What Are Blackjack Side Bets?
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games because it combines skill and luck, but beyond the main game, many casinos offer side bets, extra wagers you can place alongside your regular bet, which often promise big payouts for specific card combinations when playing at your favorite platform, 22Bet!
Common Types
Some popular blackjack side bets include:
- Perfect Pairs – Seeing if your first two cards will be a pair.
- 21+3 – Combining your two cards and the dealer’s upcard to make a poker hand (e.g., a flush or straight).
- Insurance – A side bet when the dealer shows an Ace, protecting you if they have blackjack.
Are they ever worth it? Let’s look at the math.
The House Edge
The key to understanding side bets is the house edge… the casino’s built-in advantage. In standard blackjack, a skilled player can reduce the house edge to under 1%, but wagers on the side often have a much higher edge, sometimes 5% or more.
How They Stack Up
- Standard Blackjack: House edge ≈ 0.5% (with perfect strategy).
- Perfect Pairs: House edge ≈ 5-6%.
- 21+3: House edge ≈ 3-10%, depending on rules.
This means, over time, you’ll lose money much faster on these than on the main game.
When (If Ever) Are Side Bets Worth It?
Most of the time, side stakes are a bad idea mathematically, but there are rare cases where they might make sense.
1. When You’re Chasing Big Wins
Side bets offer high payouts for low odds. For example, a suited “Perfect Pair” might pay 25:1, and if you enjoy the thrill of chasing big wins (and don’t mind the risk), they can add excitement.
2. When You’re Counting Cards (Rarely)
Some side bets become somewhat better if you track cards, so for example, if many high cards are left, the chance of hitting a 21+3 flush increases… but even then, the advantage is minimal.
3. When Promotions Boost Payouts
Occasionally, casinos run promotions that improve the payouts for such wagers, but if the house edge drops enough, it might be worth a small wager.
Advanced Strategies
While most know that card counting can help in standard blackjack, few realize it can sometimes affect side wagers, though not as reliably. Certain extra stakes, like 21+3, depend on the remaining deck composition, meaning a skilled card counter might spot favorable moments.
For example:
- If many high cards (10, J, Q, K, A) remain, the chance of hitting a straight or flush in 21+3 increases slightly.
- If the deck is rich in a specific suit, the probability of a suited pair or flush improves.
Yet, the edge gained is much smaller than in traditional blackjack, and even with perfect counting, the house edge rarely drops below 2-3%, making them a poor choice for advantage players.
The “Side Count” Approach
Some advanced players use a secondary count just for side bets, tracking specific cards (like Aces or suited cards). This requires extra mental effort for minimal gain, often not worth it unless playing in rare, highly favorable conditions.