How to a Pair of 3s Play Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the longest-played casino games in history. From kings to regular people and everyone in between, the hunt for a perfect blackjack hand of 21 has proven enticing to all manner of players over the centuries.

Are you wondering how to play a pair of 3s in blackjack? At LeoVegas, we hear this question all the time. Since the hand offers fairly low odds of winning whether splitting or hitting, players always want to know the best strategy. In general, you’ll want to hit on this pair. However, sometimes splitting is the better choice. With this table game, it all depends on the dealer’s hand, so before you decide how to play your pair of threes, consider what the dealer is showing.

When should I split a pair of threes?

You may be wondering, ‘Do I split a pair of 3s in blackjack?’ The answer is that it depends. In some situations, splitting is the best choice. In others, hitting offers a higher likelihood of winning. In general, splitting is the best idea for dealer upcards of four through six. You can split on a dealer upcard of two, three and also seven, but it is less optimal. A two or three showing from the dealer, in particular, offers slightly worse odds of winning than a four through six.

In blackjack, splitting 3s on a dealer upcard of seven is also possible. Unless you can double down, however, you should consider hitting instead. Your odds are worse otherwise, and you’ll be doubling your stake for a low likelihood of winning.

Can I split and then double down with a pair of threes?

Ideally, doubling down after splitting (DAS) is the strategy to go for when splitting a blackjack pair of 3s. Not all live tables allow this, however, and sometimes you can’t double down after splitting (NDAS). If you are unable to double down, particularly if playing games hosted by Evolution and OnAir Entertainment, be aware that splitting is not always the best option. Look for Playtech Games titles such as All Bets Blackjack if you would like to pursue splitting as your blackjack pair of 3s strategy of choice.

When should I not split a pair of threes?

Are you wondering what to do with a pair of 3s in blackjack beyond splitting? The only other option to consider is hitting. If the dealer has an upcard of eight through 10/face cards, do not split – hit instead. The dealer has a higher chance of higher hands with those upcards, and splitting your threes will only serve to create two weak hands against one strong hand. Hitting instead offers you the opportunity to build a similarly impressive hand.

As we mentioned above, if the dealer has a two or three showing, you can both split and hit. The choice here is yours – the odds do not increase significantly either way with those upcards.

Probabilities of success when hitting with a pair of threes

A pair of threes in blackjack can be a daunting hand. It’s not particularly strong, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t do a few things to make winning more likely. On the contrary, you have two viable options to improve your chances: hitting and splitting. Of these, the latter offers better odds, but only in certain situations. The likelihood of winning using either strategy relies upon the dealer’s upcard. Here are some of our top blackjack 3s tips to get you started.

If the dealer shows an upcard of two through six, you should consider splitting. Depending on the dealer’s hand, this gives you the best chance of winning at 36% to 42%. If the dealer’s upcard is a seven, you have some decisions to make. If you are able to double down after splitting (DAS), you can split. Not all tables allow this, however, and if yours doesn’t, don’t split – hit instead.

Hit on dealer upcards of eight, nine, 10 or ace. Splitting at this point would likely create weak hands, with your chances of winning steadily decreasing as the dealer’s upcard increases in value. If they show an ace, you’re in the worst situation possible because the dealer has an increased likelihood of a very high hand or even blackjack. In this situation, the probability of winning is 25%. Your best chance of winning is when the dealer’s upcard is a five or six, as they are more likely to go bust.

Blackjack Strategy Table