Aria Brown
Stefan Weber
Blackjack is particularly popular thanks to its simple rules and relatively low house edge, which can be reduced to less than 0.5%, depending on the variant. It allows for the perfect mix of skill, strategy, plus luck, in each hand.
However, the winnings compared to the stakes are not particularly high for gambling. Even with a natural blackjack, that is, the payout is "only" 3:2. And this is one of the main reasons why some players try to improve their winning potential with the help of various side bets.
21+3, Perfect Pairs, and insurance are well-known and widely used betting options in this context. And there are plenty of other side betting options, especially online.
Beyond the potential payout, side bets add extra stimulation to the standard blackjack game and a different entertainment value. However, the house edge usually increases with side bets. We get you up to date with all the options available and the pros and cons in this side bet review.
Table of Contents
- Best Casinos for Playing Blackjack Side Bets 2024
- What Are Blackjack Side Bets Anyhow?
- The Most Popular Blackjack Side Bets
- → Perfect Pairs
- → 21 + 3
- → Insurance
- → Royal Match
- → Over/Under 13
- Rarer Forms & Additional Bets Available (Especially Online)
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Blackjack Side Bets
- Blackjack Side Bets FAQs
Best Casinos for Playing Blackjack Side Bets 2024
 | 92/100 Read Review | $10,000+ 500 Free Spins | visit Lucky Dreams | |
 | 91/100 Read Review | $1,500 + 500 Free Spins | visit Playzilla | |
 | 91/100 Read Review | $500 or 5 BTC+ 180 Free Spins | visit BitStarz | |
 | 90/100 Read Review | $500 | visit Stake | |
 | 89/100 Read Review | $1,250+ 125 Free Spins | visit Bizzo | |
 | 89/100 Read Review | $5,000+ 400 Free Spins | visit Just Casino | |
 | 89/100 Read Review | $3,000+ 200 Free Spins | visit Platincasino | |
 | 89/100 Read Review | $100+ 100 Free Spins | visit National Casino | |
 | 88/100 Read Review | $120+ 120 Free Spins | visit 20Bet | |
 | 88/100 Read Review | $2,500 | visit Betandplay | |
 | 87/100 Read Review | $1,000 + 100 Free Spins | visit Instaspin | |
What Are Blackjack Side Bets Anyhow?
Side bets offer the prospect of higher winnings. In regular blackjack play, the maximum payout is 3:2 for a natural blackjack. For a general winning hand, it's a payout of 1:1. That's why most gaming providers, both local and online, have integrated side bets as an option.
Side bets are independent of the outcome of the actual blackjack game. That is, they have no connection to whether your hand wins or loses against the dealer's. As such, you can win one or the other, both, or neither.
Keep in mind, side bets can only be placed if you participate in the regular blackjack game, with an extra wager on top of your standard bet.
They are not available on every blackjack game, but when they are, they are always optional. You decide whether and which additional bets to make. Side bets have bet limits too, just like in the main game play, and they are set by each casino or provider.
They offer a higher payout because they're all about random luck rather than any bit of strategy. Due to that very nature, they also have a higher probability of loss. Depending on the side bet and the game on offer, the house edge can rise to almost 14%, and in rare cases even more.
Example from Stake casino: Theoretical RTP with and without side bet.MoreLess
The Most Popular Blackjack Side Bets
Perfect Pairs
The best known of the lot, the Perfect Pairs (PP) blackjack side bet is an additional wager on the chance that the first two cards you're dealt will be a pair. There are three types of pairs, each with different odds of being dealt; the greater the match, the higher the payout.
| Type of pair | Description | Example | Payout rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect pair | Card number/face, color, and suit are identical |  | 25:1 - 30:1 |
| Colored pair | Card number/face and color are the same |  | 10:1 - 12:1 |
| Mixed pair | Card number/face is the same |  | 5:1 - 6:1 |
Perfect Pairs is one of the more popular side bets and is therefore available in many blackjack variants. In addition, a number of online developers offer a specifically named version called Perfect Pairs Blackjack. However, even if you choose one of these, this side bet is still always optional.
21 + 3
The 21+3 side bet is all about the dealer's faceup card plus the first two cards that you're dealt. What you're looking to do here is to form a poker hand, such as a flush, a straight or a three of a kind, in order to win.
| Poker hand | Description | Example | Payout rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suited three of a kind | Three of the exact same card |  | 100:1 |
| Straight flush | Three cards of the same suit with consecutive values |  | 40:1 |
| Three of a kind | Three cards of the same number in any suit |  | 30:1 |
| Straight | A series of consecutively numbered cards, regardless of suit |  | 10:1 |
| Flush | Three cards of the same suit, regardless of number |  | 5:1 |
Insurance
Insurance is offered in many blackjack games. If the dealer receives an ace, or in some places a 10-value up card, you'll have the option to buy insurance, which pays you 2:1 if the dealer gets a blackjack.
To execute this option, place another bet half of your original wager. That means if you bet $10 on your hand, that would be $5 more for insurance.
Only after you've made your insurance bet, will the dealer check their hole card. If the dealer has a blackjack, you'll receive a 2:1 payout on the insurance, though you'll still lose your initial hand - unless you too have a natural blackjack. If the dealer doesn't have blackjack, you'll lose your insurance money, and the game continues according to the regular rules.
Royal Match
Another commonly employed side bet is the Royal Match, which also appears in many online blackjack games. The goal of this bet is to be dealt two cards of the same suit, with a King and Queen giving you the so-called royal match.
| Combination | Description | Example | Payout rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Match | A queen and king of the same suit |  | 25:1 |
| Pair of suited cards | Two cards of the same suit |  | 5:2 |
The house edge of this side bet is up to 10.5%, which is high. It can however in some very unusual variants, reduce the house edge. Therefore, Royal Match is considered to be a fairly player-friendly bet - the probability of winning depending largely on the number of decks used.
There may be other variations to the combinations and payouts highlighted here, although what we listed are the standards. For example, there are games with jackpots attached, and those that pay out more if both the dealer and the player have a royal match.
Over / Under 13
The aim is to predict whether the total value of your first two cards will be higher or lower than 13 points. As a rule, if the point value is exactly 13, the bet is lost. There are, however, exceptions to this rule, with some providers for example paying out the highest odds of 10:1, in this situation.
The advantage of the Over/Under 13 is that the house edge is relatively low compared to other side bets. If the bet is placed on "over 13", it's between 6% and 7%. And if it's "under 13" you've chosen, the house edge increases to just over 10%, with the precise percentage always depending on the number of decks being used.
| Hand value | Description | Payout rate |
|---|---|---|
| Exactly 13 | A two-card hand of exactly 13* | 10:1 |
| Over 13 | A two-card hand with a value over 13 | 1:1 |
| Under 13 | A two-card hand with a value under 13 | 1:1 |
* Only available in certain casinos on select games.
Rarer Forms & Additional Bets Available (Especially Online)
Bust It
The Bust-It side bet is won if the dealer busts, i.e. reaches a hand of over 21 points. The fewer the cards the dealer draws before going bust, the lower the payout. If they bust with eight or more cards, you get the ultimate payout of 250:1.
Note: In some games, the Bust-It bet is made after the dealer receives their up card, and in other versions it's made before. Check the rules of your game before proceeding.
| Number of cards dealt to the dealer | Payout rate |
|---|---|
| 8+ cards | 250:1 |
| 7 cards | 100:1 |
| 6 cards | 50:1 |
| 5 cards | 9:1 |
| 4 cards | 2:1 |
| 3 cards | 1:1 |
Top 3
Playtech's All Bets Blackjack game has a Top 3 side bet. You bet on a combination of three cards, i.e. a poker hand. The first two cards you were dealt and the dealer's up card are taken into account, with three specific combinations that can lead to a win.
This side bet is a "slimmed down" version of 21+3, with fewer potential winning poker combinations (i.e. no flush or straight), but potentially higher payouts for the top one. Just note, this version is only online, and the Top 3 wager must be placed directly with the ante bet.
| Poker hand | Description | Example | Payout rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suited three of a kind | Three of the exact same card | | 270:1 |
| Straight flush | Three cards of the same suit with consecutive values | | 180:1 |
| Three of a kind | Three cards of the same number/face in any suit | | 90:1 |
Hot 3
The Hot 3 bet is offered in some Evolution Gaming titles, for example Infinite Blackjack, one of its more popular live versions of the game.
It involves card combinations from your original two cards along with the dealer's face-up card to form a hand of 19, 20, or 21 with that three card mix - with some very specific details in terms of how combos pay.
| Combination | Description | Example | Payout rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three 7s | All three cards are 7s |  | 100:1 |
| Same suit 21 | Three cards of the same suit combine to reach 21 points |  | 20:1 |
| Unsuited 21 | Three cards of any suit combine to reach 21 points |  | 4:1 |
| 20 points | The sum of the three cards is exactly 20 points, regardless of color or suit |  | 2:1 |
| 19 points | The sum of the three cards is exactly 19 points, regardless of the color or suit |  | 1:1 |
Overall, at 5.4%, the house edge on the Hot 3 bet is considered quite low. However, the probability of being right with such a bet is not particularly high either.
Buster
The Buster side bet is similar to the Bust-It. Developed by Playtech, the aim here is again for the dealer to bust, but the odds are different, depending on how many cards it takes before the dealer goes over.
If the dealer goes bust AND you have a blackjack, you can enjoy astounding payout ratios of up to 2,000:1.
| Number of cards dealt to the dealer | Description | Payout rate |
|---|---|---|
| 8+ cards and player blackjack | The dealer busts with 8 or more cards, and you have a natural blackjack | 2,000:1 |
| 7 cards and player blackjack | The dealer busts with 7 cards, and you have a natural blackjack | 800:1 |
| 8+ cards | The dealer busts with 8 or more cards | 250:1 |
| 7 cards | The dealer busts with 7 cards | 50:1 |
| 6 cards | The dealer busts with 6 cards | 18:1 |
| 3 to 4 cards | The dealer busts with 3 or 4 cards | 2:1 |
All Bets Blackjack with the Buster side bet at Lucky Dreams casinoMoreLess
Honey Bonus
The Honey Bonus has various similarities with 21+3. You're looking to form small poker hands with your first two cards and the dealer's up card.
With three identical cards of the same suit, the highest winning odds are 100:1. But other payout rates may be lower when compared to similar side bets.
The special thing about the Honey Bonus is that a natural blackjack of the same suit can also lead to an additional win.
This side bet is less profitable than many others, with a house edge of 13.51%.
| Poker hand | Description | Example | Payout rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suited three of a kind | Three of the exact same card | | 100:1 |
| Straight flush | Three cards of the same suit with consecutive values | | 40:1 |
| Three of a kind | Three cards of the same number in any suit | | 25:1 |
| Straight | A series of consecutively numbered cards, regardless of suit | | 15:1 |
| Flush | Three cards of the same suit, regardless of number | | 10:1 |
| Suited blackjack | A natural blackjack with cards of the same suit |  | 5:1 |
Lucky 7s
Also known as Super Sevens or Crazy Sevens, this bet is all about the 7s.
Wins on this side bet start with a payout on a single 7 on your first card; then increase the more 7s you've got - with your first three cards being counted towards forming combinations.
Winnings are only possible with the Lucky 7 side bet if your first card is a 7. All subsequent sevens increase the winnings.
While the payout ratios can sometimes be even higher than described below, what we've listed is fairly standard. Just note that Lucky Sevens is sometimes quoted as the worst of the side bets, as it has an extremely high house edge.
| Combination | Description | Example | Payout rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 identical sevens | The three 7s in your hand are the same suit |  | 500:1 |
| 3 sevens of different colors | Three 7s with different colors or suits | | 100:1 |
| Same-colored pair | Two 7s of the same suit |  | 50:1 |
| Different colored pair | Two 7s of different colors |  | 25:1 |
| Individual 7 | A single 7 in your hand (must be the card dealt first) |  | 3:1 |
Lucky Ladies and King's Bounty
The King's Bounty involves collecting two kings of spades, while the Lucky Ladies pays the highest win for a pair of queens of hearts. You will not find both options available in the same game, as they're essentially the same bet under a different name, dependent on the provider.
In addition to the pairs, both of these side bets offer payouts for players who have 20 points, with two cards of the same or different suits in their hand. This score must be achieved with the first two cards. Furthermore, some providers pay up to 2,000:1 if the hand consists of the corresponding kings or queens AND the dealer has a natural blackjack. Whether this option is available is stated in the respective game's instructions, so worth checking.
A disadvantage of this additional bet is undoubtedly the house edge, which is very high at up to 24%.
| Combination | Description | Example | Payout rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pair of kings of spades, or pair of queens of hearts | Depending on the bet's name, your initial hand must consist of 2 kings of spades or 2 queens of hearts |  | 200:1 |
| Same suited 20 | Your first two cards are of the same suit and their value totals 20 points |  | 10:1 |
| Unsuited 20 | Your first two cards have a 20-point value, regardless of the suit |  | 4:1 |
Lucky Lucky
You're looking to form a score of 19 to 21, using your first two cards plus the dealer's up card. The rarer the combination, the higher the winnings. Different colored constellations also lead to payouts, although these are always lower than if the card color matches.
Overall, the Lucky Lucky Side Bet is characterized by attractive payout odds. In addition, the house edge of 2.66% is lower than many other bets, so if you find it on offer, it can be worth pursuing.
Note that there are now numerous variants going by the same name that can offer different payout rates or features. This can also increase the house edge significantly to over 10%. So check the game's paytable to be certain it's all that you were hoping for.
| Combination | Description | Example | Payout rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suited triple 7s | Three 7s of the same suit | | 200:1 |
| Suited 6-7-8 | A 6, 7, and 8 of the same suit |  | 100:1 |
| Unsuited triple 7s | Three sevens of any color/suit |  | 50:1 |
| Suited 21 | Three cards of the same suit with a total of 21 points |  | 15:1 |
| 20-point total | Three cards whose combined value is 20 points, regardless of suit or color |  | 2:1 |
| 19-point total | Three cards whose combined value is 19 points, regardless of suit or color | | 2:1 |
Suit'em Up
The Suit'em Up side bet is all about card suits matching in the first two cards you're dealt. Certain live variants of online blackjack with the Suit'em Up side bet offer even higher winnings than the standard listed below.
The house edge increases- depending on the exact variant and respective rules - to around 3% to 10%.
| Starting hand | Description | Example | Payout rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perfect pair of aces | 2 aces of the same suit |  | 50:1 |
| Same suit blackjack | A blackjack combo, with both cards of the same suit |  | 10:1 |
| Perfect pair | Two of the exact same card (number and suit) | | 5:1 |
| 11 points of the same suit | Two cards of the same suit with a total value of 11 points |  | 3:1 |
| Two cards of the same suit | Any two cards of the same suit; the point value is irrelevant |  | 2:1 |
Advantages and Disadvantages of Blackjack Side Bets
There are several aspects that speak in favor of side bets. The primary one, has nothing to do with winning, rather that side bets add variety to the game, ultimately providing an additional layer of excitement.
That being said, the winning potential is not to be underestimated. Depending on the bonus option, payouts of up to 2,000X your bet are not unheard of. In addition, for most side bets there is more than one card combination that will pay out.
However, there is no denying that side bets significantly increase the house edge and the probability of being right with an additional bet is not very high in most cases.
- Side bets provide variety and increase excitement.
- Many have very high pay ratios in comparison to regular game play.
- There are many types available, so there's something for every taste.
- Usually several card combinations can lead to a win, so they have multiple opportunities.
- Every side bet increases the house edge.
- Additional bets cost extra money, so more money is wagered per round
- Since the risk of loss is high, solid bankroll management is required.
Blackjack Side Bets FAQs
- Are side bets recommended when playing blackjack?
- Does it make sense to take out insurance as an additional bet when playing blackjack?
- Which additional blackjack bet is the best?
- Do I have to make the side bets that are available in any given game?
- Can multiple side bets be placed per round?
- Does online blackjack offer the same side bets as land-based casino blackjack?
1. Are side bets recommended when playing blackjack?
There is no clear answer as to whether or not side bets are recommended. That's because making side bets is not necessarily a matter of logic, rather a matter of taste.
Many players appreciate side bets because of the variety they offer, and the potential for additional winnings. They love the thrill and the extra dimension it adds to the game.
However, serious blackjack players know that the attractive payout rates are offset by a relatively high house edge, and not so good odds of winning.
2. Does it make sense to take out insurance as an additional bet when playing blackjack?
It's generally recommended that players avoid this side bet, as a natural blackjack is still very unlikely, so not worth the extra expense. That is, over the long term, losing the additional wager required to take out insurance is going to be the more likely event.
But the option for taking out insurance is there for a reason. So if you want to, go for it; even if it's more likely an emotional, rather than a logical move.
3. Which additional blackjack bet is the best?
We actually advise against side bets - at least when it comes to optimizing the profit potential in the long term. They carry a higher risk of loss, and the house edge is higher here than in the basic game, which goes to say, they are not a good gamble.
However, since we appreciate you're looking for recommendations nonetheless, we'll say: if you're going to go the route of side bets, consider the house edge, and choose options where it is increased the least. Search for blackjack variants that have the side bets you're most keen on, and proceed from there - especially online, where the options are endless.
4. Do I have to make the side bets that are available in any given game?
No, not at all. Even if side bets are available in the blackjack game, or even if it's named after a side bets like Perfect Pairs, you do not need to execute this option at any point. Side bets are always entirely optional. So feel free to play a few rounds with, and a few rounds without, as you please.
However, we'll just point out that you can't possibly make a side bet without anteing up on the main blackjack game first.
5. Can multiple side bets be placed per round?
There are versions of blackjack that allow you to make several different side bets. Whether these can be placed in parallel depends on the individual case. Playtech and Evolution Gaming, for example, are two developers that are known for their diverse live blackjack tables. Infinite Blackjack, for instance, has a particularly large selection of additional bets, as does the All Bets Blackjack game.
You can also find blackjack variants that allow both Perfect Pairs and 21+3 side bets on the same hand. And of course insurance is often available with various other side bets as well.
6. Does online blackjack offer the same side bets as land-based casino blackjack?
A look at land-based casinos, especially in Las Vegas or Macau, makes it clear: side bets are by no means the same everywhere in the world. Different countries, cities, and casinos, each have their own norms. And while you'll find plenty of additional betting options at the world's blackjack tables, it is most certainly online where you're going to get access to the greatest variety of all, with the greatest of ease. In fact, that's just another advantage of online blackjack play.
Blackjack Side Bets Summary
All and all, while it's safe to say that blackjack side bets aren't anything close to a guaranteed thing - or even a good choice in most professional players' opinion - they most definitely can be fun.
They exist for a reason after all. And it's not only to help the house make more money. Plenty of players love the added layer of excitement they offer, and the adrenaline packed chase after the elusive big money prize.
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I am trained as a tax consultant, mostly because my father insisted that I get a normal job. Luckily, I listened to my heart and followed my passion in writing. Today I work as an online editor while traveling the world, which is why I'm rarely in my hometown, Toronto. By pure chance, I discovered the online casino review industry about ten years ago, and I have been testing and reviewing gambling sites since then. Personally, I prefer Blackjack and Poker games. I think the skills and strategies involved make them much more interesting than slots.
I'm lucky enough to have found both my job and my calling on the internet. As the online marketing manager for a major sportsbook, I began in the online gambling business over a decade ago. The business has been good to me and I love the dynamics of the industry. A blackjack enthusiast myself, I try to provide articles that combine practicalities with the strategic elegance of the game in a way that both rookies and experienced players can appreciate. And when I can, I like to spend my free time on live streaming platforms such as Twitch and Kick.