Live Blackjack Side Bets

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Live Blackjack Side Bets 9,0/10 5624 votes

The bad: basic blackjack game is the best payout game can be found in casinos. Some game offer house edge lower than 0.3%!!! That’s not the case with side bets, where the house edge usually goes from 3% and up to even 10-15%. Word of advice: If we were asked for advice as whether to use side bets, we would say: If you enjoy them – go ahead. The Four Most Common Blackjack Side Bets Perfect Pairs, Insurance, Bet Behind, and 21+3 Blackjack Side Bets are the most common and are generally the same at all live casinos. Be careful though, not all casinos use the same payout structure, and some are better than others. Simple Blackjack Side Bets Illustration Let’s say the dealer snags a blackjack. He’ll take your $5, but he’ll pay you 2 to 1 on your insurance bet. The dealer will then return your insurance bet of $2.50 as well as your $5. Bet Behind is a side bet reserved for land-based casinos and live dealer games. Virtual blackjack does not offer this kind of bet since the players are playing alone against the machine and there is no one else they can follow. When you make the Bet Behind wager, you essentially leave all the decisions in other people’s hands. Two side bets are available on Live Blackjack which increase the overall casino hold for the operator: Pairs Side Bet: Enables players to bet that their first two cards will be a Pair (3C and 3H). Rummy Side Bet: Enables players to bet that their first two cards plus the Dealer’s Up Card are a Rummy. Winning Rummy hands are either.

Oct 26, 2018

Live dealer blackjack is slowly but surely overtaking classic online blackjack games. Yes, the goal is to win regardless of the version you play. However, there are more and more players who want to win in-style even if playing from home. After all, we are living in the era of aesthetics.

For some, Flash or HTML5 blackjack games are missing the cool-factor, which is a valid point. That’s where live dealer blackjack enters the picture. Popularized by influential YouTubers like Sodapoppin, live blackjack is here to conquer the world. But, before you click play, read this short guide so you can start with an advantage.

What differentiates live blackjack from online blackjack?

  • live blackjack is interactive
  • a professional live dealer leads the game
  • it is a real table with real players, streamed from a real casino floor

Live dealer blackjack basics for beginners

Like other casino games, live dealer blackjack is available from different software developers. Generally speaking, the game is an interactive stream. This means that players can interact with each other and the dealer in real-time. The blackjack tables are set-up in a studio that is just like a casino floor with the addition of cameras. At each table stands a professional dealer who conducts the game.

You can watch the stream and bet without being physically present, from all Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS devices. There’s no need to download any app: all you need is internet connection and a browser.

Keep in mind: there are differences between blackjack from X-developer to blackjack from Y-developer. Some streams are better quality, some dealers are more professional and some sets are fancier than the others. Usually, well-established online casinos provide better quality in all the above fields. Currently the most popular software are Evolution Gaming and NetEnt.

Rules don’t change at live tables

The general blackjack rules are set in stone: you are playing against the dealer to achieve the higher valued hand that doesn’t exceed 21. The strongest hand is a blackjack, formed by an ace and a 10-valued card.

Live blackjack RTPs (Return to Player):

  • Blackjack bet: 99,28%
  • 21+3 side bet: 96,30%
  • Perfect Pairs side bet: 95,90%

However, there might be slight differences from one online casino platform to another. For example, in 888casino’s version of the game the shoe has 8 decks of cards. Cards between 2-10 have their nominal value. Aces can be valued at 1 or 11 while Jacks, Kings and Queens are all counted as 10. You can double, split, and take insurance. The labels on the table clarify that the dealer has to stand on all 17s and draw only until 16.

Live Blackjack side bets bring a twist

Side bets are optional bets that you can make on different possible scenarios in blackjack. Two of the most common side bets are 21+3 and Perfect Pairs. The outcome of the side bets is separate from the main bet (21). However, you cannot make a side bet without the main bet. Let’s take a closer look at two of the most popular live dealer blackjack side bets:

21+3 Side Bet – five winning scenarios

This side bet is calculated from your first two cards and the dealer’s up-card. The winning combinations are:

  • Flush:
  • Three cards of the same suite (spade, heart, etc.)
  • Straight:
  • A sequence of three cards from any suite
  • Example: 8, 9, 10 of any suite
  • Straight Flush:
  • A sequence of three cards from the same suite
  • Example: 8, 9, 10 of Hearts
  • Three of a Kind:
  • Cards of the same kind (aces, kings, jacks, 8s, etc.)
  • Example: Ace of Heart, Ace of Spades, and Ace of Diamonds
  • Suited Trips:
  • Three identical cards (3 queens of spades)
Bets

Perfect Pairs Side Bet – three winning scenarios

The Perfect Pairs side bet is available on your first two cards. The bet wins if the two cards form a

  • Colored Pair:
  • Two cards of the same color
  • Example: 8 of diamonds and 6 of hearts
  • Mixed Pair:
  • Two of cards of the exact same value or face but with different color
  • Example: Jack of diamonds and a Jack of Spades
  • Perfect Pair:
  • Two identical cards
  • Example: Two 9s of diamonds.

Beginner live dealer blackjack strategy

Live Blackjack Side Bets Games

The most important strategy for a beginner is table choice. Choose a blackjack table that suits your bet range and offers the side bets and rules that you are looking for. Since the general rules are the same as in any other blackjack, a good starting point would be to use basic blackjack strategy.

Last but not least, do not forget to have fun! There are hundreds of strategy books and charts out there and it’s easy to get lost in them. However, at the end of the day, none of them guarantee winning. Therefore, instead of stressing about all the advanced techniques just sit back and enjoy the game.

Tags: 21+3, live blackjack, live dealer blackjack, Perfect Pairs, side bets


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Simon Beasor

Table Of Contents

With simple rules and easy to learn strategies, the game of blackjack is one of the most popular card games in both Las Vegas Casinos and online around the world.

Blackjack side bets add a layer of complexity to the game, though at much greater risk.

In this article we’ll take a look at the different side bet options, how they are structured and what side bets pay.

Deposit
  • What are Blackjack side bets?
  • Why play Blackjack side bets?
  • Common side bets at most Casinos
  • Other side bets to look out for
  • Are Blackjack side bets worth playing?

What are Blackjack side bets?

Blackjack side bets are additional bets placed during a standard game of Blackjack. They involve predicting which cards the player, and sometimes the dealer, will receive.

Wagers are made before any cards are dealt and each side bet is based on chance rather than skill, although you can count cards to help you choose the most likely combinations for your best side bets.

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Why play side bets?

One of the most attractive features of the game of Blackjack is the low house edge compared to other games on the casino floor.

Good players will face a house edge of around 0.5%, and even if you play quite badly, that edge only rises to around 2%.

However, while the odds of losing big are low, the odds of winning are also poor.

Blackjack is mostly an even money game, rising to 2:1 at best if you are dealt a Blackjack.

Side bets offer you the chance to play much longer odds for higher player wins – as much as 5,000:1 in one case.

However, it must be noted that the house edge rises significantly for Blackjack side bets, with most bets carrying a house edge of 10% or more.

In other words, side bets make it a lot easier to lose money on blackjack.

Common side bets at most Casinos

There are a number of common side bets that you will find at most Blackjack tables.

These are clearly marked with the odds either printed on the Blackjack tables or available as a hand out or a side menu in the online version.

You should check the pay outs carefully before placing your bets as they can vary considerably between different Casinos or online sites.

The three main Blackjack side bets are:

  • Insurance
  • Perfect Pairs
  • 21+3

Insurance – this is the most common Blackjack side bet and allows you to cover yourself against Blackjack if the dealer has an ace face up.

This bet involves half of your original stake and pays out at 2:1 if the dealer has Blackjack. The insurance bet reduces the overall house edge.

Perfect Pairs – this side bet uses the player’s cards only, and pays out if you are dealt two of a kind as follows:

  • Mixed pair (two of the same value but different suit and colour) – pays 5:1
  • Coloured pair (two of the same value and the same colour) – pays 12:1
  • Perfect pair (two of the same card) – pays 25:1

The returns can vary between different Casinos and different pay tables and the house edge will depend on both the pay out and the number of decks used and can range from just 2 or 3% up to 11% or more.

Blackjack Side Bets Worth It

21+3 – this side bet involves the player’s two cards and the upturned card of the dealer. It will pay out for a number of different combinations:

  • Flush – (all cards are suited) – pays 5:1
  • Straight – (all cards consecutive) – pays 10:1
  • Three of a kind – (not the same suit) – pays 30:1
  • Straight flush – (consecutive cards same suit) – pays 40:1
  • Suited triple – (three of the same card) – pays 100:1

The house edge for the 21+3 side bet will vary depending on the number of decks used, standing at 8.78% for four decks, 7.81% for five decks, 7.14% for six decks and 6.29% for seven decks.

Other side bets to look out for

The Casino industry is highly competitive, and so new side bets are being invented all the time to try and attract new Blackjack players.

Some of these will flourish and become widely available, while others remain niche and can only be found in selected Casinos. Here are a few examples:

  • Royal match – pays 5:2 for any suited player’s cards and 25:1 for suited king and queen
  • Over/under 13 – pays even money for correctly predicting the sum of the player’s cards as less than or greater than 13. In most cases, exactly 13 will lose, but some Casinos will allow bets on exactly 13.
  • Super sevens – this bet pays out if one or more sevens are dealt in the player’s cards. One seven pays 3:1, two unsuited sevens pays 50:1, two suited sevens pays 100:1. If the third card dealt is also a seven, then the bet will pay 500:1 unsuited and 5000:1 suited. However it is important to make sure that the Casino will still deal a third card if the dealer has a Blackjack, as some Casinos will not do this.
  • Lucky ladies – this bet pays out if the player’s cards add up to 20, with an unsuited 20 paying 4:1, a suited 20 paying 10:1, a matched 20, same rank and suit pays 25:1, two queens of hearts 200:1 and two queens of hearts when dealer has Blackjack 1000:1.
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Online Blackjack With Side Bets

Are Blackjack side bets worth playing?

Blackjack side bets do not involve any skill and you are simply betting on the luck of the draw.

What’s more, the returns do not reflect the odds of each bet coming in, which gives the house a significantly larger edge.

Conclusion

Blackjack side bets are best viewed as a bit of extra complexity that adds up to a session at the Blackjack table.

However, you should not make them the main focus of your gameplay or your wagering, and you should be aware of the significantly increased house edge.

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