Updated 2026-07-22 · 8 decks · S17 · DAS · methodology
8,8 (pair of 8s) vs dealer 5: the verdict
The verdict is split. Two hands of 8 beat one 16 against a dealer 5 — split them.
The numbers
| Action | Win | Push | Lose | EV per $1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split* | 50.2% | 6.7% | 43.1% | +0.228 |
| Stand | 41.6% | 0.0% | 58.4% | −0.167 |
| Hit | 25.3% | 4.5% | 70.2% | −0.450 |
| Double | 25.3% | 4.5% | 70.2% | −0.899 |
* 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 5. Split, each new hand starting from 8 wins 50.2% — enough that two of them (EV +0.228 across both) beat the best single-hand line at −0.167.
For context, a dealer 5 finishes on 17–20 about 47.5% of the time, on 21 10.8%, and busts 41.6%. 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 stand instead of split costs about $989 per 100 such hands at $25 a hand (−0.396 EV per dollar). The genuinely expensive error here is double: −1.127 per dollar, or roughly $2818 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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8,8 against other dealer cards:
Other key hands vs a dealer 5: