Top 10 Types of Blackjack Side Bets: Stipulations and Payouts

Blackjack is a very simple game to play online. Thus, developers thought it would be a good idea to add extra elements to the game to spice it all up. With the addition of side bets, players can not place smaller wagers on almost everything to hope for a payout one way or another. The best thing about side bets is that they usually have massive payouts, bigger than the game of blackjack itself. Tune in to our assessment on the top 10 different types of blackjack side bets.

Playing Blackjack online has grown in popularity of the past decade, specifically with the increase in live blackjack games. Most blackjack games follow a certain style of play, such as European Blackjack or Vegas Strip Blackjack, but many have their own adaptations on certain elements. One example may be the rules regarding splitting. Another could be what side bets are on offer. Today, we look at what is a side bet and the types of blackjack side bets.

What is a Side Bet?

A large majority of online blackjack games offer side bets. Whilst the main purpose of playing blackjack is to beat the dealer, the addition of side bets can spice up the game for many players.

There are many different types of side bets, perhaps even too many to mention here. However, some types of blackjack side bets are more common than others. The side bet is an option for players to try and win some money in another way. Sometimes, the dealer’s hand may beat yours, but you have a paying side bet.

This is an attraction for players who want to wager a little more and have a chance of winning one way or another. It is also not out of the question to beat the dealer’s hand and win your side bet. One of the biggest appeals is that blackjack side bets typically have massive payouts.

Ultimately, the side bet is just another way to try and make a profit. Let it be known that most side bets will vary in rules from one developer to another. Likewise, some casino sites may accept side bets whilst others may bend the regulations a bit. To sharpen up your existing knowledge, feel free to take a look at the basic blackjack rules.

Top 10 Types of Blackjack Side Bets

Whilst there’s an abundance of side bet, with their own little tweaks and variations, we will be looking at 10 of the most common side bets. This includes the popular likes of 21+3 and Perfect Pairs, plus some more low-key ones such as Buster or Hot3. Let’s get to it.

1. Perfect Pairs

Perhaps the most well-known and used blackjack side bet is Perfect Pairs. When placing a wager in this format, you’ll need your cards to have some sort of resemblance with one another. There are usually three different payouts for Perfect Pairs depending on which cards you land. Usually, this is the criteria you’ve got to follow:

Mixed Pair – Two cards which have the same value but different suits and different colors. For instance, a black 7 of Clubs and a red 7 of Hearts. Typically, a Mixed Pair will pay 5:1.
Colored Pair – Two cards which have the same value and the same color but different suit. An example for this could be the red 4 of Hearts and the red 4 of Diamonds. The payout for Colored Pair is usually rated at 12:1.
Perfect Pair – The most rewarding in Perfect Pairs is to have two identical cards. If you’ve got two red 6 of Diamonds, for instance, you will have a Perfect Pair. This usually has a payout of 25:1.

Types of Blackjack Side Bets, side bet in blackjack — 3 different payouts for 3 different perfect pairs Source: *Pixabay*

Perfect Pairs is the most common form of side bets in blackjack. It usually follows these stipulations but sometimes may vary, depending on casino, especially in payout amounts.

Second Types of Blackjack Side Bets: 21+3

The second most used and popular blackjack side bet is the 21+3. To win, you’ll need to form a poker hand using your first two cards combined with the dealer’s face-up card. There are usually five different types of poker hands you can form.

Flush – The lowest paying side bet requires three cards of the same suit. If your first two cards and the dealer’s face-up card are all Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs or Spades, you’ll win. Usually, the payout for three matching suit cards is rated at 5:1.
Straight – Your cards and the dealer’s face-up all sit next to each other in numerical order. An ideal for this is 3, 4, 5 or 8, 9, 10. It does not matter if the cards have the same color or suit, they just need to be able to make a three-number run. This usually pays out at 10:1.
Three of a Kind – If your cards and the dealer’s face-up are all the same value, you’ll win three of a kind. They do not need to have the same color or suit. For instance, landing three Kings will take you there. Typically, a payout of 30:1 is the reward here.
Straight Flush – Much like the normal straight, you’ll need three cards in numerical order. However, if they also share the same suit, you’ll trigger a Straight Flush side bet win. For instance, landing 5, 6, 7 of Diamonds will warrant you with a winner. This usually pays out at 40:1.
Suited Three of a Kind – The most rewarding 21+3 side bet is triggered by landing three cards that have the same suit and value. An example of this would be three Queen of Hearts. This one usually pays out at 100:1.

3. Royal Match

The Royal Match is a very interesting side bet as you will almost instantaneously know if you’re a winner or not. To win, you’ll need to match the first two cards dealt to you by sharing the same suit. This pays out 5:2 whenever you’ve got a small match, for instance, the 5 and 8 of Diamonds.

Types of blackjack side bets, royal match — Royal match: You are winner or not? Source: *Pixabay*

On the other hand, Royal Match is far more generous when you’ve got a matching suit with Royal Cards. If your first two cards are, for instance, the Jack and King of Clubs, you’ll receive a payout of 25:1. The Royal Match side bet is a popular choice for players as it is very easy to follow.

4. Over/Under 13

The Over/Under 13 side bet is not all that common in blackjack games but could be interesting. It is a bet which depend on your first two cards. To win, you’ll need to combine the two cards and see what new value they have. Specifically, whether it is over or under 13. The blackjack side bet pays out even money at 1:1.

5. Super Sevens

One of the most popular types of blackjack side bets is Super Sevens. As the name suggests, the side bet is all about the 7 cards. The aim of the game here is to land as many 7s as you can, starting with the first card. Here’s what the criteria usually involves.

If your first card is a 7, you’ll receive a payout of 3:1. Following the first card, landing a second consecutive 7 will result in a 50:1 payout if they’re unsuited. If the two 7s are suited, you’ll receive a payout worth 100:1. On the rare hit that a third 7 appears on the table, you’ll receive a payout of 500:1 for 3 unsuited 7s. In the odd instance that the three 7s are suited, a payout of 5000:1 is made.

Please note that this is the standard form of the Super Sevens. There may be varying criteria depending on casino or developer preferences. However, if you want to be sure about the standard version, the payouts for the resulting 7s should follow the above.

6th Types of Blackjack Side Bets: Lucky Ladies

Lucky Ladies is another side bet which has varied payouts, but you’ll need to try and reach an exact combined amount. To win, you will have to combine your two initial cards and reach a value of exactly 20. The resulting payouts will vary depending on how you achieve it.

Unsuited 20 pays 4:1
Suited 20 pays 10:1
Matched 20 (same rank and suit) pays 25:1
Two Queen of Hearts pays 200:1
Two Queen of Hearts whilst the dealer has Blackjack pays 1000:1

As portrayed, the main attraction here are the Lucky Ladies. If you manage to get Queen of Hearts in combinations, you’re guaranteed a massive payout. If the dealer manages to secure a Blackjack, the payout is wild.

7. Top 3

For the Top 3 side bet, you’ll need to keep an eye on your two initial cards and the dealer’s face-up card. To win, you’ll want the trio of cards to form a Suited Three of a Kind, a Straight Flush or a Three of a Kind. Much like the 21+3, the Top 3 side bet also requires you to form poker combinations.

The major difference here is that the Top 3 is not as advanced as the 21+3. You’ve got only three options to form a winner. However, the payouts also vary a little as well. Landing a Suited Three of a Kind results in a 500:1 payout. A Suited Straight Flush will warrant you a 180:1 payout whilst a Three of a Kind gives a 90:1 reward. In comparison, it is far more rewarding than 21+3.

8. Hot3

The Hot3 side bet is another example of how you should be looking for combinations between your first two cards and the dealer’s face-up one. To win, look for combined totals between the trio worth 19, 20 or 21. Alternatively, you will also win if all three cards are 7s. Here is the criteria to know.

Three cards have a combined total of 19 results in an even money payout of 1:1.
Combined three cards with a 20 total value will pay out at 2:1.
Combination of three cards for an unsuited 21 results in a 4:1 payout.
Three cards totaling to 21 whilst all being suited warrants a 20:1 payout.
Three 7s on the table will result in a payout worth 100:1.

As seen above, the Hot3 has many ways of winning but the most rewarding ones are very difficult to achieve. The attraction here is that you can win when the totals are either 19, 20 or 21.

9. Types of Blackjack Side Bets: Buster

Buster is a popular bet, especially as you’re banking on the dealer to lose. To win, you’ll want the dealer to go bust following a simple formula. The more cards the dealer has, the bigger payout you will receive. Look at the criteria for this one.

If the dealer busts with 3 or 4 cards, the resulting payout is 2:1. With 5 cards in hand, the payout is worth 4:1. Should the dealer bust with 6 cards, the payout is a staggering 18:1. But that’s not all folks. With 7 cards, the payout is 50:1 and with 8 or more cards it is worth 250:1.

To make things sweeter, Buster also comes along with some other ways to rub salt into the dealer’s wounds. If the dealer busts with 7 cards and you have got a Blackjack, the side bet pays out at 800:1. Moreover, if the dealer busts with 8 or more cards and you’ve got Blackjack, the resulting payout is worth 2000:1.

10. Lucky Lucky

Finally on the different types of blackjack side bets is the Lucky Lucky. To win, you’ll need to match up your initial two cards and the dealer’s up card. You will need to try and form one of the following trios.

Unsuited 777 which pays out 50:1
Suited 777 which pays out 200:1
Unsuited 678 which pays out 25:1
Suited 678 which pays out 100:1
Unsuited 21 which pays out 3:1
Suited 21 which pays out 15:1
Any 19 which pays 2:1
Any 20 which pays out 2:1

The Lucky Lucky side bet has got a variety of choices which come with decent payouts as well. Keep an eye on your initial cards and the dealer’s hand to see if your fortunate enough to bag a winner.

Blackjack Progressive Jackpot

Although this is not exactly a side bet, some online blackjack games attached progressive jackpots. Usually, you will only be entered into the progressive jackpot prize pool if you place a side bet. Afterwards, you are put into contention to win the progressive jackpot. The Blackjack Progressive Jackpot side bet sees Aces at the center of the action. To receive the progressive jackpot prize is rare but you can also make do with some smaller payouts as well. So, here is the criteria for the side bet.

The way to win a progressive blackjack is usually if you are dealt four consecutive suited Aces. If you miss out on the jackpot, there are still alternative prizes. For instance, the side bet action will also pay out 5000:1 if you land three suited Aces or 2500:1 for four unsuited Aces. At some casino sites, you can also claim winners by landing three unsuited Aces for a payout of 250:1 and two suited Aces will give you 100:1. Lastly, you can also receive payouts worth 50:1 for two unsuited Aces and 5:1 for any Ace.

The Bottom Line As One of The Types of Blackjack Side Bets

Thus, to conclude this assessment on the types of blackjack side bets, we hope that you will now be able to play freely at various blackjack casino sites. Playing with side bets certainly makes the game more enjoyable as you’re not just looking to beat the dealer’s hand. With side bets, you have a variety of ways to claim a winner, particularly if you end up with major payouts.

We would recommend looking for blackjack games with side bet options. Should you happen to find the right games, you can increase your profit margin ten-fold. Playing with side bets will help spice up each game and give you an alternative way to making some extra cash. The most common forms of side bets which are in almost every single live blackjack game are Perfect Pairs and 21+3. The other ones will require a bit more attention to try and find them. So, head on over to the best online blackjack games to get hooked up with a live dealer who’s got side bet options available.