Blackjack is a very simple game, after all what could be simpler than trying to make it to 21 with just a few cards? It’s this simplicity that makes it such a popular and versatile game, and it is also this simplicity that has opened the game of blackjack to scores of bonus games and side bets. You will find these at land-based casinos all over the world and you can also find them online. Few casinos will have them all, and even fewer casinos will have none of them. What games you find depends entirely on where you are, but here is a rundown of all of the ones available. This is an extensive list and has therefore been split into 2 parts to accommodate all of these side bets.
[showSites]
Super Sevens
This is an easy side bet that pays out when the player draws a seven. The pay is 3-1 (which means a $10 game will return $30) if the first card is a seven, but this goes as high as 5000-1 if all three cards are sevens and if they are from the same suit. This game is common in big casinos that use multiple decks, as it doesn’t work with single deck games.
Streak
A streak is a bet that the player makes on whether they will win a certain number of hands in a row. Players can not bet on single wins, and the bet usually only applies to streaks at least 2 or 3 hands big, to a maximum of 5 or 6. This can be a nice bonus for anyone who finds such good form, and helps to reduce the house edge an extra touch. This bet goes by many names and is often tweaked by the casino. It is also one of the rarer side bets.
Royal Match
This bet pays out if the first two cards are suited, with that payout increasing if the suit involves picture cards or “royal” cards, which is where the bet gets its name from. There are a few variations of this bet, with different amounts paid out depending on which variation the casino uses, so it’s worth finding out before you play.
Tie
The tie bet comes in different forms. In the most common of them players are allowed to bet up to 50% of their stake on whether their hand will tie with the dealer’s hand or not. If it does then they are paid 10-1. This bet is often tweaked by the individual casinos in order to entice the players and/or increase the house edge. It is a side bet that can add a lot of equity to the game for professional players so it is one that should be looked into if the casino allows it.
Sweet Sixteen
This side bet is rare, paying out to players who hit sixteen on their first two cards, with different payments depending on how they get to that number.
Over/Under 13
In this bet the player stakes a wager on whether the combined total of their hand will be over or under 13. For the sake of this bet aces only count as one.
Pairs/Bet the Set/Perfect Pairs
This side bet goes by many names and is one of the most common side bets in blackjack. This is as common in land-based casinos as it is in online ones, and gives the player the option to bet and win if their first two cards match. The player gets more money if they are suited than if they are non suited and the bet typically pays out between 10-1 and 25-1, but it all depends on the casino and the number of decks in use. There is also a progressive version of this side bet where the player gets a significant jackpot if they get three or four of a kind, but again this is all down to the casino and the game itself.
The 21+3 bet is not too common, but it does appear in some of the bigger casinos and it also makes an appearance in the William Hill blackjack game, which we recently rated as one of the best online blackjack games around. If the player’s three cards equate to a flush, a straight or a straight flush then the player is paid 9-1. There are other variants of this side bet available.
Bonanza Blackjack
This side bet simply pays out if the player hits 20 on their first two cards — whether they have an ace or not — and the dealer is showing a 10. This is often found on electronic blackjack games located in the casinos themselves, as opposed to any proper table games or indeed any online casino games.
Lucky Ladies
This is a common bet and pays out for players that hit 20, regardless of whether they win or lose. How much they are paid depends on how they got to that number. If, for instance, the player holds two Queen of Hearts and the dealer has blackjack then the game pays out 1000-1, which is the highest it pays. If their hand is unsuited and the dealer does not have blackjack then it pays 4-1.
Bet on Blackjack
This side bet goes by many names and is fairly self explanatory. The player bets on whether they or the dealer will get blackjack, and the payout is usually around 15-1, but it depends on the amount of decks used.
For part 2 of this article click here.