands.

As we mentioned earlier, it’s smart to sign up for welcome offers such as the Caesars Palace Online Casino Michigan promo code, but be sure to read the terms and conditions to understand whether blackjack counts toward satisfying the wagering requirements and at what percentage.

If you are not looking to play at real money online casinos, you can sign up and play for free and without needing to risk your own money at social casinos and sweepstakes casinos.

The best social casino, according to our experts, is McLuck, which has a welcome offer available to you via the McLuck promo code.

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