What Are The Best Blackjack Side Bets? Popular Options & Payouts

If you enjoy blackjack, side bets can add an extra layer of interest to each round. These optional wagers run alongside your main hand and create more ways to win when cards are dealt.

With many side bets available, it helps to know how they differ, what they pay and the trade-offs involved. Below we look at the most common options, how their payouts work and how to decide whether they suit your style.

Curious about which ones could be worth trying? Read on to compare the popular choices and the numbers behind them.

What Are Blackjack Side Bets?

Blackjack side bets are separate wagers placed at the start of a round, alongside your main stake. They predict a specific outcome related to the first cards — for example, that your first two cards will form a pair, or that a combination of player and dealer cards will make a poker-style hand.

These bets do not affect the strategy for playing your main hand; they are independent and resolved according to their own paytables. Because they focus on particular card combinations, their payouts and probabilities depend on the game variant, the number of decks and the table rules.

Side bets are optional extras. Some players use them to vary their sessions, while others avoid them because the long-term mathematical return is usually less favourable than the main blackjack game.

Why Choose Side Bets in Blackjack?

Players choose side bets for different reasons. For some, it’s the chance to win an unusually high payout for a rare combination. For others, it’s simply a way to make each deal feel more eventful without changing how they play the main hand.

It’s worth noting the trade-off: many side bets offer generous headline payouts but come with a higher built-in house edge. That means while occasional big wins are possible, the average return over time tends to be lower than sticking solely to standard blackjack play. Deciding whether to use them comes down to your objectives for a session — entertainment, variety or chasing a particular payoff — and how you manage your stake levels.

Popular Blackjack Side Bet Options Explained

Casinos offer a range of side bets, each with its own structure and paytable. Below are some of the most familiar options and how they function in play.

Perfect Pairs Side Bet

Perfect Pairs wagers that your first two cards form a pair. Different types of pair yield different payouts:

Perfect Pair: same rank and same suit (e.g. two 8 of hearts), typically a high payout.
Coloured Pair: same rank and same colour, different suits.
Mixed Pair: same rank, different colours and suits.

Payouts and odds vary considerably by table and operator. A higher advertised payout for the top pair will usually mean a larger house edge overall. Because of that, it is important to check the paytable and understand the implied probability before placing the bet.

Perfect Pairs is a high‑variance option: wins can be infrequent but sometimes generous, while losses accumulate more quickly than on the main hand. Treat it as a separate wager and manage stake size accordingly.

21+3 Side Bet

The 21+3 side bet treats your two cards and the dealer’s face-up card as a three‑card poker hand. Common qualifying hands and typical examples include:

Flush: three cards of the same suit.
Straight: three cards in sequence.
Three of a kind: three cards of the same rank.
Straight flush: three consecutive cards of the same suit.

Because these combinations are relatively rare, the top payouts can be substantial compared with ordinary blackjack outcomes. Different tables use different paytables, so the frequency of each prize and the overall house edge will change from venue to venue. As with other side bets, 21+3 is a separate wager and does not affect the resolution of your main blackjack hand.

Insurance Bet

Insurance is offered when the dealer shows an Ace and is a bet on whether the dealer has blackjack. It pays 2:1 if the dealer does have blackjack.

Insurance is statistically rarely favourable for the player and is considered a separate gamble from the main hand. Taking insurance does not improve your chances of winning the main round and often increases the long‑term house edge. Many experienced players decline it unless they have a specific card‑counting reason to expect a high probability of dealer blackjack.

Royal Match and Other Variants

Royal Match rewards suited first‑two‑card combinations, with higher payouts for specific suited face‑card pairings such as a King and Queen. Other named options you may see include:

Lucky Ladies: often pays for a pair of Queens or other queen-based combinations.
Super Sevens: pays for sevens in the first two cards or for multiple sevens across hands.
Progressive jackpot side bets: contribute to a growing jackpot that can pay out large sums for rare combinations.

Each variant sets its own qualification rules and payouts, so familiarise yourself with the specifics before participating. Variants may also differ in volatility and house edge, so check the paytable and ask the dealer or floor staff for clarification if needed.

As you move between tables or casinos, the detailed odds and paytables can vary, so always check them to understand the potential returns for each side bet. Remember to gamble responsibly and only stake what you can afford to lose.

How Do Blackjack Side Bets Payouts Work?

Side bet payouts are fixed by the casino and expressed as ratios, such as 6:1 or 25:1, showing how much you win for a successful stake. These ratios reflect the relative frequency of the outcome the side bet covers.

For example, a Perfect Pair paying 25:1 means a £1 bet would return £25 in winnings plus the original stake if that specific pair appears. With 21+3, different three-card poker hands pay different amounts: a straight might pay 5:1 while a straight flush could pay 40:1, depending on the table’s rules.

Payouts are also influenced by deck count and rule variations. A game with fewer decks, or one that adjusts payoff ratios, will change the practical probability of each side bet outcome. That’s why two tables offering the same-named side bet can still present different value to the player.

Before placing side bets, study the paytable and consider how often the qualifying combinations are likely to appear under the table’s specific rules.

Are Blackjack Side Bets Worth It?

Whether side bets are worth it depends on personal priorities. If your aim is to maximise long-term return, side bets are usually not the best choice because many carry a higher house edge than the base blackjack game. If your aim is to add occasional high-payout possibilities or to vary your session, they can be suitable in moderation.

A sensible approach is to set a separate, limited budget for side bets and accept them as a form of entertainment spending rather than a route to steady profit. This lets you enjoy the occasional payout without undermining your main-game strategy or bankroll management.

Common Myths About Blackjack Side Bets

Several misconceptions persist around side bets. One is that special skill or timing can reliably improve the odds; in reality, outcomes are determined by the card distribution and the game’s rules rather than player technique. Another common belief is that placing multiple side bets will even out losses; the statistical design of these wagers means adding more bets typically increases variance without improving long-term expectation.

It’s also unhelpful to assume a side bet becomes “due” after a series of non-wins; each deal is independent and the historical sequence does not change the underlying probabilities. Clear information about paytables and expected returns is the most reliable way to judge a side bet’s value.

Final Thoughts on Choosing Blackjack Side Bets

Choosing whether to use blackjack side bets comes down to balancing enjoyment with realistic expectations. They can provide dramatic payouts and a change of pace, but usually at the cost of a higher house edge. Understand the rules and paytables, limit how much you stake on side bets relative to your overall budget, and keep outcomes in perspective.

You must be 18 or over to play. If gambling stops being enjoyable or feels difficult to control, there are specialist organisations that can help, such as GamCare and BeGambleAware. Play within your limits and make choices that fit your aims for the session — that way you stay in control and enjoy the game on your terms.

_{**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.}