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5 Helpful Distinctions Between Handheld and Shoe Blackjack Games

Probably the biggest difference between handheld and shoe blackjack games is that of the amount of player contact there is with the cards. With the handheld game, the player can pick up the cards to examine them, as long as he keeps them above the table. But with the shoe game, only the dealer can touch the cards. Once they are dealt, the player must not touch the cards in any shape or form. The player must use hand signals to communicate his whether he wants to hold, split or fold.

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Image source: Poliander80, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Introduction: Distinctions Between Handheld and Shoe Blackjack Games

Do you know the difference between a handheld and shoe blackjack game? Sit at the blackjack table in any casino and you’ll see that there are two ways of playing. One is called a “handheld game”, where the dealer holds a single deck of cards as they deal with them. The other is the “shoe blackjack game” where there are multiple decks of cards, all held in a special box. Today, we’re going to have a look at both methods. You’ll see that the house edge is different, along with the different ways of communicating with the dealer depending on which dealing method is in use.

The Number of Decks Is the Biggest Difference

For years, just like almost any other card-based jackpot game, real money casino blackjack was played with a single deck of cards. As card counting started to become popular, casinos realised that they could guide against this practice by simply introducing more packs of cards to the game-play. As you probably already know, when you’re counting cards, essentially, you’re keeping count on the ratio of high cards to low, within the pack in play.

The high cards have a greater probability of scoring a blackjack, and so a greater proportion of them in the remaining deck can give you a slight edge over the casino. Because blackjack pays out at 3 to 2, then the more you bet, the better the edge you’ll have over the casino.

The Single Deck in Handheld and Shoe Blackjack

If you’re playing with a single deck, and you manage to receive two aces, then you’re probability of landing a blackjack is halved. That’s because in a single pack of cards there are four aces, and now you have two of them. Now imagine that you receive two aces from a shoe of eight decks. There will be 32 aces in the shoe, so your probability of getting an ace doesn’t change so much. But the difference in dividing two by 52 and then dividing 30 by 516 is a much different picture.

And that’s why casinos started to offer handheld and shoe blackjack. If you are going to casinos to win the jackpot, the a shoe game almost eliminates the possibility of counting cards. Also, with 8 decks of cards, the house edge for the casino goes up slightly, by 0.6%. And to make matters even more difficult for gamblers, the casinos introduced shuffling machines.

Cards Are Dealt Differently in Handheld Versus Shoe Games

There’s a big difference between the way the cards are dealt in a handheld and shoe blackjack game. In the former, as you’d guess, the cards are held in the dealer’s hand. But the biggest difference is that in a handheld game, the cards are dealt face down. Of course, you’re allowed to pick them up and inspect them. But the cards must remain above the table at all times. If you hit, then the following card is dealt face up. These additional cards are NOT to be touched. You can only handle the two initial cards.

In contrast between handheld and shoe blackjack games, during a shoe game, all the cards are dealt face up. You are not allowed to touch the cards. So, you must not pick them up and inspect them. You’ll play blackjack, but you cannot touch the cards. This is a basic casino rule that you’ll find in every casino. It’s just like playing online. You can’t touch the cards at Betsafe Casino either. But they do offer a very nice welcome bonus to

The Hand Signal for Hitting Differs in Handheld Blackjack

Another difference between handheld and shoe blackjack is that if you’re playing a handheld game and wish to hit, simply scrape the corner of your card on the table felt. You don’t have to make a huge song and dance number about it, just a simple and gentle movement of your card. You can’t do anything that might damage and so mark the card. Do it wrong, and the dealer will correct you. As you can’t touch the cards during a shoe game, then use your index finger to tap the table. Though you can say “hit”, that alone will not get the dealer to produce the extra card.

Because the “eye in the sky” needs to record all actions, you’ll need to signal first. By using your hands, you can’t say later that you wanted to stick.

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The Hand Signal for Standing Between Handheld and Shoe Blackjack Games

Another way of signalling during a handheld game is to slide your cards under your deck of chips. But whatever you do, don’t touch your original bet. Also, don’t lift the chips as that’s considered bad casino etiquette. Also, there’s a type of cheating called “past posting,” whereby a gambler sneakily adds to his original bet after seeing his cards. We don’t recommend adding this method to your jackpot winning tips and tricks. In a shoe game, when you want to stand, just wave your hand, palm down over your cards on the table. Once again, though you can tell the dealer you’re standing, you must do the hand signal first.

Doubling and Splitting Are Handled Differently

Splitting or doubling down, uses almost the same hand movement. In the hand dealt game, you turn your cards face upwards in front of your pile of chips. Then you’ll place a bet of the same size next to your original wager. If you want to split, you can also point to the table with two fingers. Comparing the handheld and shoe blackjack games, in a shoe game, there’s nothing to do with the cards. So for another bet, just place your new matching wager next to the first bet.

How You Handle a Blackjack (Natural) or a Bust Changes

In a handheld game, blackjack or a bust are handled in the same manner. Namely, you turn your cards face-up on the table in front of you. Everyone will look at your cards and know what’s going on. Because your cards are already face-up during a shoe game, then there’s even less to do in a shoe game. If you score a blackjack, then the dealer will payout immediately. If it’s a bust, then the dealer will scoop up both your cards and your bets. if you’re playing online with Betsafe Casino, not only do you get fantastic payouts, but you’ll receive a nice welcome bonus that’ll help your bankroll go even further.

It’s Hard to Understate the Casino House Edge Difference

Depending on whether the casino is offering both handheld and shoe blackjack games, then there will be any number of casino rules that govern the house edge. As a business, the casino wants to maintain the highest edge in all games, including blackjack. Normally, some rules penalise those who play with handheld games. As we previously mentioned, the real difference between the house edge for a game with multiple packs of cards and those with but a single deck is 0.6%. If you find a casino offering “double deck” games, ie playing with just two decks of cards, then the house edge against a shoe game of 8 decks is -0.3%.

Conclusion: 5 Distinctions Between Handheld and Shoe Blackjack Games

If you can find them, then we suggest that you stick with one deck game. This should be one of your basic jackpot winning strategies. But look at the payout data. Also, because the casinos like to win, you might find payouts set at 6 to 5 instead of 3 to 2 with handheld games. Keep in mind that the odds of 6 to 5, are still rubbish for a single deck game. We suggest that you don’t play at this payout rate. When it comes to the difference between handheld and shoe blackjack games, then if you’re going to play blackjack at a real money casino, then look out for single deck or double deck games. This will offer a superior gambling experience.