Blackjack Side Bets Calculator: Know Before You Bet

Blackjack side bets offer big payouts but carry significantly higher house edges than the main game. Our calculator shows exact payouts, true odds, and house edge for every popular side bet to help you make informed decisions.

What Are Blackjack Side Bets?

Side bets are optional wagers placed alongside your main blackjack bet, typically based on your initial cards or combination with the dealer's up card. They're independent of the main game outcome.

Quick Answer: Most side bets have 2-10% house edge vs 0.5% for basic strategy blackjack. Insurance is the most common at 7.4% edge. 21+3 has one of the lower edges (~3.2%). Perfect Pairs runs ~5.8%. Play side bets for entertainment only—they're mathematically poor long-term bets.

How to Use Our Side Bets Calculator

Use the Blackjack Side Bets Calculator →

Select the side bet type to see payouts, odds, and house edge.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Select Side Bet: Choose the bet type

2. Enter Bet Amount: Your wager

3. View Pay Table: All winning combinations

4. See House Edge: Casino advantage

5. Calculate EV: Expected return

Input Fields Explained

Field	Description	Example
Side Bet Type	Bet category	21+3
Bet Amount	Your wager	$5
Winning Hand	Result	Flush
Payout	Win multiplier	5:1
House Edge	Casino %	3.24%

Popular Side Bets Overview

House Edge Comparison

Side Bet	Typical House Edge	Rating
Insurance	7.40%	Poor
21+3	3.24%	Better
Perfect Pairs	5.79%	Fair
Lucky Ladies	17-25%	Very Poor
Royal Match	3.7-6.7%	Fair
Super Sevens	11-12%	Poor
Bust It	6-8%	Fair

Insurance Bet

How It Works

When dealer shows Ace, you can bet up to half your original bet that dealer has blackjack. Pays 2:1 if dealer has blackjack.

Insurance Math

Factor	Value
Dealer BJ probability	30.77% (4/13)
Fair odds	2.25:1
Actual payout	2:1
House edge	7.40%

When to Take Insurance

Situation	Action
Basic strategy	Never
Card counting (TC +3)	Yes
Otherwise	Never

21+3 Side Bet

Combinations and Payouts

Uses your two cards + dealer's up card:

Hand	Payout	Probability	House Edge Contribution
Suited Three of a Kind	100:1	0.0022%	Varies
Straight Flush	40:1	0.0326%	Varies
Three of a Kind	30:1	0.2353%	Varies
Straight	10:1	3.2579%	Varies
Flush	5:1	4.9593%	Varies

21+3 House Edge

Decks	House Edge
6 decks	3.24%
8 decks	3.24%

One of the best side bets available.

Perfect Pairs

Payout Structure

Pair Type	Description	Typical Payout
Perfect Pair	Same suit	25:1
Colored Pair	Same color, diff suit	12:1
Mixed Pair	Different colors	6:1

Perfect Pairs Odds

Pair Type	6-Deck Probability
Perfect Pair	1.69%
Colored Pair	1.86%
Mixed Pair	3.86%
Any Pair	7.41%

House Edge by Pay Table

Perfect	Colored	Mixed	House Edge
25:1	12:1	6:1	5.79%
30:1	10:1	5:1	6.78%

Lucky Ladies

Payouts

Hand	Typical Payout
Queen of Hearts pair + dealer BJ	1000:1
Queen of Hearts pair	200:1
Matched 20 (pair)	25:1
Suited 20	10:1
Any 20	4:1

Lucky Ladies Reality

Factor	Value
House edge	17-25%
Hit rate (any 20)	~8.5%
Rating	One of the worst

High payouts mask terrible odds.

Royal Match

Payouts

Hand	Payout
Royal Match (K-Q suited)	25:1
Any suited hand	2.5:1

Royal Match Math

Outcome	Probability	Edge Impact
Royal Match	0.30%	Positive
Suited	23.85%	Breakeven
Unsuited	75.85%	Negative

House edge: 3.7-6.7% depending on pay table.

Real-World Examples

Example 1: 21+3 Bet

Your hand: 9♠, 10♠ Dealer up: J♠ Result: Suited Straight!

Payout: 40:1 On $5 bet: Win $200

Example 2: Perfect Pairs

Your hand: K♥, K♦ Result: Colored Pair (same color, different suits)

Payout: 12:1 On $5 bet: Win $60

Example 3: Insurance (Why to Avoid)

Main bet: $100 Insurance: $50 (max) Scenario: Dealer doesn't have BJ (69.23% of time)

Result: Lose $50 insurance + play main hand Long-term cost: 7.4% × $50 = $3.70 per insurance bet

Side Bet Strategy

Best Side Bets (Lowest Edge)

Rank	Side Bet	House Edge
1	21+3	3.24%
2	Royal Match (good table)	3.7%
3	Bust It (good table)	6%
4	Perfect Pairs	5.79%

Worst Side Bets (Highest Edge)

Rank	Side Bet	House Edge
1	Lucky Ladies	17-25%
2	Super Sevens	11-12%
3	Insurance	7.4%
4	Lucky Lucky	8-10%

Bankroll Impact

Main Bet	Side Bet	Expected Loss/Hour
$25 @ 0.5%	None	$7.50
$25 @ 0.5%	$5 @ 5%	$22.50

Side bets triple your expected loss.

Common Side Bet Mistakes

1. Playing Every Hand

Mistake: Side betting on every deal Problem: House edge compounds rapidly Fix: Occasional entertainment only

2. Chasing Losses

Mistake: Increasing side bets to recover Problem: Even higher expected loss Fix: Side bets don't recover losses

3. Ignoring Main Game

Mistake: Focusing on side bets, mistakes in main game Problem: Errors in 0.5% game cost more than side bet wins Fix: Perfect basic strategy first

4. Believing Patterns

Mistake: "Due" for a side bet win Problem: Each hand is independent Fix: Understand randomness

Frequently Asked Questions

Are any side bets worth playing?

Mathematically, no. All have higher edge than perfect basic strategy. But 21+3 at 3.24% is the least bad option for entertainment.

Should I take insurance with a good hand?

Never (unless counting). Insurance is about dealer's cards, not yours. Your good hand doesn't change dealer's blackjack probability.

Do side bets affect the main game?

No. They're completely independent. You can lose your side bet and win the main hand, or vice versa.

Why do casinos push side bets?

Higher house edge = more profit. Side bets generate significant casino revenue due to attractive payouts.

Can card counting beat side bets?

Some, yes. Lucky Ladies and insurance become +EV at high true counts. Most others remain -EV.

What's the best side bet for beginners?

If you must play one, 21+3 has the lowest house edge at 3.24% and interesting poker-style combinations.

Advanced Side Bet Concepts

Pay Table Variations

The same side bet can have different edges:

21+3 Version	Flush	Straight	House Edge
Standard	5:1	10:1	3.24%
Reduced	4:1	8:1	6.5%

Always check the specific pay table before playing.

Combined House Edge

When playing main game + side bet:

Combined Edge = (Main Bet × Main Edge) + (Side Bet × Side Edge)
                ÷ (Main Bet + Side Bet)

Example: $25 main (0.5%) + $5 side (5%) = ($0.125 + $0.25) / $30 = 1.25% combined

Variance Considerations

Bet Type	Variance	Session Impact
Main game	Low	Steady results
Side bets	High	Wild swings
Combined	Medium-high	Unpredictable

Pro Tips

• Budget separately: Allocate side bet money as entertainment cost

• Check pay tables: Same bet name, different house edges

• Skip insurance: 7.4% edge, never mathematically correct

• 21+3 only: If you must side bet, it's the least harmful

• Perfect basic strategy first: Master the main game

Related Calculators

• Blackjack Basic Strategy Calculator - Optimal play
• Blackjack House Edge Calculator - Game comparison
• Blackjack Insurance Calculator - Insurance math
• Blackjack EV Calculator - Expected value
• Expected Value Calculator - General EV

Conclusion

Blackjack side bets offer exciting payouts but carry house edges 5-50x higher than the main game. Our calculator shows exact odds and expected returns for every popular side bet. If you choose to play, stick to 21+3 for the lowest edge, and always treat side bets as entertainment—never as strategy.

Calculate Your Side Bet Odds Now →

The math is clear: side bets are worse than the main game. But if you enjoy the action and budget accordingly, an occasional 21+3 bet won't devastate your bankroll the way Lucky Ladies or constant insurance will.