Unfortunately, the dealer’s upcard will also dictate when you hit or stand, which sometimes requires hitting on 15 to see or 16. However, no dealer upcard is bad enough to force you to hit on 17 or above, seeing as how there’s a 69% chance or better of busting in this situation. One of the favorite aspects of blackjack is the sheer variety of side bets this casino classic offers. These can be fun to try out and may come in handy if you’re smart with your play. However, they’re not the most beneficial for beginners. Namely, side bets all have fairly high house edges and can make your winning odds much lower than they regularly are. Schlesinger says, “By having just one ten-value card in your hand when you hold a 10-2, you slightly lower your chances of breaking with a hit just enough to tip the balance in favor of risking busting by drawing one more card, rather than standing. This effect, however, diminishes as the number of decks increases, because removing one ten out of 16 is a lot more dramatic than removing one ten out of 128 for an eight-deck game. Therefore, for six or fewer decks, it’s best to hit a 12 consisting of 10-2 against a dealer’s 4 upcard, but in an eight-deck game, it’s best to stand.”