You may already be familiar with the mechanics of blackjack, one of the most popular card games available at online and a live casino.

You take your cards, and you score as close to 21 as possible by hitting, standing, doubling down or splitting along the way. If your hand beats the dealer’s, then you win your bet. The best hand is a combination of a 10, J, Q or K, alongside an ace.

If you are interested in adding a new dimension to the base game of blackjack, there are several side bets to look into. These are extra wagers that are placed before the cards are dealt, with quick settlement once the opening cards have been revealed – they don’t impact upon the main game, so you’ll carry on with your standard live blackjack play as normal.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through some key features of blackjack side bets – what they are, notable types of side bets, as well as how and when they can come into play.

Where to find blackjack with side bets

The first thing to note is that not all versions of standard or live blackjack have side bets, so you’ll need to make sure that your chosen variants have them – there are several options of live blackjack with side bets available at LeoVegas.

Side bets in blackjack are exactly as the name implies: you can place an extra wager or two away from the main action. Side bets are placed before any cards have been dealt, so there is no strategy involved. As far as the house edge is concerned, if you use basic strategy, it is possible to lower the house’s advantage to as low as 0.5%. Most wins are paid out at even-money odds, with 2:1 being the typical prize if you land the perfect natural blackjack hand of 21.

One of the blackjack side bets that we will cover later in this article has a 5,000:1 payout. However, the odds of winning that side bet are low.

Side bets online are made available at live blackjack tables. Simply click on the graphics to place your chips as you would with your standard bets when playing our collection of live games.

What are the different blackjack side bets?

Here, we’ll cover four of the most popular blackjack side bets you’ll see within a live casino, including 21+3, Perfect Pairs, Super Sevens and Insurance.

There are many other side bets in blackjack card games, from Lucky Ladies and Lucky Lucky to Easy Match, Royal Match and Over/Under 13. All our live blackjack games are different with their own unique rules. Some of these side bets will be available in our blackjack games.

Popular blackjack side bets

Based on accessibility and winning potential, some blackjack side bets are more widely known than other. Here are a few of the most well-known side bets in blackjack, and a look at what combinations of cards you’ll need to land to win your wager.

Side bets: Blackjack 21+3

One of the most popular blackjack side bets is Blackjack 21+3. This blackjack side bet is centred on three cards: the first two cards dealt to the player, plus the dealer’s upturned card.

Blackjack 21+3 takes a similar form to poker, with players paid out based on the combinations created by those three cards – if they form a mini poker hand, then they will win a wager in relation to their ranking. The lowest-paying combination for this side bet is a three-card flush.

The combination of the player’s two cards and the dealer’s upturned card will determine whether the 21+3 side bet wins or not. Any of the combinations below will secure a return at the odds displayed:

• Flush – 5:1
• Straight – 10:1
• Three of a Kind – 30:1
• Straight Flush – 40:1
• Suited Three of a Kind – 100:1

This side bet in blackjack is quite popular with bettors, but remember that it is based on pure luck – there is no strategy involved.

Side bets: Perfect Pairs Blackjack

Perfect Pairs is one of the most common side bets in blackjack. It is quite like the 21+3 side bet, and the probabilities of a successful hand are slightly higher.

The aim of this side bet is to get a pair with your first two cards. If you do, not only will you have a chance to split them as part of your main blackjack game, but you could also be paid out as a side bet winner. The winning wager amount will depend upon the nature of your pair. A mixed pair is made up of two cards of the same numerical value but of different colours, which pays at 5:1.

A coloured pair, as the name suggests, pays out at 10:1 when you match two red or black cards of the same numerical value.

The highest-paying combination in this side bet is, of course, a perfect pair of two identical cards. Because live blackjack uses multiple decks of cards, it is possible to draw, for example, the king of clubs twice. If you land a perfect pair, you’ll be paid out at 30:1.

Side bets: Super Sevens Blackjack

One of the most specific side bets in blackjack, Super Sevens does exactly what it says on the tin. Here, you’re wagering on how many sevens you will land in your hand, which includes your two hole cards, and a third card if you opt to hit.

If your first card is a seven, you’ll be paid out at 3:1 if the Super Sevens side bet has been activated. A pair of sevens nets 50:1 if they are a different suit and 100:1 if they’re the same. If you hit and your third card is a seven, the winning wager odds will range from 500:1 (different suit) to 5,000:1 (same suit).

Side bets: Blackjack Insurance

Another commonly used blackjack side bet is Insurance, which helps to protect your bankroll should the dealer land a natural blackjack hand consisting of an ace and a 10-value card.

Typically, you can place a Blackjack Insurance side bet when the dealer’s upturned card is an ace – you’ll see the insurance graphic appear on screen in this scenario. You don’t have to take insurance if you don’t want to – remember, there are more cards in the deck that are not worth 10 points than those that are.

Generally, the Insurance side bets pays 2:1 if it transpires that the dealer does have a natural blackjack hand, though you’re only allowed to wager half your original stake – therefore, with successful insurance bets, you’ll recoup your initial outlay.

If the dealer doesn’t have a natural blackjack hand, you will lose your insurance side bet while the main game continues as normal.

Should you use blackjack side bets?

Fundamentally, blackjack is a game of probability, and it’s helpful if you know the percentage play. Take the Blackjack Insurance side bet, for example. There are nine different cards in a deck that don’t equal 10 points, while there are only four that do (10, J, Q and K). So, basic mathematics tells us that it’s more likely that the dealer won’t have the natural blackjack hand.

Of course, in some cases, taking out the Insurance side bet will be a winner – however, over the long term, this is not a move where if you average out all the wins and losses, you make money.

Remember, the probability of landing a specific number from a single deck of cards is 4/52 – e.g., there are four sevens in a standard deck. This is odds of 13:1, and yet the payout for a single seven via the Super Sevens side bet is just 3:1. Factor in that multiple decks are typically used in live blackjack, and your odds of success shrink even further.

Blackjack side bets can be considered a way of varying your gameplay at the table. However, it really does depend entirely on luck.

Blackjack side bets FAQs

Are blackjack side bets worth it?

If you want to try something new at the blackjack table, side bets are a different way of wagering in addition to the standard gameplay.

How do side bets work in blackjack?

You can see the various side bets on screen when playing live blackjack. To action them, click on the marker to place your chosen stake size on that side bet. Also if you’re new to blackjack, take a look at our guide on How To Play Blackjack

Should you play blackjack side bets?

Using side bets in blackjack can add to your blackjack playing experience, though it certainly cannot guarantee any wins or gains. All in all, whether you want to play with side bets depends on how you want to play the cards on the given game or if you’re following a specific blackjack strategy