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If you’ve spent some time in Las Vegas casinos or even played online, you’ve heard of some of the more common blackjack side bets.

While Blackjack side bets provide players with an opportunity to win higher payouts while adding more excitement to the gameplay, they also involve more risk than the original wager. In this article, we will discuss the math behind Blackjack optional bets and whether they are worth your time and money. Blackjack side bets explained, rules, strategy guides, hints and tips for novice and experienced players. Click and get yourself the best advice on the net!

The most common of these, of course, is insurance, which is available in every blackjack game I’ve ever played.

In this post, I look at insurance and 6 other blackjack side bets.

1. Blackjack side bets are offered by numerous game providers to inject some life into this 400 or so year old game. Requiring a minimal stake from your end with payouts that sometimes supersede those of the standard one, these wagers are certainly an enticing option.
2. But some people at the blackjack table like to hit jackpots, and they feel like the house edge on these side bets is comparable or better than the house edge they would see playing a slot machine. The only way you can see 5 to 1, 10 to 1, 50 to 1, or higher payouts in blackjack is to take advantage of these side bets.

I also offer some analysis of why I think these are bets with lousy odds. (See my post about blackjack probability for more details about how the odds work in blackjack.)

See if you agree with my reasoning.

1- Insurance Is the Most Common of the Various Blackjack Side Bets

An insurance bet is basically just a bet that the dealer has a blackjack. The insurance bet is only available when the dealer has an ace showing for her face-up card.

When you take insurance, you have a chance of getting some money back even if the dealer wins. (And the dealer always wins with a blackjack, unless you also have one — in which case, it’s a push.)

Insurance pays off at 2 to 1 odds, and the size of your insurance bet must be half the size of your original bet.

If the dealer’s upcard is an ace, the player is offered the option of taking “insurance” before the dealer checks the hole card.

If you’re making an insurance bet, you’re betting that the dealer’s face-down card — her “hole” card — is a 10. Since there are a lot of 10s in the deck — the 10s, jacks, queens, kings, and aces — insurance SEEMS like a good bet.

Why Insurance Is a Bad Bet

But it’s not.

Here’s why:

If the dealer had a blackjack 1 out of 3 times, this would be an even-money wager.

But the dealer actually has a blackjack slightly less than 1 out of 3 times.

You have 51 cards left in the deck. There are 16 cards worth 10 in the deck. This means the probability of having a 10 is 16/51, which is 31.37%.

The probability of winning the bet would need to be 33.33% or higher for you to break even in the long run on insurance.

But if you’re counting cards, insurance can sometimes be a positive expectation bet.

In all card counting systems, a deck relatively rich in 10s is a deck with a positive count.

It’s easy to calculate the house edge for insurance in blackjack. The odds are 35 to 16 that you’ll win the bet, and the payoff is 32 to 16,

This means the house edge is 3/51 or 1/17, which is the same as 5.89%.

In a game with an overall house edge of 1% or lower, taking a bet with a house edge of 5.89% is foolhardy at best.

You can read more about insurance in blackjack at LasVegasAdvisor.

2- “21 + 3” Is an Interesting Blackjack Side Bet, Too

The 21 + 3 side bet is becoming more common. It’s a bet on the result of your first 2 cards and the dealer’s face-up card. 21 + 3 combines poker hand rankings with blackjack.

The following poker hands pay out when you achieve them with those 3 cards:

• 3 of a kind of the same suit
• Straight flush
• 3 of a kind
• Straight
• Flush

A 3 of a kind of the same suit is the best possible hand in 21 + 3. It consists of 3 of the same card — when you’re dealing with a game made up of multiple decks, it’s possible to wind up with a suited 3 of a kind. This usually pays off at 100 to 1 odds.

A straight flush consists of 3 cards of the same suit that are also adjacent in ranks. For example, if you have the 10 and the jack of clubs, and the dealer’s up-card is a 9 of clubs, you have a straight flush.

This is the 2nd- best possible hand in 21 + 3 and usually pays off at 40 to 1 odds.

A 3 of a kind is just 3 cards with the same ranking, like 7s or jacks. This usually pays off at 30 to 1.

A straight is 3 cards in consecutive order, but they don’t have to belong to the same suit. This one pays off at 10 to 1.

A flush is 3 cards of the same suit and pays off at 5 to 1.

The house edge for the pay table used in this example is 3.7%, but it varies based on the specific payoffs. The pay table varies from casino to casino, but this is a common one.

You’ll even find some casinos offering a game where the payout for all these hands is more or less the same, like 7 to 1 regardless of which hand it is. That’s one of the worst versions — with a house edge of over 7%.

3- What about Perfect Pairs? Is That a Good Bet?

The Perfect Pairs side bet pays off when you get a pair, and it pays off more when you meet specific criteria:

1. Mixed suits
2. Same colors
3. Perfect pair

A mixed pair is the easiest to get, of course — this means that your pair is made up of different suits AND colors, and it usually pays off at 5 to 1 odds.

A colored pair consists of 2 cards of the same ranking and the same color, even if the suits differ. If you have the 7 of diamonds and a 7 of hearts, you have a colored pair. This one pays off at 10 to 1.

A perfect pair is when you have 2 cards of the same suit AND rank. For example, if you have the 7 of spades AND another 7 of spades, you have a perfect pair. The payout is 30 to 1 for this one.

Different casinos might have different payouts for the Perfect Pairs side bet, but the one I used in the example is common.

The house edge for the version described is 3.4%.

With a different pay table, the house edge might be higher.

More Common Side Bets in Blackjack

Those are the most common side bets in blackjack, but you’re not limited to those. Various casinos offer various other side bets.

Here are some of the more common of those:

4- Lucky Ladies

The lucky ladies side bet is a bet that you’ll have a total of 20. If the cards are unsuited, the hand pays out 4 to 1. If the 2 cards are of the same suit, you get a 10 to 1 payout.

When you have 2 cards of the same rank and suit, like both jacks of clubs, you’ll get a 25 to 1 payout.

A pair of queens is a 200 to 1 payout.

And if you have a pair made up of the queens of hearts, and if the dealer has a blackjack, you get a 1000 to 1 payout.

5- Over/Under 13

The over/under 13 side bet is one of the easier bets to understand. You’re predicting whether you’ll be dealt a hand totaling more than or less than 13. Some casinos also allow you to be on getting an exact total of 13. The over/under bets pay even money.

The house gets its edge because they win on an exact total of 13, regardless of whether you bet over or under.

6- Royal Match

The royal match side bet is another easy one. If your cards are suited, the hand pays out at 5 to 2. If you have a king and a queen of the same suit, the payout is 25 to 1.

7- Super 7s

The super 7s side bet pays off any time you get at least one 7 in your hand. The more 7s you get, the more the bet pays off.

A single 7 is a 3 to 1 payout. If you get a pair of 7s, you get a 50 to 1 payout. And if those 7s are both suited, you get 100 to 1.

If you get a 3rd 7, you get 500 to 1 if they’re not suited and 5000 to 1 if they’re all of the same suit.

Not all casinos give you a 3rd card when the dealer has a blackjack, which (of course) increases the house edge.

The house edge for any of these bets is 5% or higher.

And keep in mind that the payouts I’m listing are typical, but you can and will see variance in rules from table to table and from casino to casino.

Why Do Players Make these Side Bets?

If everyone knows that the house edge is so high on these side bets, why do players make them?

The truth is that many blackjack players NEVER make side bets, and that’s the best strategy.

But some people at the blackjack table like to hit jackpots, and they feel like the house edge on these side bets is comparable or better than the house edge they would see playing a slot machine.

The only way you can see 5 to 1, 10 to 1, 50 to 1, or higher payouts in blackjack is to take advantage of these side bets.

Finally

The 7 blackjack side bets explained in this post include:

1. Insurance
2. 21+3
3. Perfect Pairs
4. Lucky Ladies
5. Over/Under 13
6. Royal Match
7. Super 7s

The house edge for all these side bets is sky-high. In a game where the main game has a house edge of between 0.5% and 2%, you should never take a sucker bet like this.

Table Of Contents

With simple rules and easy to learn strategies, the game of blackjack is one of the most popular card games in both Las Vegas Casinos and online around the world.

Blackjack side bets add a layer of complexity to the game, though at much greater risk.

In this article we’ll take a look at the different side bet options, how they are structured and what side bets pay.

• What are Blackjack side bets?
• Why play Blackjack side bets?
• Common side bets at most Casinos
• Other side bets to look out for
• Are Blackjack side bets worth playing?

What are Blackjack side bets?

Blackjack side bets are additional bets placed during a standard game of Blackjack. They involve predicting which cards the player, and sometimes the dealer, will receive.

Wagers are made before any cards are dealt and each side bet is based on chance rather than skill, although you can count cards to help you choose the most likely combinations for your best side bets.

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Why play side bets?

One of the most attractive features of the game of Blackjack is the low house edge compared to other games on the casino floor.

Good players will face a house edge of around 0.5%, and even if you play quite badly, that edge only rises to around 2%.

However, while the odds of losing big are low, the odds of winning are also poor.

Blackjack is mostly an even money game, rising to 2:1 at best if you are dealt a Blackjack.

Side bets offer you the chance to play much longer odds for higher player wins – as much as 5,000:1 in one case.

However, it must be noted that the house edge rises significantly for Blackjack side bets, with most bets carrying a house edge of 10% or more.

In other words, side bets make it a lot easier to lose money on blackjack.

Common side bets at most Casinos

There are a number of common side bets that you will find at most Blackjack tables.

These are clearly marked with the odds either printed on the Blackjack tables or available as a hand out or a side menu in the online version.

You should check the pay outs carefully before placing your bets as they can vary considerably between different Casinos or online sites.

The three main Blackjack side bets are:

• Insurance
• Perfect Pairs
• 21+3

Insurance – this is the most common Blackjack side bet and allows you to cover yourself against Blackjack if the dealer has an ace face up.

This bet involves half of your original stake and pays out at 2:1 if the dealer has Blackjack. The insurance bet reduces the overall house edge.

Perfect Pairs – this side bet uses the player’s cards only, and pays out if you are dealt two of a kind as follows:

• Mixed pair (two of the same value but different suit and colour) – pays 5:1
• Coloured pair (two of the same value and the same colour) – pays 12:1
• Perfect pair (two of the same card) – pays 25:1

The returns can vary between different Casinos and different pay tables and the house edge will depend on both the pay out and the number of decks used and can range from just 2 or 3% up to 11% or more.

21+3 – this side bet involves the player’s two cards and the upturned card of the dealer. It will pay out for a number of different combinations:

• Flush – (all cards are suited) – pays 5:1
• Straight – (all cards consecutive) – pays 10:1
• Three of a kind – (not the same suit) – pays 30:1
• Straight flush – (consecutive cards same suit) – pays 40:1
• Suited triple – (three of the same card) – pays 100:1

The house edge for the 21+3 side bet will vary depending on the number of decks used, standing at 8.78% for four decks, 7.81% for five decks, 7.14% for six decks and 6.29% for seven decks.

Blackjack Side Bets Payouts

Other side bets to look out for

The Casino industry is highly competitive, and so new side bets are being invented all the time to try and attract new Blackjack players.

Some of these will flourish and become widely available, while others remain niche and can only be found in selected Casinos. Here are a few examples:

• Royal match – pays 5:2 for any suited player’s cards and 25:1 for suited king and queen
• Over/under 13 – pays even money for correctly predicting the sum of the player’s cards as less than or greater than 13. In most cases, exactly 13 will lose, but some Casinos will allow bets on exactly 13.
• Super sevens – this bet pays out if one or more sevens are dealt in the player’s cards. One seven pays 3:1, two unsuited sevens pays 50:1, two suited sevens pays 100:1. If the third card dealt is also a seven, then the bet will pay 500:1 unsuited and 5000:1 suited. However it is important to make sure that the Casino will still deal a third card if the dealer has a Blackjack, as some Casinos will not do this.
• Lucky ladies – this bet pays out if the player’s cards add up to 20, with an unsuited 20 paying 4:1, a suited 20 paying 10:1, a matched 20, same rank and suit pays 25:1, two queens of hearts 200:1 and two queens of hearts when dealer has Blackjack 1000:1.

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Are Blackjack side bets worth playing?

Blackjack side bets do not involve any skill and you are simply betting on the luck of the draw.

What’s more, the returns do not reflect the odds of each bet coming in, which gives the house a significantly larger edge.

Conclusion

Blackjack side bets are best viewed as a bit of extra complexity that adds up to a session at the Blackjack table.

However, you should not make them the main focus of your gameplay or your wagering, and you should be aware of the significantly increased house edge.

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