Bet spread

[vneck]

Why do most bet spread switch to 2 hands at the upper level? Is 2 hands of $200 better EV than 1 have of 400? If so, why not play 2 hands through entire bet spread where table minimums allow it?

 

[gronbog]

For straight counting, the main technical reasons to spread to 2 (or more) spots at the upper level (i.e. when the count is favorable) are:

1. There are other players at the table and you want more of the "good" cards for yourself.
2. You want to bet more than the table limit.

Other than that, there may be special situations in which you want to spread to more spots, but you are typically better off playing one spot. If you have BJA3, review the article beginning on page 24.

Two spots of $200 have the same EV as one spot of $400 but is slightly sub-optimal. When spreading to two spots, betting approximately 75% of your one-spot bet (i.e. 2 x $300) will increase EV while maintaining the same level of risk.