I hate side bets. There, I said it. They’re designed to separate you from your money faster than the base game ever could. Most carry house edges between 3-20%—absolutely brutal compared to blackjack’s 0.5% with basic strategy.
But I get it. Sometimes, you want a little extra action. Maybe the cards are running cold and you’re bored. Maybe you’re feeling lucky and want to spice things up. I’ve been there too.
If you’re absolutely determined to throw money at side bets (and I can’t talk you out of it), here are the only three that won’t completely destroy your bankroll. Notice I didn’t say they’re good bets—just less terrible than the alternatives.
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1. Perfect Pairs: The Least Awful Option
Perfect Pairs pays when your first two cards form a pair. A mixed pair (same rank, different colors) pays 5:1, a colored pair (same rank and color) pays 10:1, and a perfect pair (identical cards) pays 30:1.
The house edge sits around 4.1%—still terrible, but not the 15-25% you’ll find on other side bets.
I actually hit a perfect pair of aces last month. Put $5 down on a whim and walked away with $150. Felt great until I calculated that I’d lost about $80 on Perfect Pairs bets over the previous six months. The house edge isn’t just a number—it’s real money leaving your pocket.
Here’s why this bet isn’t completely insane: pairs happen roughly once every 16 hands. You’ll see some action, which keeps it entertaining. Compare that to side bets looking for specific three-card combinations that might hit once every 200 hands.
Strategy note: If you’re going to play Perfect Pairs, bet the minimum and only when you’re ahead for the session. Never chase losses with side bet money.
2. 21+3: When You Feel Like Playing Poker
This side bet combines your two cards with the dealer’s up card to form poker hands. Flush pays 5:1, straight pays 10:1, three-of-a-kind pays 30:1, straight flush pays 40:1, and suited trips pay 100:1.
House edge varies by casino but typically runs 3.2-4.2%. The appeal is obvious—you’re essentially playing a three-card poker hand every deal.
I’ve had mixed results with 21+3. Hit a straight flush for $200 on a $5 bet during a Vegas trip. But I’ve also watched it drain $50-75 during sessions where I couldn’t buy a flush.
The key insight: this bet performs better at tables with fewer decks. Single-deck games offer slightly better odds because card removal effects are more pronounced. At a six-deck shoe, your chances of completing poker hands drop significantly.
Practical tip: Only play 21+3 if the pay table shows 9:1 for straights and 5:1 for flushes. Some casinos offer worse payouts that push the house edge over 6%.
When side bets drain your blackjack bankroll, consider switching to games designed for bonus features. Resources like igt slots showcase games where bonus rounds and side features are built into the main gameplay rather than expensive add-ons.
3. Insurance: The Misunderstood “Side Bet”
Technically, insurance isn’t a side bet, but dealers present it that way. When the dealer shows an ace, you can insure your hand for half your original bet. If the dealer has blackjack, insurance pays 2:1.
The math is straightforward: in a single deck, nine cards give the dealer blackjack (all 10-value cards), while 39 cards don’t. You’re getting 2:1 odds on what’s essentially a 30:9 proposition—a house edge of 7.4%.
Sounds terrible, right? But here’s where it gets interesting: insurance becomes profitable when you’re counting cards and know the deck is rich in tens.
I don’t count cards seriously, but I pay attention to what’s been dealt. If I’ve seen very few face cards and tens in the first few hands of a fresh shoe, insurance becomes a less terrible bet. Still not good, but less bad.
Reality check: Even when insurance makes mathematical sense, the bet size required to make it profitable usually isn’t worth the risk for casual players.
Practice these side bet decisions risk-free first. Options like verde casino no deposit bonus let you test different blackjack side bet strategies without risking your own money while learning when these bets might be mathematically justified.
The Bottom Line Reality
Even the “best” side bets carry house edges 8-10 times higher than basic blackjack. If you’re playing to win money rather than buy entertainment, skip them entirely.
But if you’re going to play them anyway, stick to these three, bet small, and remember: side bets are the casino’s way of extracting extra profit from players who already know how to play the main game well.
