Blackjack side bets offer extra action on the side while you play, with the chance to win up to 100 times your stake. But what Blackjack side bets are available these days, how do they work and are they worth it? Those are the $64 million questions I’m about to answer!
What is a side bet?
Side bets in Blackjack are totally separate wagers that have nothing to do with the outcome of your hand. They are essentially mini games that happen to use certain cards from your hand or the dealer’s hand. They don’t affect the result of your hand, and they have no bearing on Blackjack strategy. Blackjack tables, side bets can usually be found near the betting zone where you place your chips. You can read the rules for each side bet, and find out the house edge or RTP too, in the help files.
One thing to bear in mind is that at most Blackjack tables, you can’t just play side bets without playing the main Blackjack hand. When you place your main bet, you can place a separate bet for your side bet. When it comes to getting paid, your side bet may be settled instantly (while the main Blackjack hand is still in progress) or once the round is over, depending on the type of Blackjack side bet.
Side bets are interesting and popular with some players because they offer bigger odds than Blackjack itself, give you an extra bit of excitement during your hand, and give you the chance to still get a win, even if you lose your Blackjack bet. If you’re a bit of a newcomer to Blackjack, I’d recommend learning how to play Blackjack first before you start playing side bets.
Let’s check out the best Blackjack side bets and figure out which offer the biggest odds and best value.
Popular Blackjack side bets
Most online Blackjack tables will offer at least 2 side bets, but our comprehensive list of Blackjack side bets includes 6 games. Let’s start with a classic side bet found in Blackjack, 21+3.
21+3
The aim of 21+3 in Blackjack is to make the best 3 card poker hand from your 2 starting cards and the dealer’s up card. If you complete any of these hands, you’re quids in. The RTP for the 21+3 side bet is usually around 96.30%. Here what a typical 21+3 payout table looks like, although the odds can differ from provider to provider.
| Hand | Payout odds |
| Suited Three of a Kind | 100 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 35 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | 25 to 1 |
| Straight | 8 to 1 |
| Flush | 5 to 1 |
Any Pair
Any Pair is one of the simpler Blackjack side bets, as it focuses on your 2 starting cards and has only 2 possible winning outcomes.
If your starting hand is a pair, you win at least 7 times your wager. So what is the pair probability? In an 8 deck game, you’ll make a pair in Blackjack every 1 in 13 hands on average. If you make a suited pair, you’ll get a bigger Blackjack side bet payout. The Return To Player for the Any Pair side bet is 96.58%.
| Hand | Payout odds |
| Suited Pair | 20 to 1 |
| Any Pair | 7 to 1 |
Bust It
Bust It is a new and interesting take on Blackjack side bets that only relates to the dealer’s hand. It was created by Evolution Gaming, is available in games like Power Blackjack and Infinite Blackjack and offers some of the best Blackjack side bet odds of 250 to 1.
In Bust It, you are betting not just on whether they bust, but how many cards they deal themselves before they bust!
A dealer can’t bust with 2 cards, so if the dealer does bust, you are guaranteed to win at least double your bet. The longer it takes the dealer to bust, the more you win. Some trivia for you: The dealer will bust about 1 in 3.5 hands (28% of the time). The RTP for Bust It is 94.71%, the lowest among UK Blackjack side bets, so be aware that if you like this type of bet, it comes at a slightly higher price.
| Outcome | Payout odds |
| Bust in 8 cards or more | 250 to 1 |
| Bust in 7 cards | 100 to 1 |
| Bust in 6 cards | 25 to 1 |
| Bust in 5 cards | 8 to 1 |
| Bust in 4 cards | 2 to 1 |
| Bust in 3 cards | 1 to 1 |
Hot 3
The Hot 3 side bet pays out if the combined total of your first 2 cards and the dealer’s up card is 19, 20 or 21. So for example if you are dealt Jack-2 and the dealer has a 7, your total is 19 and you would win. The RTP for this bet, which you’ll find in many online Blackjack tables by Evolution Gaming, is 96.21%.
| Hand | Payout odds |
| 7-7-7 | 100 to 1 |
| Total 21 Suited | 20 to 1 |
| Total 21 Unsuited | 4 to 1 |
| Total 20 | 2 to 1 |
| Total 19 | 1 to 1 |
Insurance
Insurance might appear to be a standard option at every Blackjack table, but it’s a side bet nevertheless. Unlike all of the other side bets on this page, Insurance is only available once your hand has started. If the dealer’s up card is an Ace, they will ask if you want to take Insurance. It’s also different to the rest as it costs specifically half of your original bet.
We’ve already explained and analysed this bet in our Insurance guide, so for now we’ll just say that you get paid 2 to 1 odds if you win (i.e. the dealer makes Blackjack) and the RTP is around 92.60% RTP.
If you’ve read my blog on insurance strategy, you’ll know I believe that always taking Insurance is one of the most common Blackjack mistakes I see at the tables.
Perfect Pairs
This is the most famous and popular Blackjack side bet in the UK. It’s a lot like Any Pair, except that you get paid more if you hit a Perfect Pair, and you can also hit a coloured – red or black – pair. Bear in mind that you’ll hit a perfect pair about 1 in 59 times in an 8 deck game, and the RTP for Perfect Pairs is around 96%, depending on the provider.
| Hand | Example | Payout odds |
| Perfect Pair | QhQh | 25 to 1 |
| Coloured Pair | 9c9s | 12 to 1 |
| Mixed Pair | AcAh | 6 to 1 |
Pros & cons of side bets
Side bets are an interesting option when you play Blackjack, mostly because Blackjack is an extremely low variance game with no opportunity for big payouts. Side bets also create extra action, even after you’ve busted your hand. Here are the main advantages and disadvantages of playing them.
Pros
- Entertaining
- Easy to play
- Much bigger Blackjack side bet odds than Blackjack itself
- Independent of main hand
Cons
- Higher house edge
- Pure luck
- Can distract from main hand
My verdict
Blackjack itself has a house edge of less than 1%. You won’t find another casino game with such a low house edge. If you play well, you can make your money last for hours.
As you’ve discovered, casinos aren’t as generous when it comes to side bets in Blackjack. But while they generally have lower RTPs, they do offer Blackjack players much higher side bet payouts than you’ll find during a regular hand, so they do have that going for them!
I won’t put you off them in general, and I’ve been partial to the odd Perfect Pair punt in my time. Just make sure you read the rules – they’re usually pretty short anyway – and bear this final Blackjack tip in mind. Don’t get sucked into always placing side bets, or you may get distracted and lose sight of the main hand, or the amount you are spending.
As always, get as well informed as you can, and when you play Blackjack at PlayOJO, be sure to play safe. Good luck!
FAQ
The Bust It side bet has the highest maximum win, with payout odds of 250 times your stake if the dealer busts in 8 cards or more.
The best side bet in Blackjack is a matter of personal taste, though the Perfect Pair side bet is the most popular in UK casinos, while the Any Pair side bet has the highest return to player.
All side bets in Blackjack have a house edge of at least 3%, and they are all 100% luck-based, so there is no way to win consistently.
