Are the side bets worth it in blackjack? Don‘t let them distract you from the main game.
I‘m sure you‘ve seen those tempting side bet offers at the blackjack table. Place an additional wager, the dealer will pitch you some extra cards, and boom – you could win a big payout. Seems enticing, right?
Before you jump in and start splashing chips around on those side bets, here‘s the honest truth you should know…
Most blackjack side bets have terrible odds and huge house edges, much worse than the main blackjack game.
I‘ll explain more about why side bets should be avoided or minimized for most players. My goal isn‘t to completely turn you off from side bets – they can be fun! But I don‘t want your bankroll drained by their deceptive math.
First, let‘s examine some of the most common blackjack side bets and their typical house edges:
| Side Bet | House Edge |
|---|---|
| Perfect Pairs | 2-3% |
| 21+3 | 3-4% |
| Bust It | 10-12% |
| Royal Match | 3-5% |
Now compare those to basic blackjack, which has a house edge of just 0.5% when you play with perfect basic strategy. That‘s a huge difference!
To put it in dollar terms, let‘s say you‘re betting $25 per hand. The house edge for basic blackjack will cost you only about 12 cents per round. But a side bet with a 10% house edge will cost you a painful $2.50 per round!
So you can see how those "fun" side bets really chip away at your bankroll over time. Even a couple percent difference in house edge has an enormous impact over hundreds and thousands of hands.
Can card counting help with side bets?
You may have heard that card counting can actually overcome the house edge in blackjack and give skilled players an advantage. So could the same theory apply to side bets?
The short answer is no. Card counting relies on tracking the ratio of high to low cards left in the deck. It can influence your basic blackjack decisions, but not the randomness of side bet outcomes.
In fact, some avid card counters will still avoid side bets since they love having every small advantage on their side. Other pros may dabble in side bets occasionally for fun, but don‘t rely on them as profit generators.
Don‘t be misled by enticing payouts
At first glance, side bets seem amazing – you could win 20:1 or even 100:1 your original bet! But it‘s important to look at the odds of actually hitting those jackpot hands. Let‘s take the 21+3 side bet as an example:
- Straight Flush: 100:1 odds
- Three of a Kind: 30:1
- Straight: 10:1
- Flush: 5:1
The big payouts like 100:1 for a straight flush may give you thoughts of striking it rich. But your probability of hitting that hand is only around 1 in 650! Those monster payouts have to be huge to compensate for their remote chances.
The more common 5:1 or 10:1 payouts seem modest in comparison, but are much more likely to hit. The overall house edge balances out to around 3-4% across all possible outcomes – still far worse than basic blackjack.
Should you avoid side bets completely?
At this point, you might think I‘m totally anti-side bet and arguing you should never place them. That‘s not quite true – I‘m not the gambling police!
Side bets can add some entertaining variety to spice up your blackjack play. If you have a sizable bankroll and are playing for fun as much as profit, then occasionally indulging in side bets is fine.
Just be aware of their higher house edge, and don‘t make them a major part of your overall blackjack betting strategy. Setting aside 5-10% of your total blackjack bankroll for side bet fun is reasonable for casual players. You‘ll still collect those big payouts sometimes, without wrecking your whole budget.
Above all, learn proper basic strategy for the main blackjack game first. That‘s where you gain a huge advantage compared to playing randomly. Side bets come after you‘ve mastered the fundamentals. Prioritize blackjack moves that affect your bottom line most, like standing on 17 or doubling down correctly.
In the long run, optimal basic strategy and avoidance of terrible side bets will help your bankroll go much further.
Hope this gives you a more accurate picture of what you‘re up against with side bets. I want you to enjoy blackjack to its fullest – and have money left in your wallet at the end of your trip! If you have any other casino game questions, feel free to reach out.