Blackjack Side Bets

What are blackjack side bets?

A blackjack side bet is a subsidiary wager placed outside the main betting area during the 15-second interval at the onset of each round. A variety of these exist including those only found in Las Vegas and ones exclusive to online games.Settle in to see live casino blackjack side bets explained from A to Z!

Insurance

Although it is seldom played, the insurance wager can be thought of as the original blackjack side bet.If the dealer’s up-card is an Ace, you have the option to take insurance on the high probability (nearly ⅓) that the dealer’s hand is a blackjack. When this scenario unfolds online (statistically, every 13 hands on average), a graphical overlay will appear on screen, as shown in the image.Image source: LeoVegas Chambre Séparée Live BlackjackIf you press the button to take insurance and the dealer turns over a face card worth 10 points, you’ll receive a payout of 2:1.You can opt to take insurance should you receive a blackjack too. In doing so, you commit yourself to winning an amount equal to your original wager, irrespective of the dealer’s hand. No extra chips need be staked for this even money bet that pays at 1:1.If you and the dealer both end up with a blackjack but you previously chose not to take insurance, it will be considered a push or a tie game (check out the blackjack glossary for an exact definition), and your stake is returned.A word of warning – insurance bets are expected to lose money in the long term as the dealer is likely to have a blackjack less than ⅓ of the time. Our experience at the LeoVegas Chambre Séparée table showed otherwise as the dealer ended up with a natural hand two consecutive times. So, remember, even if you’re a card counter or shuffle tracking master, it’s all down to luck.

21+3

Next up is the 21+3 side bet. Adapted from poker, this wager results in a win if your first two cards and the dealer’s upcard consists of any of the upcoming combinations. The 21+3 area appears to the right of your betting area and becomes highlighted during the betting window.While the payouts of the 21+3 side bets are significantly higher, it’s recommended to play them once you’ve sharpened your skills a tad bit more.There are 5 types of 21+3 side bets:

Suited Trips

Three cards of an identical triplet, for example, 3 Fours of Spades.

Straight Flush

The cards follow a numerical sequence and are from the same suit, such as 7, 8 and 9 of Hearts.

Three of a Kind

The cards are of the same value but from different suits, for example, any 3 unmatching Jacks.

Straight

The cards follow a numerical sequence but are from different suits, such as 4 of Clubs, 5 of Hearts and 6 of Spades.

Flush

The cards are from the same suit, for example, 4, 3 and 8 of Diamonds.

21+3 Paytable

Bet	Odds	Payout	House Edge
Suited Trips	0.024%	100:1	0.576%
Straight Flush	0.21%	40:1	0.576%
Three of a Kind	0.54%	30:1	0.576%
Straight	3.10%	10:1	0.576%
Flush	5.88%	5:1	0.576%

*Payout and house edge are rule-dependent. Note that the house edge listed above (and in all subsequent tables) is based on an 8-deck game where the following rules apply:

• Dealer hits on soft 17
• DAS
• Player can double on any first 2 cards
• Player can split to 4 hands
• Player can re-split aces
• Player loses only original bet against a dealer blackjack
• Late surrender allowed

The number of decks used as well as blackjack variants and rules will affect the payouts and house edge significantly. Read the fine print before you play!

Perfect Pairs

The Perfect Pairs side bet gives you the opportunity to win if the initial two cards that are dealt to you are a pair. If you wish to place a Perfect Pairs side bet, place your chips in the aptly marked area to the left of your main betting one.There are 3 types of pairs:

Perfect Pair

Cards are of the same suit, for example, two threes of Hearts.

Coloured Pair

Cards are of different suits but of the same colour, such as 5 of Spades and 5 of Clubs.

Mixed Pair

Cards are of the same value but of different suits, for example, 10 of Hearts and 10 of Clubs.

Perfect Pairs Paytable

Bet	Odds	Payout	House Edge
Perfect Pair	1.69%	25:1	0.576%
Coloured Pair	3.61%	12:1	0.576%
Mixed Pair	7.47%	6:1	0.576%

*See note beneath 21+3 Payouts table.

Bet Behind

The action of the Bet Behind feature of live casino games is indicative in the name. Basically, this is where you bet on a hand dealt to another player and share the outcome of that player’s hand.This option will be available to you whether you’re seated at the table or not but note that you cannot place such a wager behind your initial bet. During the betting interval, this betting area is highlighted too.This feature is a great advantage over land-based casinos as you can practice by betting behind skilled players and some providers even indicate when others at the table are on a winning streak. It’s especially convenient when the table’s full but you’re eager to play.

Hot 3

The Hot 3 side bet is exclusive to one of Evolution Gaming’s 2018 releases, Infinite Blackjack. Here, you place a wager on either the total or combination of three cards comprising your two first cards and the dealer’s upcard.The theoretical payout of this live casino game is 94.60%.

Hot 3 Paytable

There are five combinations for the Hot 3 side bet, each with their own respective payout.

Bet	Payout
7-7-7 (three sevens, unsuited)	100:1
Total hand value 21, suited	20:1
Total hand value 21, unsuited	4:1
Total hand value 20	2:1
Total hand value 19	1:1

Bust It

The Bust It side bet is a wager placed on the likelihood that the total value of the dealer’s cards will exceed 21, i.e. he/she will bust.This unique Evolution blackjack game has a theoretical payout of 93.82%.

Bust It Paytable

There are six varieties of the Bust It side bet, each with a different payout depending on the number of cards the dealer busts with.

Bet	Payout
Dealer busts with 8 or more	250:1
Dealer busts with 7 cards	100:1
Dealer busts with 6 cards	50:1
Dealer busts with 5 cards	9:1
Dealer busts with 4 cards	2:1
Dealer busts with 3 cards	1:1

Try blackjack side bets for yourself!

Now that you know what blackjack side bets you can make, where you can place them and what they pay, why not play some for yourself? Start by betting behind a player who’s on a roll before moving on to Perfect Pairs, 21+3 and other speciality bets that can give your game an edge. Take your time and you’ll soon see how these side bets can add another layer of excitement to your time at the tables.