Blackjack is the name of the game. It's played, in land-base casinos and real money online casino nj in a fast and furious way– a battle royale between the player and the dealer. The magic number is 21, but any hand total that beats the dealer's hand without busting will do.
Can You Beat the House with Blackjack Side Bets?
Blackjack is one of the few casino card games where a player stands a genuine chance of beating the house. Of course, you have to play your cards right. Several blackjack tips, tricks, and strategies can be implemented to help give you a competitive edge with our 888 casino games.
Brush up on your blackjack rules, use blackjack odds calculators, and blackjack strategy charts. Practice as many hands as possible with free blackjack games online too. It's the best blackjack strategy to implement, hands down. Nothing gets you more proficient at blackjack than real-time game experience.
Once you've mastered the art of blackjack, it's time to take a look at other blackjack bets. These include a combination of blackjack side bets. Are these blackjack betting options worth your while? It's time to shuffle up and deal with side bets in blackjack!
Table of Contents
• What are Blackjack Side Bets?
• 21 + 3 Blackjack Side Bets
• Pair Square Blackjack Side Bets
• Royal Match Blackjack Side Bets
• Super Sevens Blackjack Side Bets
• Lucky Ladies Blackjack Side Bets
• Over/Under 13 Blackjack Side Bets
• Blackjack Side Bets FAQs
What are Blackjack Side Bets?
Considering that the house edge in blackjack is around 0.5% (give or take) when perfect blackjack strategy is implemented, it makes sense that casinos want to boost their advantage to up their profits. Fortunately for players, you don't need to place blackjack side bets to win blackjack games. These are novelty bets – some players even call them sucker bets. However, blackjack side bets are really exciting propositions, and they come in many different forms.
It's worth pointing out that blackjack side bets are being conjured up by gaming companies all the time. There are common blackjack side bets to choose from, and lots more in the works. Several blackjack side bets are readily available at casinos in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and beyond. These include the following selections:
• 21+ 3
• Pair Square
• Royal Match
• Super Sevens
• Lucky Ladies
• Over/Under 13
• Other Types of Blackjack Side Bets
• Blackjack Side Bets FAQs
The odds of blackjack side bets depend upon the number of decks in the use (1 deck, 6/8 decks) the casino online in question, and the individual blackjack variant. Either way, you'll be able to see the house edge by looking at the payout schedule. Regardless of the blackjack game you're playing, or where you're playing it, blackjack side bets have notoriously high house edges. That's because their raison d'être is to benefit the house by increasing the casino's advantage.
Popular Question: If blackjack side bets have such a poor house edge, why do players play place these bets?
There are lots of reasons why blackjack players are interested in placing playing side bets. It's similar to the reasons why people play American Roulette with the double 0, as opposed to European Roulette or French Roulette with a single 0. Recall that the house edge in European Roulette/French Roulette is 2.70%. The house edge in American Roulette is 5.26%. Yet, people still flock to American Roulette games in their droves.
Reasons include curiosity, additional betting options, superstition, luck, or preference…
21+ 3 Blackjack Side Bet
The 21+ 3 side bets in blackjack are the most popular option of all. As its namesake suggests, if you place this bet and the combination of your first two cards and the dealer’s upcard forms Three of a Kind, a Straight, or a Flush, you will win this bet. Back in the old days, the payouts for 21+ 3 blackjack side bets was 9:1, with an attendant house edge of 3.24%. Let's take a look at 21+ 3 with 4, 6 and 8 decks in play, the payout odds, and the house edge:
• 4 decks – a Straight Flush, Three of a Kind, Straight, Flush, and Pair + Flush pays 9:1 with a house edge of 4.24%
• 6 decks – a Straight Flush, Three of a Kind, Straight, Flush, and Pair + Flush pays 9:1 with a house edge of 3.24%
• 8 decks – a Straight Flush, Three of a Kind, Straight, Flush, and Pair + Flush pays 9:1 with a house edge of 2.74%
A Flush consists of 3 cards all from the same suit. For example, these could include a 6, 9, and Queen of hearts. Of all the 21+ 3 blackjack side bets, this is the lowest paying option with odds of 5:1
A Straight is a combination of 3 cards that are in sequence. These include 4, 5, 6, or 8, 9, 10, or Jack, Queen, King, et cetera. This combination pays 10:1.
Three of A Kind requires that the dealer’s upcard and player’s own two cards are of the same rank. For example, 3 Jacks, or 3 Kings, or 3 Sevens, etc. This combination pays 30:1.
A Straight Flush is a combination of 3 cards in numerical order. These cards must also have identical suits. A classic example of a straight flush is 5, 6, 7 of spades. the payout for a Straight Flush is 40:1.
Suited Three of a Kind as its name suggests contains 3 identical cards of the same suit. The payout for a suited three of a kind is 100:1.
A common theme you will notice with blackjack side bets is the following: the rarer the probability of forming a combination, the bigger the payout.
Pair Square Blackjack Side Bet
This exciting blackjack side bet has a different name – Any Pair, or Bet the Set. Like the 21+ 3 blackjack side bet, this one is incredibly popular too. You win when your first 2 cards form a pair. Typically, you will be required to form a suited pair for a higher payout with blackjack 888 casino games.
The payouts are pretty incredible for these blackjack side bets, with unmatched pairs paying 10:1 and, matched pairs paying 15:1. Be advised that the house edge in these bets can be as high as 10.6%. The precise payouts for no pair, non-suited pair, and suited pair will vary according to the number of decks being used, and the pay table structure.
Once again, the lower the probability of blackjack side bets, the higher the payday.
Royal Match Blackjack Side Bets
Fans of single-deck blackjack games and multi-deck blackjack games get to enjoy this fabulous blackjack side bet. The Royal Match Blackjack side bet is a simple bet that pays out a bonus when your first two cards are an Easy Match, a.k.a suited. There’s also a Top Bonus when you land a suited King and Queen combination. These are known as a Royal Match.
In multi-deck blackjack games, a Royal Match side bet would require that the first two cards you're dealt are suited. If this is the case, you'll get a 5:2 payout. The Suited Kings and Queens pay 25:1, and there will be a 5:1 payout for a suited blackjack. The house edge of 3.7% is not too unfavorable to players.
In single deck blackjack variants, the payouts are 3:1 for Easy Matches, and 10:1 for Royal Matches, with an attendant house edge of 3.8%.
Super Sevens Blackjack Side Bets
Super Sevens Blackjack side bets go by other names such as Lucky Sevens, or even Crazy Sevens. These bets are also based on your first 3 cards. If you happen hit a 7 on your first card, you will win the bet. Your wins will increase with 2 or 3 consecutive sevens, and you'll get an even bigger payout if you form suited sevens. Based on the cards that you are dealt, you would split your sevens and pick up another seven towards forming a 3 card 7 combination.
Let's take a look at some payout possibilities with Super Sevens Blackjack Side Bets:
• 777 suited – 5000
• 777 – 500
• 77 suited – 100
• 77 – 50
• 7 – 3
This particular bet gets a little tricky when the dealer has a blackjack and the player has 2 sevens. In this case, the player gets paid out for 2 sevens at 50:1 for unsuited sevens, or 100:1 for suited sevens. Unfortunately for players, the action usually stops there because the dealer will not deal a third card to the player when the dealer has blackjack. In this case, the Super Sevens Blackjack Side Bet has a house edge of 12.6%.
If you scout around, you may be able to find online casinos offering to deal a third card to players (on the proviso that the player has 2 sevens) even if the dealer has blackjack. This reduces the house edge by 1.2%, down to 11.4%. Like other side bets, there are limitations on the size of the bets you can place.
Lucky Ladies Blackjack Side Bets
As any seasoned live blackjack player will tell you, the ladies are the Queens. Lucky Ladies blackjack side bets is a reference to holding a pair of Queens. Provided that your hand total is at least 20, preferably with a pair of Queens, you're in the money. This blackjack side bet has different payout possibilities, depending on the tables you play at, the games you play, and the rules of the casino.
You can expect the lowest payout on unsuited 20s, with odds of 4:1 if you have a pair of Queens of hearts, and the dealer has a blackjack, expect a table payout of 1,000:1. You would think you’d get maximum payout for a pair of suited Queens, but that pays 200:1. On this blackjack side bet, the house edge is 17%.
Over/Under 13 Blackjack Side Bets
Over/under 13 blackjack side bets are wagers on whether the first two cards dealt to the player will total 13+, or 13 -. Many blackjack aficionados fondly recall these blackjack side bets from the early 1980s.
• The house edge on Over 13 possibilities is at least 6.54% when 8 decks of cards are used, with an attendant probability for the player of 46.73%. When 1 deck of cards is used the house edge is 6.79%, with a 46.61% probability for the player.
• Another possibility is exactly 13. When this happens, the payout is 10:1. The house edge can be as low 7.09% with a probability of 8.45%. Or, it can be as high as 8.66%, with a probability of 8.30%.
• The house edge on under 13 possibilities is at least 10.06% when 8 decks of cards are used. When 1 deck of cards is used, the house edge is 10.11%. The probability for players ranges between 44.95% when 1 deck of cards is used, to 44.97% when 8 decks of cards are used.
In Over/Under 13, Aces count as 1, and any hand total that equals exactly 13 automatically results in the loss of over or under 13 bets respectively. The wins pay even money on the bet selections. You will typically see this particular blackjack side bet available at 6 and 8 deck blackjack games.
Other Types of Blackjack Side Bets Available to Players
There are literally dozens of blackjack side bets available to players nowadays. As pointed out earlier, these bets are introduced by casinos and software providers as a way to entice players to bet more money on blackjack games.
Since blackjack is a strategy-based casino card game with a low house edge, it's important for casinos to maximize their profitability with these side bets. Here are several popular blackjack side bets in addition to the ones already listed, and they’re even available for players at real money casino on your mobile device – Android or iOS.
• Blazing 7s
• Buffalo Blackjack
• Blackjack Match
• Block Bonus
• Bonanza Blackjack
• Bonus Blackjack
• Extra Bet Blackjack
• Hot 3
• House Money
• In BETween
• Pair Square
• Super 4
• Wild Aces
• Swiss Blackjack Side Bet
Blackjack Side Bets FAQ
• Why are there are so many blackjack side bets available?
Regardless of the specific blackjack side bets, they are all designed with one overarching purpose in mind. That is to maximize casino returns. Casinos often dovetail blackjack side bets with reduced payouts on blackjack from 3:2 to 6:5. It's really important to check the paytable for payouts on winning combinations.
• What is the best side bet to play?
It's all a matter of personal preference. You don't need to play the live blackjack side bet with the highest probability of winning, or the biggest payout. It’s safe to play when you keep a set of rules close at hand when choosing blackjack side bets. That way you always get to pick the side bet best suited to your preferences. Use blackjack statistics to help you determine which side bets to place.
• Is Blackjack Insurance a Side Bet?
Absolutely! The only time you will be given an option for insurance is when the dealer’s up card is an Ace. Then, you will have the option to play insurance. However, it is strongly advised not to play since the odds of winning the bet are slim. As a rule, the house edge on the insurance bet works against you. The odds against the dealer having blackjack are approximately 9:4, and with the bet paying 2:1, it's a losing option. When the dealer is using 1 deck of cards, the house edge is 5.8%, and when the dealer’s using 8 decks of cards it's 7.5%.
• Is there any Skill involved in Playing Blackjack Side Bets?
With blackjack side bets, it's all about the luck of the draw. There is no skill involved in these betting options at all since it depends on the card values that have been dealt to you by the dealer. Since you don't need to understand how to play these games – the casino takes care of everything – it's simply a matter of placing a bet and hoping for the best. These bets are simply an extra option available while playing blackjack online, or at a land-based casino.