The majority of offline and online blackjack tables will feature at least two side bets, but thanks to innovation in online blackjack, our exhaustive list of side bets for blackjack currently includes 4 new games. Let’s begin with 21+3, one of the fundamental side bets.
21 + 3
Making the finest three-card poker hand possible with your two starting cards plus the dealer’s up card is the goal of the 21+3 Blackjack side bet. You win if you finish any of these hands. The 21+3 side bet typically has an RTP of 96.30%. Here is an example of a standard 21+3 payout table, though the chances may vary from one provider to the next.
| 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 |
Pair
One of the basic blackjack side bets, Any Pair, concentrates on your two opening cards and only offers two winning combinations.
When you start with a pair, you win at least seven times what you bet. So what is the likelihood of a pair? You’ll typically make a pair once every 13 hands in a blackjack game with eight decks. A right pair will result in a higher reward. The Any Pair side bet has a 96.58% Return To the Player.
| Hand | Payout odds |
| Suited Pair | 20 to 1 |
| Any Pair | 7 to 1 |
Bust It
The novel and intriguing Bust It side bet on blackjack only considers the dealer’s hand. With odds of 250 to 1, it was developed by Evolution Gaming and is offered in games like Power Blackjack and Infinite Blackjack.
You can wager on how many cards they deal with themselves before busting in the game Bust It in addition to whether they bust.
If the dealer does bust, you are guaranteed to win at least twice your bet because a dealer cannot bust with only two cards. You earn more the longer the dealer takes to bust. Here’s some trivia: The dealer busts around 1 out of every 3.5 hands (28% of the time). Be warned that if you enjoy this kind of play, it costs a little bit more because the RTP for Bust It is the lowest among UK Blackjack side bets at 94.71%.
| 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 three-side bet wins if the sum of your first two cards plus the dealer’s up card is 19, 20, or 21. As an illustration, if the dealer holds a seven and you are dealt Jack-2, your total would be 19; therefore, you would win. This wager has a 96.21% RTP and can be found on many of Evolution Gaming’s Live Blackjack tables.
| 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 is a side bet, even if it could seem like a regular choice at every Blackjack table. Insurance is not accessible until your hand has begun, unlike all the other side bets on this page. They will ask if you want to take insurance if the dealer’s up card is an Ace. Additionally, it differs from the others in that it only costs half of your initial wager.
In our Insurance guide, we already explained and analyzed this wager, so we’ll state for the time being that you receive 2 to 1 odds if you win (i.e., the dealer hits Blackjack) and that the wager has about 92.60% RTP.
One of the most typical blackjack blunders is always getting insurance, as you know if you’ve read our blackjack tutorial.
Read more: Bingo How to Play: 10 Success Strategies for New Players
Perfect Pair
This is the most well-known and well-liked Blackjack side bet in the UK. Similar to Any Pair, but with the addition that you can also hit a colored pair—red or black—and you get paid more if you score a Perfect Pair. Remember that the probability of hitting a perfect pair in an 8-deck game is around 1 in 59, and the RTP for perfect pairs ranges from 96% to 97%, depending on the supplier.
| Hand | Example | Payout odds |
| Perfect Pair | QhQh | 25 to 1 |
| Coloured Pair | 9c9s | 12 to 1 |
| Mixed Pair | AcAh | 6 to 1 |
Pros and Cons
Blackjack side bets are an intriguing choice because the game has a very low variance and offers no chance of large winnings. Even after you’ve busted your hand, side bets generate additional action. The key benefits and drawbacks of playing them are listed below.
Pros
- Exciting
- Plays easily
- Not connected to your primary blackjack hand
- Greater opportunities for winning
Cons
- Increased house edge
- Pure chance
- Requires effective money management