Blackjack Side Bets

Blackjack is one of the most popular card games played in both an online and live casino setting, and many casino players will be aware of the bets which can be placed on whether you believe your hand will beat the dealers.

However, many players won’t be aware of the additional side bets that may be on offer as you play each hand and how they can change the flow of a game and offer increased winning potential.

So, if you’re new to the table, we’ve listed some of the top side bets you’re likely to encounter as you play blackjack at an online casino.

What are blackjack side bets

Before you actually place a side bet within a game of blackjack, it's important to know what they actually do and how they can affect your winning potential while you are playing.

Within blackjack games, a side bet is an additional wager that is placed at the beginning of each round alongside your main bet for each hand. These side bets will mean you need to wager more money per hand, but if they win, you’ll be awarded a bigger payout.

Some players may notice that side bets are only available during certain games, so before you play, take a look over all of the blackjack rules of the game, as it’s here side bets such as double downwill be mentioned. This will also indicate where they can be placed on the table and the potential payouts they will return to a player.

Blackjack Side Bet Types

As you play at a live online blackjack table, you may come across many side bets. There are many common bets that players will be familiar with, including the insurance bet, perfect pairs, and 21+3. However, there are others that are not usually found in a traditional game, so if you’d like to know more, why not take a look at the blackjack side bets explained below.

21+3 blackjack

This is probably the most common side bet on offer in a standard game of blackjack. The 21+3 side bet involves the first two players' cards and the dealer’s upcard and if they make a variety of combinations, a three-card poker hand in order to award a payout.

The winning hands in question, which involve the third card are a flush, straight, three-of-a-kind, or a straight flush, and pay tables within each game will change depending on the casino. However, if you’re looking for the basic strategy to follow to potentially find a winning hand, take a look below:

Flush: This is three cards of the same suit and offers a payout of 5/1.

Straight: This hand is three cards in a sequence regardless of suit and color, and these will offer a payout of 10/1.

Three-of-a-Kind: Within this hand, players will need three cards of the same rank, not the same suit, so this will payout if all cards are a six or a 10. The odds for this are 30/1.

Straight Flush: This is the highest paying hand in 21+3, and it will need players to have a sequence of cards of the exact suit. It will offer a payout of 40/1.

Perfect Pairs Side Bet

When it comes to another blackjack side bet, one which will be found on most blackjack tables is the perfect pair.

However, there isn’t just one simple payout for this bet. There are three available depending on which pairs you match in your opening hand, so let's see how these bets work below:

Mixed Pair: same number of cards but a different suit and colour with odds of 5/1

Coloured Pair: same number of cards and the same colour but a different suit with odds of 10/1

Perfect Pair: same number card which is the same colour and suit with odds of 30/1

Royal match blackjack

One of the other side bets on offer within a game of blackjack takes its name from the picture cards used in the game, and it’s called the Royal Match side bet. The outcome of this bet is determined by the two cards initially dealt to the player, and if they belong to the same suit, the bet will payout at 2.5:1.

However, there is also a bigger payout on offer if players can land the Royal Match, which would be a suited queen and suited king, as this can offer a payout of 25:1.

Lucky ladies blackjack

The blackjack side bets don’t end there in this live casino game, and the next one on offer is the Lucky Ladies side bet. Focusing only on the first two cards which are dealt, if they total 20 then the hand will payout.

There are different winnings on offer depending on which cards make a total of 20. However, the name lucky ladies come from the highest winnings on offer, which is two queens of hearts.

For this bet to be available, multiple decks will need to be within the shoe as this is the only way the hand can be formed. Before you place the bets, it’s also worth knowing what potential odds will be offered if you can match the cards successfully, as we’ve listed here:

• Two unsuited cards, which total 20 offer odds of 4/1
• Suited cards totalling 20 offer odds of 9/1
• Matching cards totalling 20 offer odds of 19/1
• Dealt Two Queens of Hearts offer odds of 125/1
• Dealt Two Queens of Hearts, and the dealer draws a blackjack offer odds of 1000/1

Super Sevens

As the name suggests, the Super Sevens side bet in Blackjack is all about the sevens used during the game. The main objective in order for this bet to payout is to have two sevens of the same colour or suit. Placed like other side bets before the hands are dealt, including insurance, this bet normally offers a payout of 3:1.

This bet will payout if the first card dealt to a player is a seven and if more cards of the same rank are dealt, the payout will increase accordingly. However, this will be determined by whether the sevens are suited or unsuited. If the sevens are suited, the payout can move to 100:1, and if sevens continue to appear, the payout can increase to 5000:1 for a suited set.

Should you use side bets?

Before you play any hands at blackjack tables, and consider blackjack side bets, it's always best to know the rules of the game itself. There is no guaranteed win when playing a game of blackjack, regardless of whether you place a small wager or large wager or if you choose to use side bets such as insurance side bets or perfect pairs.

However, when it comes to adding more to a game, for some blackjack players, these additional bet options can increase the complexity and winning potential. One thing to note is that instead of the low house edge associated with standard blackjack, these additional bets made by the player, although offering a higher payout, will increase the house edge, whether you're in a land-based or online casino.