Updated 2026-07-22 · 8 decks · S17 · DAS · methodology
3,3 (pair of 3s) vs dealer 3: the verdict
The math is in: split. Two hands of 3 beat one 6 against a dealer 3 — split them.
The numbers
| Action | Win | Push | Lose | EV per $1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split* | 44.3% | 4.2% | 51.5% | −0.064 |
| Hit | 42.9% | 3.4% | 53.7% | −0.107 |
| Stand | 37.4% | 0.0% | 62.6% | −0.252 |
| Double | 37.4% | 1.0% | 61.6% | −0.484 |
* win/push/lose shown per split hand; EV covers both hands per one initial bet.
Why split is correct
Played as a single total, this hand is weak against a 3. Split, each new hand starting from 3 wins 44.3% — enough that two of them (EV −0.064 across both) beat the best single-hand line at −0.107.
For context, a dealer 3 finishes on 17–20 about 51.1% of the time, on 21 11.5%, and busts 37.4%. Those dealer outcomes are the same no matter what you hold — the whole game is choosing the action whose distribution fits them best.
What the mistake costs
Choosing hit instead of split costs about $109 per 100 such hands at $25 a hand (−0.043 EV per dollar). The genuinely expensive error here is double: −0.420 per dollar, or roughly $1050 per 100 hands at the same stakes.
Does the rule set change it?
No — split holds across every common configuration: Vegas Strip, Atlantic City with late surrender, H17 games and European no-hole-card tables all agree here.
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3,3 against other dealer cards:
Other key hands vs a dealer 3: