AnswerBlackjack side bets carry a house edge of roughly 3% to 10%, against about 0.5% on the main hand. Skip them.
Common side bets
| Bet | Wins when | Top payout | Typical house edge |
|---|
| Insurance | Dealer shows an ace and has blackjack | 2 to 1 | About 7% |
|---|
| Perfect pairs | Your first two cards are a pair | 25 to 1 for a perfect pair | About 4% to 6% |
|---|
| 21+3 | Your two cards and the dealer's make a poker hand | Up to 100 to 1 | About 3% to 4% |
|---|
| Hot 3 and similar | Totals of the first three cards | Up to 100 to 1 | About 5% |
|---|
| Bust bets | The dealer busts | Varies by cards | About 6% or more |
|---|
Typical figures; paytables and deck counts vary.
Side by side
£1 on the main hand and £1 on perfect pairs for 60 hands: the main bet costs about 30p on average; the side bet about £3.
Insurance and even money
Insurance is a separate bet that the dealer has a ten underneath. "Even money" on your blackjack is the same bet in disguise. Decline both.
Where to play
All five, by report. Parent guide: Blackjack.
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