Start here
Blackjack Side Bets: An Overview of the Maths
What blackjack side bets are, how their pay tables work, and a simple framework for judging any of them by house edge, hit rate and volatility.
Game Formats
Side Bets Explained
The maths behind common side bets and why most carry a higher house edge.
21 Plus 3 Side Bet: How the Poker Hands Pay
How the 21+3 side bet builds a three-card poker hand from your two cards and the dealer upcard, which hands usually pay, and why deck count matters.
Calculating the Edge of Any Side Bet Yourself
A step-by-step method for turning any side bet pay table into a house edge, with checked worked examples using made-up payouts for illustration.
Insurance Versus Side Bets: Comparing the Costs
Insurance and side bets are both optional wagers. See how they compare on one edge scale, and why insurance costs less in practice than its edge suggests.
Lucky Ladies Side Bet Explained
How the Lucky Ladies side bet pays on a first-two-card total of 20, the queen of hearts pair prize, and why its house edge is high compared with the main game.
Over Under 13 Side Bet Explained
How the Over Under 13 side bet works, why exactly 13 is the house's friend, and how the edge differs between betting over and betting under.
Perfect Pairs Side Bet: Payouts and Odds
How Perfect Pairs pays on mixed, coloured and perfect pairs, the probability of each in a shoe, and how an illustrative pay table produces its house edge.
Progressive Jackpot Side Bets in Blackjack
How progressive jackpot side bets in blackjack work, why a growing meter does not remove the house edge, and how rare hits make results highly volatile.
Royal Match Side Bet and Suited Cards
How the Royal Match side bet pays on suited starting cards and the king and queen bonus, with checked probabilities and break-even payouts.
Why Side Bet Payouts Look Generous
Why headline side bet payouts such as 25 to 1 look generous, how low hit rates hide the cost, and a simple break-even test you can apply to any pay table.
Related topics