What Does Double Down Mean in Blackjack?
Doubling down in blackjack is something you’ll often see players doing in land-based casinos and when you’re playing in a live casino online. When used correctly, it can be incredibly powerful. In fact, doubling down correctly is one of the ways you can minimise the house edge and improve your odds of winning in the long run.
It’s not just as simple as simply deciding whether to double down based on the two cards you’ve been dealt. There’s more to it, and on this page we’re going to walk you through what doubling down actually means in blackjack and everything you need to know about this side bet.
What is Doubling Down?
Doubling down means increasing your original bet once you’ve received your first two cards in exchange for committing to take exactly one more card. Once you double down, your hand automatically stands after that additional card is drawn, so you’re not allowed to take another card, no matter what the extra card’s value is that you’re dealt.
For example, if you place a $10 NZD bet and choose the double down, you would need to add another $10 NZD, bringing your total bet to $20 NZD. Once you’ve done so, the dealer will deal you one final card, and your turn then ends. Some casinos allow you to double down on any two cards, while others will only allow you to double when your two starting cards add up to nine, ten, or eleven.
How Doubling Down Actually Works
Let’s look at a simple example: if you’re dealt a 5 and a 6, your starting hand has a total of hard 11. If, in our example, the dealer’s showing a 6 – you’re in a great spot, double or no double. This would be a perfect time to double, and in doing so, you’d need to place a second bet that’s equal to your first one. Once you place the bet, you’re dealt one final card, and whatever that card’s value is, is added to your total hand, and you then automatically stand; the dealer then plays out the rest of their hand according to the table rules.
Now, very rarely, you’ll find a casino that allows you to double for less than your original bet – but this is pretty much unheard of in the online gambling world, and if you’re playing at one of the sites you found on this list of NZ casinos online, you’ll always be able to double for the maximum – which is recommended to maximise your odds in the long-run.
When to Double Down in Blackjack
Hard 11
If you’re dealt a hard 11, there are actually very few scenarios where you shouldn’t double down. With a hard 11, any ten-value card (which occurs around 30% of the time) gives you a total of 21 – a hand that will almost always win against the dealer. So, when you hold a hard 11, you should dealer against virtually any dealer upcard – the only exception being an ace.
Hard 10
If you have a hard 10, you should double when when the dealer shows a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9. You have an excellent chance of hitting 20 – and unlike when you hold 11, it’s good if you draw an ace, too – so there are slightly more cards that can put you in a super-strong position.
Hard 9
When you have a hard 9, things get slightly more complicated. Generally speaking, you should double on a hard 9 when the dealer shows a 3, 4, 5, or 6, as these are the weakest cards in the deck. If the dealer shows anything other than these, you should just hit as normal.
Soft Hands
Soft hands, which are those containing an ace that’s counted as 11, give you a little more flexibility. Here’s a quick overview of how to deal with these hands:
- Soft 16: Double against a dealer 4, 5, or 6.
- Soft 18: Double against a dealer 3 through 6.
- Soft 13 and 14: Double against a dealer 5 or 6 only.
Now, the above soft hand guidelines assume the casino allows you to double down on any two cards. This is not always the case – and it depends entirely on the rules of the table you’re currently playing at.
When NOT to Double Down
Mathematicians solved blackjack decades ago using computer simulations, and what we got from these clever folks, is a set of mathematical rules to follow – known as basic strategy. These “rules” show us exactly the situations when we should be doubling down – but they also show us when we should not – and below, I’ll walk you through a few of the common traps players – especially beginners – fall into when playing.
When You Have a Hard 12 or Higher
Your odds of going bust increase significantly once your hand total is over 11; when you’re under 11, there is no card that you can be dealt that will result in a bust. Sure, you may think it’s worth the risk sometimes to double down on a 12, 13, or 14, when the dealer holds a 4, 5, or 6, but this is not a smart play, mathematically, and it’s going to become a losing position for you in the long run.
After Splitting
For me personally, I love doubling after a split; there’s nothing more satisfying that splitting a pair of 6s (a poor starting hand) and getting, say, a 4 and a 5 – giving you two hands worth 10 and 11, against a dealer’s 5. In this scenario, doubling is absolutely the correct move. However, in other splitting situations, you must follow the same doubling down rules as the ones we covered above: don’t be tempted to stray from them just because you’re in the mood to gamble.
Common Myths About Doubling Down
Doubling down can be a very useful tool in a lot of circumstances – but, as we’ve seen, there are times when it’s not advised. However, there’s also a lot of myths out there – many of which are simply wrong – and for me, the biggest mistake I see players making is assuming they should always double down on 11. Yes, it’s true that even against an ace, you’re not in a terrible spot – but it’s still a losing play in the long-run.
Some players think that doubling down is too risky, so they avoid it altogether. While I understand that it can be frustrating to lose a hand after spending extra on it, doubling down is actually a very important tool to maximise your chances of winning – and that’s why you should always do it – carefully, but consistently.
Final Thoughts
No matter what you think, doubling down isn’t just a gamble on top of a gamble; it’s more like a calculated decision that’s based on probability and the exact position that you’re in when you double down. In the right spots, you’re playing the game the way it was meant to be played, and you’re trying to squeeze every single point of expected value out of the hands that are legitimately in a favourable position for you.
Before you try it for real money, open up a blackjack game in demo mode and have a feel for how doubling down works. I’d also suggest pulling up a basic strategy chart and having it on your phone or printed out as you play, as this allows you to simply look down and reference it when you’re faced with doubling down decisions that you may be a little unsure of.
