Live Blackjack Side Bets Explained

Given how widespread these extra wagers are, we felt it was only right to make an article going over them. We’ll walk you through the most popular side bets in live blackjack games and whether they’re worth grabbing.

Perfect Pairs

This is the most frequent side bet we’ve seen in live casino blackjack. It’s also the simplest, which no doubt plays a part in why it’s so widespread. Perfect Pairs tasks you with getting a pair of matching cards. The more perfect the pair is, the better your reward will be.

• A regular pair requires two cards with matching values but different colours (♥2, ♣2). It pays 6:1.
• A coloured pair consists of two cards with matching values and colours but different suits (♥2, ♦2). It’s worth 12:1.
• Finally, a perfect pair forms when the two cards have the same values and suits (♥2, ♥2). It grants a 25:1 payout.

21+3

Another common side bet is 21+3, which lets players combine blackjack and poker in a fun way. This side bet uses the first three cards placed on the playing area. That means the first two cards dealt to you and the host’s visible card. You receive a cash prize if these cards form a valid three-card poker hand.

• Flush – cards with the same suit but not in a sequence (♥3, ♥6, ♥8). It pays 5:1.
• Straight – cards in a sequence but with different suits (♦4, ♣5, ♠6). It’s worth 10:1.
• Three of a Kind – cards with the same value but different suits (♦J, ♥J, ♠J). It grants a 30:1 payout.
• Straight Flush – cards in a sequence and with matching suits (♥6, ♥7, ♥8). You receive 40:1 by winning this side bet.
• Suited Trips – three matching cards (♣7, ♣7, ♣7). It awards 100:1.

Hot 3

The Hot 3 side bet follows in the footsteps of 21+3, using the first three cards placed on the table. However, it doesn’t require you to form valid poker hands to win. Instead, you’re trying to get a hand with a specific total.

• Total 19 – all three cards add up to 19 (♥8, ♦2, ♣9). It pays 1:1.
• Total 20 – all three cards add up to 20 (♥8, ♦2, ♣10). It’s worth 2:1.
• Unsuited Total 21 – all three cards add up to 21 and have different suits (♥9, ♦3, ♠9). It grants a 4:1 payout.
• Suited Total 21 – all three cards add up to 21 and have matching suits (♥9, ♥3, ♥9). You receive 20:1 by winning this side bet.
• 7-7-7 – all three cards are sevens (♦7, ♣7, ♠7). It awards 100:1.

Bust It

As the name implies, Bust It is all about making the host lose by going over 21. Some games refer to it differently. For example, Super Stake Blackjack calls this side bet Buzz-T instead. To win this side bet, the dealer must have at least three cards in hand when they bust. The more cards in their hands, the better the reward.

• Busting with three cards pays 1:1.
• Busting with four cards is worth 2:1.
• Busting with five cards grants a 9:1 payout.
• Busting with six cards awards 50:1.
• Busting with seven cards pays 100:1.
• Busting with eight or more cards is worth 250:1.

Should You Play Side Bets?

That depends on the type of player that you are. If you strictly adhere to live blackjack strategy, you’ll want to skip side bets entirely. They have a lower RTP than the base game, making them a suboptimal choice.

That said, players willing to take on extra risk for a chance at bigger wins should try them. Our to-go method for side bets is to simply play them at a smaller bet than the main round. That way, even if you don’t win, your budget doesn’t suffer too much.