Blackjack is one of the most popular card games at any casino. Known for its simplicity and easy gameplay, it’s also one of the casino games with the lowest house edge. Because this game is not truly a game of chance, certain basic winning strategies can be applied. And betting on side bets too, can increase your winnings and make your sessions more enjoyable.
Blackjack side bets were introduced by casinos to create a higher house edge. But to entice players to bet on them, they offer up much bigger payouts. Thus, gamblers looking for some big wins and more entertainment often bet on side bets. So, let’s see what makes them so much fun and enjoyable.
What Are Side Bets and How Do They Work?
As the name suggests, side bets are optional bets, besides the main game bet. In most Indian live casinos and land-based, you will often find 2 side bet options on the tables. These bets significantly raise the house edge, but they’re not mandatory bets. Moreover, the minimum bet amount is usually a lot lower than the minimum main bet.
These betting options are prop bets. Besides playing your main Blackjack hands against a Dealer, you can also place bets on attributions of your dealt cards. These bets can relate to the colours, suits, point values and even card values. When landing specific card combinations or point totals, these side bets can payout nice amounts of real money. Moreover, they can also increase your winnings a lot in a session.
To bet on side bets, you need first place a main Blackjack bet. Then a common bet sizing for these betting options is usually between 20% – 30% of your main bet amount.
Common Blackjack Side Bets at Online Casinos
If you play live casino games in India, then you will be familiar with Evolution Gaming. At all their standard Live Blackjack tables you can find 2 side bet options. Perfect Pairs takes your first 2 dealt cards in consideration, whereas the Rummy bet (21+3) takes the Dealer’s face up card too, into consideration.
Perfect Pairs
Perfect Pairs is a side bet that takes your first 2 cards into consideration. The objective of the bet is to make a pair of cards with the same values. For this betting option there are 3 different possible payouts for a made pair. As you can see by the table below, Perfect Pairs can pay from 5:1 – 25:1, which is significantly higher than a 1:1 or 3:2 win in a regular Blackjack hand. The house edge for this side bet is 4.10%.
| Type of Pair | Payout |
| Perfect Pair (same suited cards) | 25:1 |
| Same Coloured Pair (different suits but same colour) | 12:1 |
| Mixed Pair (different colour cards and suits) | 5:1 |
Rummy Blackjack (21+3) Side Bet
This betting option is a 3-hand combo bet. Like Perfect Pairs, your first 2 cards are used, as well as the Dealer’s face up card, to make 3-card hands. If you have one of five made Rummy sequence hands, then you receive a payout too. So, this bet is for making 3 card poker hands and payouts range from 5:1 – 100:1. The house edge for this side bet is 3.70%.
| Made 3 Card Hand | Payout |
| Suited Three of a Kind | 100:1 |
| Straight Flush | 33:1 |
| Three of a Kind | 30:1 |
| Straight | 10:1 |
| Flush | 5:1 |
Best Betting Strategy for Blackjack Side Bets
Since side bets offer much higher winning odds and are based purely on luck, they are riskier. Regular Blackjack gameplay also relies on skill, as performing the right play action in a hand can potentially change the outcome of a hand. For this, most Blackjack players relate to the Basic Blackjack Strategy chart. It shows you every possible hand scenario and how to act when the Dealer is showing a certain card value, face up.
When playing proper disciplined basic Blackjack strategy, you should also look to place some side bets too. The chart often helps you win more hands in a session, so you can take more risks to land some big side bet wins.
When placing side bets, the Rummy Blackjack bet will often produce more wins than Perfect Pairs, as it has a higher RTP. So, correct bet sizing for side bets is 20% – 30% of your main betting stake. Since, the minimum payouts for both bets are 5:1, it’s 5 times the common main bet payout of 1:1. Therefore, a recommended bet sizing is 4 – 5 times less than the main bet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Are Blackjack Side Bets Worth the Risk?
Although betting on Blackjack side bets carries extra risk, they do offer much bigger payouts compared to regular Blackjack bets. You can win up to 100x and even higher on some side bets.
Why Are the Most Common Side Bets?
Two of the most common online side bets are Perfect Pairs and the Rummy bet. You can also find Lucky Ladies or Royal Match options in land-based casinos, quite often.
Why is Perfect Pairs Blackjack?
Perfect Pairs is a side bet offered on most live Blackjack tables. If you form a pair with your first 2 dealt cards, then you win. Payouts range from 5:1 – 25:1.
Can I Bet Only on Side Bets?
You can only place side bets if you have already placed a main Blackjack bet. Side bets are optional, whereas the main bet is mandatory.
