multiple hand BJ

[winchips]

can someone explain (mathmatically) why it is better to play one hand of blackjack instead of 3 at one table?
i know it has to do with the dealer getting a blackjack, but need a little help.
thanks

[closer2313]

Wouldn't the casino have triple the edge since you are playing 3 times as much?

[winchips]

true but.....
it is worse to play 3 ten dollar hands than one $30
why?

[alThor]

[ QUOTE ]
it is worse to play 3 ten dollar hands than one $30
why?

[/ QUOTE ]

There is no appreciable difference. Maybe you are thinking of the cut card effect, which I imagine may be slightly bigger if playing multiple hands. This effect is negligible.

alThor

[Siegmund]

If neither the house nor the player changes its strategy, I think the "doing business reduces variance but does not change EV" argument we see every few weeks in the poker threads applies here.

I can think of a couple very tiny possibilities - one, the player sees more cards before he decides whether to take insurance, split, double down, which to an expert counter might save him a few extra pennies. On the other hand, the house might be shuffling just a tad earlier in the shoe since more cards are used per deal, which costs the counter a few pennies.

*shrug*