Popular Blackjack Side Bets
Blackjack is one of the most well-known card games in the world, and for good reason. The game’s rules are straightforward, and its winning methods are basic and straightforward as well.
Because of this, most casino game enthusiasts find that they enjoy it. Besides the simplicity, players may further reduce the house’s advantage by following some simple blackjack strategies.
But that is not all…
There are other ways that players can use to make the blackjack experience even more enjoyable. Among the most popular ones are side bets.
Side bets are a fun way to spice up the blackjack game while also getting extra chances to win. These side bets are all about predicting what cards the player and the dealer will be dealt.
Jump straight to a specific blackjack side bet:
How Side Bets Work
Unlike the main blackjack game, each side bet is determined by chance rather than player ability, and wagers are placed before any cards are. It is possible for players to count cards as well, which might help them choose side bets with the highest likelihood of forming a winning combination.
In a way, they do complicate things, but at a considerably higher cost.
Even so, because of their high profits, side bets are a big draw for gamblers. Case in point, casual players overlook the fact that the house has a major edge over them when it comes to side bets. This is not surprising considering the thrill and potential profits they provide.
It is a classic high-risk high-reward situation.
Popular Blackjack Side Bets
Players have a plethora of side bets blackjack games allow and there are ridiculously large numbers of them in existence. The ones that are detailed here are among the most well-known ones.
21+3
The ’21 3′ blackjack side bet is by far the most popular side bet to place. Almost all brick-and-mortar and internet casinos provide it so players do not have to look too hard if they want to try it. What makes it special is that both the player and the dealer’s cards are involved in this side bet as it is based on poker.
There are four primary kinds of 21+3 side bet combinations players need to land to win. These are:
- Flush – Involves betting on all three cards being of the same suit. Here, the chances of winning are 5:1.
- Straight – To win this bet, all three cards must be consecutively ranked. This bet has a 10:1 chance of winning.
- Straight Flush – This bet is made based on the chance that all three cards will be consecutively valued and from the same suit. This wager has a 40:1 chance of success.
- Three of a Kind – If all three cards have the same numerical value, the player in this wager wins. The number 10 is treated the same as the figures. The chances of winning this wager are 30:1. Players could also land a suited three of a kind where all the three cards have the same value
Buster Blackjack
With the Buster Blackjack side wager, players may increase their prospects of winning when the dealer busts. The number of busted cards in the dealer’s hand is used to calculate the amount of payments depending on odds.
When the dealer has a bigger number of cards in their broken hand, the Buster bet’s payoff is higher, too.
Match the Dealer
Here, if the dealer’s up card and any of the player’s first two cards have the same rank, the player wins. To make it even better, in occasions of both ranks and suits matching, wins are even greater. The rules for this side bet are rather simple; you win the wager if the rank of your beginning cards equals that of the dealer’s cards.
When two cards of the same suit are matched, the payout is often 11:1, and when two cards of different suits are matched, the payout is typically 4:1. This can make blackjack Match the Dealer side bet incredibly rewarding.
Insurance
The goal of ‘insurance’ in blackjack is, essentially, to protect the player’s bankroll. However, there are just a handful of situations in which obtaining insurance is genuinely beneficial. It’s not uncommon for blackjack players to lose a lot of money on the blackjack insurance bet because of its popularity. Half of the player’s initial wager may be used as insurance in case the dealer’s face-up card is an ace.
If the dealer has blackjack, the player receives a payout in the ratio of 2:1.
Perfect Pairs
Only the players’ cards are considered in a Perfect Pair blackjack side bet. To constitute a pair of cards, the two cards must both have the same numerical or face value for face cards. The first two cards dealt to the player win this side wager if they are a pair. The best version of this side bet is found on multi-deck blackjack. Options in this case include:
- Perfect Pair – In a multi-deck blackjack game, this is dependent on the likelihood that the player will have the ideal pair of cards. This wager has a 30:1 odds of success.
- Mixed Pair – This bet is made on the prospect of a player holding two cards with the same value but a different suit and color. The odds of winning here are 5:1.
- Colored Pair – This is based on the likelihood that the player will have two cards that have different suits but the same value and color. The odds of winning are 12:1.
Royal Match
For both single-deck and multi-deck game options, the Royal Match blackjack side bet is one of the best-known blackjack side bets. It has been there from the beginning, and it has quite simple to understand. All that is required for a player to win is that their first two cards be of the same suit. The player needs to land any of the following:
- Royal Match – The player receives a 25:1 payout when their opening hand is a King and a Queen of the same suit. The payout ratio in single-deck play is 10:1.
- Easy Match – The player receives a payout of 5:2 if the player’s first two cards are of the same suit. The payout is 3:1 for the single-deck variant.
- Crown Treasure – Players must properly predict that you and the dealer have a Royal Match to win the Crown Treasure. The few casinos that offer this will often pay out a predefined fixed prize.
Lucky Ladies
In a Lucky Ladies blackjack side bets, it is placed on the premise that the player’s opening hand may have a total value of 20. Do note that there is a 17 percent advantage for the house on this one. It has the following potential winning outcomes:
- Lucky Ladies – This side bet, which is only offered in games with multiple decks, involves two Queen of hearts cards whose values add up to 20. The payout is 200:1. If the dealer has a blackjack, there is a bonus payment of 1000:1.
- Matched 20 – This bet has a payout of 25:1 and is made on the likelihood that the player’s opening cards would all be of the same rank and suit, totaling 20. Also, it can only be used in multi-deck blackjack games.
- Paired 20 – The is placed with the possibility that the two initial cards are of the same rank and total to 20. It is exclusive to single-deck games.
- Suited 20 – The is built on the possibility that the first card dealt to a player would be of any value and the same suit, adding up to 20. With a 10:1 payoff, this side bet is available in both single-deck and multi-deck blackjack games.
- Any 20/Unsuited 20 – In this case, the two cards may each total 20, and they can be any combination of numbers from any suit. This side bet pays 4:1 and may be made in both single-deck or multi-deck games.
Super Sevens
This wager will pay off if the player is dealt one or more sevens.
- One seven awards a payout of 3:1.
- Two sevens that are not suited, have a payout of 50:1, and two suited sevens offer a payout of 100:1.
- If the third card that is dealt is likewise a seven, then the bet will pay 500:1 if it is not suited, and it will pay 5000:1 if it is suited.
Over/Under 13
A fairly easy side bet in blackjack, Over/Under 13 asks whether your first two cards will add up to a total that exceeds or falls below 13. In most casinos, if the result is exactly 13, the bet is lost. In certain casinos, you may bet on landing a hand value of 13 as well. Aces are always worth one point in Over/Under 13 side bets. It usually has a payout of 10:1.
As mentioned earlier, there are lots of other side bets that you can place at the blackjack tables.
While not as popular as the ones we have listed, they too have the potential to add some flair to the gaming experience. The best way to tell is to try them out for yourself.
Should You Consider Side Bets?
It is important to remember that most side bets provide just a marginal possibility of coming out on top. As if that is not enough, the fact that they cannot be used with basic blackjack strategies makes them seem almost pointless. Typically, that gives the house and dealer a far bigger advantage. It is in the player’s best benefit to steer clear of them if the goal is to turn a profit from the game.
However, we cannot also deny the fact that with great risk comes great reward. That is, for the lucky players; the insurance blackjack/match the dealer bettors, the ones that are willing to go further for why they’re playing in the first place – for the entertainment value.
The motivations of the player will ultimately determine whether these side bets are worth it.
In the case of casual blackjack players, for example, side bets are a great way to spice things up. There is no doubt that they can add a lot to the experience. The rewards on these bets are comparable to slot machine jackpots, which makes for some thrilling action.
Getting The Most Out of Side Bets
Side bets might be fun, but they shouldn’t be the major focus of your blackjack gameplay. It’s important to keep this in mind should you choose to go with them:
The house always has a much higher advantage.
If you want to get the most out of your money while playing blackjack online, you need to do your research to see which casinos provide the best deals. We’re always ready to offer our recommendations for the best online casinos to play real money Blackjack on but in reality to each is own so try smaller deposits first and if you get genuine entertainment value out of the casino then you can deposit more (in controlled amounts) each time, remembering to stop when the fun stops.
Placing many side bets on blackjack at once is another technique to increase your odds of winning. Most websites allow players to make as many side bets as they like. It is important to keep in mind that many side bets in blackjack may rapidly deplete your bankroll, so be cautious when deciding to do so and never bet anything you’re not prepared to lose.
That being said, there’s all you need to know to get started with side bets. Enjoy and let us know if we’ve missed any of your favorite ones!
