Blackjack Side Bets Ranked: From ‘Avoid’ to ‘Maybe’ to ‘Never’

The dealer slides over the cards and casually mentions, “Perfect Pairs pays 25 to 1!” Sounds tempting until you realize that bet has a 4.1% house edge—eight times worse than basic blackjack strategy.

Side bets turn simple blackjack into a carnival of sucker bets designed to extract maximum money from players who don’t understand the mathematics. Here’s every major side bet ranked by how badly they’ll drain your bankroll.

Norwegian players face the same side bet traps as those in other countries. RollXO online casino offers thousands of games, including blackjack variants, but their side bets carry the same mathematical disadvantages—fancy Nordic licensing doesn’t change house edge mathematics.

“Maybe” Tier: Least Terrible Options

Insurance (5.9% house edge)

Insurance gets its own category because it’s technically the “best” side bet, though that’s like being the tallest building in a town of shacks.

The math: You bet half your main wager that the dealer has blackjack. Dealer has blackjack 30.8% of the time but insurance pays 2:1. You need 33.3% probability for a fair bet.

When it’s less terrible: Card counters sometimes take insurance when the deck is rich in ten-value cards. For basic strategy players, always decline.

21+3 (3.2% house edge – standard version)

This bet combines your first two cards with the dealer’s up card to form poker hands. Flushes, straights, and three-of-a-kind pay various amounts.

Why it’s “maybe”: The house edge varies dramatically based on the paytable. Some versions drop to 3.2%, others spike to 13.4%. Even the “good” 3.2% version is still six times worse than basic blackjack strategy.

“Avoid” Tier: Mathematically Terrible

Perfect Pairs (4.1% – 11.3% house edge)

Bet that your first two cards form a pair. Mixed pairs pay 6:1, colored pairs pay 12:1, and perfect pairs pay 25:1.

House edge variation: Depends on the number of decks and the exact paytable. Single-deck games offer the “best” odds at 4.1%, but eight-deck games can hit 11.3%.

Royal Match (3.8% – 10.9% house edge)

Bet that your first two cards are the same suit. Some versions add bonuses for suited kings and queens.

Paytable dependency: House edge swings wildly based on specific payouts and deck composition. Even the best version costs you nearly 4% per bet.

Super Sevens (4.9% – 16.7% house edge)

Progressive bet based on receiving sevens in your first few cards. One seven pays even money, two sevens pay more, and three sevens hit the progressive jackpot.

Progressive trap: Even when jackpots grow large, the base game mathematics rarely justify the side bet.

“Never” Tier: Avoid at All Costs

Lucky Ladies (17% – 25% house edge)

Bet based on your first two cards totaling 20, with massive bonuses for specific twenty combinations like queen of hearts pairs.

Sucker bet champion: One of the worst side bets in casino gambling. The house edge approaches slot machine territory while masquerading as a blackjack bet.

Bust Bonus (4.7% – 24.1% house edge)

Bet that the dealer will bust, with higher payouts for specific bust scenarios. Sounds logical since you want the dealer to bust anyway.

Mathematical reality: Dealer busts roughly 28% of the time, but payouts don’t compensate for the 72% losing frequency.

Over/Under 13 (6.5% – 10% house edge)

Bet whether your first two cards total over or under 13. Aces count as 1, face cards as 10.

Simplicity trap: Looks like a straightforward 50/50 bet, but the mathematics heavily favors the house. The “push” on exactly 13 tilts odds against players.

Blackjack Spin (15% – 25% house edge)

A wheel-spinning side bet where you select numbers and hope the wheel lands on your choice. Has nothing to do with blackjack cards.

Pure gimmick: This isn’t even a blackjack side bet—it’s a carnival game disguised as one.

Why Side Bets Exist

Casinos love side bets because they increase the house edge on blackjack tables from 0.5% to 3-25%, depending on player participation. Side bets also speed up the game since players make more decisions per hand.

Psychological appeal: Side bets offer large payouts and frequent small wins that create excitement. Players remember the occasional 25:1 hit while forgetting the dozens of losing bets.

Learning basic strategy requires understanding how casino mathematics works across different games—amatic slots show simple probability models that help you grasp why blackjack’s 0.5% house edge beats most casino offerings.

The Smart Approach

Focus your energy on mastering basic strategy instead of evaluating side bets. A perfect basic strategy reduces the house edge to 0.5%—better than any side bet will ever offer.

Bottom line: Side bets turn the skill game of blackjack into a luck-based carnival. Stick to the main game where your decisions actually matter.