- First a few general comments on side bets. Competition caused by growth in the casino industry has resulted in numerous new side bets including: 21+3, Big Slick, Bonanza BJ, Dare any Pair, Field of Gold, High Tie Bonus, Lucky Ladies, Lucky Lucky, Match the Dealer, Over/Under, Pair Square, Perfect Pairs, Royal Match, Super 7's, Sweet 16 and Streak.
- Royal Match - Version 4 The Shufflemaster TMS 300 is an electronic blackjack game, played facing a giant video screen of a dealer. It features a Royal Match side bet, adding a pay for the player and dealer both having a royal match. Following is the return table for six decks.
Table Of Contents
The Royal Match wager is offered before a round is dealt, and is independent of the blackjack implications of the play of the hand. The amount which can be wagered is limited by the casino, but is generally related to the amount wagered on the blackjack hand.
With simple rules and easy to learn strategies, the game of blackjack is one of the most popular card games in both Las Vegas Casinos and online around the world.
Blackjack side bets add a layer of complexity to the game, though at much greater risk.
In this article we’ll take a look at the different side bet options, how they are structured and what side bets pay.
- What are Blackjack side bets?
- Why play Blackjack side bets?
- Common side bets at most Casinos
- Other side bets to look out for
- Are Blackjack side bets worth playing?
What are Blackjack side bets?
Blackjack side bets are additional bets placed during a standard game of Blackjack. They involve predicting which cards the player, and sometimes the dealer, will receive.
Wagers are made before any cards are dealt and each side bet is based on chance rather than skill, although you can count cards to help you choose the most likely combinations for your best side bets.
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One of the most attractive features of the game of Blackjack is the low house edge compared to other games on the casino floor.
Good players will face a house edge of around 0.5%, and even if you play quite badly, that edge only rises to around 2%.
However, while the odds of losing big are low, the odds of winning are also poor.
Blackjack is mostly an even money game, rising to 2:1 at best if you are dealt a Blackjack.
Side bets offer you the chance to play much longer odds for higher player wins – as much as 5,000:1 in one case.
However, it must be noted that the house edge rises significantly for Blackjack side bets, with most bets carrying a house edge of 10% or more.
In other words, side bets make it a lot easier to lose money on blackjack.
Common side bets at most Casinos
There are a number of common side bets that you will find at most Blackjack tables.
These are clearly marked with the odds either printed on the Blackjack tables or available as a hand out or a side menu in the online version.
You should check the pay outs carefully before placing your bets as they can vary considerably between different Casinos or online sites.
The three main Blackjack side bets are:
- Insurance
- Perfect Pairs
- 21+3
Insurance – this is the most common Blackjack side bet and allows you to cover yourself against Blackjack if the dealer has an ace face up.
This bet involves half of your original stake and pays out at 2:1 if the dealer has Blackjack. The insurance bet reduces the overall house edge.
Perfect Pairs – this side bet uses the player’s cards only, and pays out if you are dealt two of a kind as follows:
- Mixed pair (two of the same value but different suit and colour) – pays 5:1
- Coloured pair (two of the same value and the same colour) – pays 12:1
- Perfect pair (two of the same card) – pays 25:1
The returns can vary between different Casinos and different pay tables and the house edge will depend on both the pay out and the number of decks used and can range from just 2 or 3% up to 11% or more.
21+3 – this side bet involves the player’s two cards and the upturned card of the dealer. It will pay out for a number of different combinations:
- Flush – (all cards are suited) – pays 5:1
- Straight – (all cards consecutive) – pays 10:1
- Three of a kind – (not the same suit) – pays 30:1
- Straight flush – (consecutive cards same suit) – pays 40:1
- Suited triple – (three of the same card) – pays 100:1
The house edge for the 21+3 side bet will vary depending on the number of decks used, standing at 8.78% for four decks, 7.81% for five decks, 7.14% for six decks and 6.29% for seven decks.
Other side bets to look out for
The Casino industry is highly competitive, and so new side bets are being invented all the time to try and attract new Blackjack players.
Some of these will flourish and become widely available, while others remain niche and can only be found in selected Casinos. Here are a few examples:
- Royal match – pays 5:2 for any suited player’s cards and 25:1 for suited king and queen
- Over/under 13 – pays even money for correctly predicting the sum of the player’s cards as less than or greater than 13. In most cases, exactly 13 will lose, but some Casinos will allow bets on exactly 13.
- Super sevens – this bet pays out if one or more sevens are dealt in the player’s cards. One seven pays 3:1, two unsuited sevens pays 50:1, two suited sevens pays 100:1. If the third card dealt is also a seven, then the bet will pay 500:1 unsuited and 5000:1 suited. However it is important to make sure that the Casino will still deal a third card if the dealer has a Blackjack, as some Casinos will not do this.
- Lucky ladies – this bet pays out if the player’s cards add up to 20, with an unsuited 20 paying 4:1, a suited 20 paying 10:1, a matched 20, same rank and suit pays 25:1, two queens of hearts 200:1 and two queens of hearts when dealer has Blackjack 1000:1.
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Blackjack side bets do not involve any skill and you are simply betting on the luck of the draw.
What’s more, the returns do not reflect the odds of each bet coming in, which gives the house a significantly larger edge.
Conclusion
Blackjack side bets are best viewed as a bit of extra complexity that adds up to a session at the Blackjack table.
However, you should not make them the main focus of your gameplay or your wagering, and you should be aware of the significantly increased house edge.
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Play NowThe promotion presented on this page was available at the time of writing. With some Casino promotions changing on daily basis, we suggest you to check on the site if it still available. Also, please do not forget to read the terms and conditions in full before you accept a bonus.- Appendices
- Miscellaneous
- External Links
Introduction
The royal match is a simple bet that pays a bonus if the first two cards are suited (an easy match) and a top bonus for a suited king and queen (a royal match). Below are probability tables for various versions I have seen through the years.
Royal Match — Version 1 — Six Decks
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal match | 25 | 144 | 0.002968 | 0.074202 |
| Easy match | 2.5 | 11,868 | 0.244620 | 0.611551 |
| No match | -1 | 36,504 | 0.752412 | -0.752412 |
| Total | 48,516 | 1.000000 | -0.066658 |
Royal Match — Version 2 — One Deck
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal match | 10 | 4 | 0.003017 | 0.030166 |
| Easy match | 3 | 308 | 0.232278 | 0.696833 |
| No match | -1 | 1,014 | 0.764706 | -0.764706 |
| Total | 1,326 | 1.000000 | -0.037707 |
The following table displays the house edge for each version given the number of decks used.
Royal Match House Edge
| Number of Decks | Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.108597 | 0.037707 |
| 2 | 0.083271 | 0.008215 |
| 4 | 0.070792 | -0.006317 |
| 6 | 0.066658 | -0.011130 |
| 8 | 0.064597 | -0.013531 |
The probabilities for the royal match are easy to derive.Lets use n for the number of decks of cards. The number of two card combinations is combin(52×n,2). The number of ways to make a royal match is 4*n2. This is because there are 4 suits and n ways to choose the queen and n ways to choose the king. The number of ways to make an easy match is 4×(combin(13×n,2)-n2). The 4 is the number of suits and combin(13×n,2) is the number of ways to arrange 2cards from a given suit. You must also subtract the number of ways to make a royal match.
The probability of an easy match is 4×(combin(13×n,2)-n2)/combin(52×n,2).
Royal Match Bet Blackjack Poker
The probability of a royal match is 4×n2/combin(52×n,2).
Royal Match - Version 3
In a third version there is a separate pay for a suited blackjack as follows.
Royal Match Bet Blackjack No Deposit
- Royal Match pays 25 to 1
- Suited Blackjack pays 5 to 1
- Easy Match pays 5 to 2
The following table shows the expected value for a 6-deck game is -3.70%.
Royal Match Version 3- Six Decks
| Hand | Combinations | Probability | Pays | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal match | 144 | 0.002968 | 25 | 0.074202 |
| Suited blackjack | 576 | 0.011872 | 5 | 0.059362 |
| All other matches | 11292 | 0.232748 | 2.5 | 0.58187 |
| Loss | 36504 | 0.752412 | -1 | -0.752412 |
| Total | 48516 | 1 | -0.036977 |
The next table shows the house edge for various number of decks for version 3.
Royal Match Version 3- 1 to 8 Decks
| Decks | House Edge |
|---|---|
| 1 | 7.84% |
| 2 | 5.34% |
| 3 | 4.52% |
| 4 | 4.11% |
| 5 | 3.86% |
| 6 | 3.70% |
| 7 | 3.58% |
| 8 | 3.49% |
Royal Match - Version 4
The Shufflemaster TMS 300 is an electronic blackjack game, played facing a giant video screen of a dealer. It features a Royal Match side bet, adding a pay for the player and dealer both having a royal match. Following is the return table for six decks.
Royal Match — Version 4 — Six Decks
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player and Dealer Royal Match | 1000 | 19152 | 0.000008 | 0.008242 |
| Player royal match | 25 | 6877728 | 0.00296 | 0.073996 |
| Suited | 2.5 | 568417860 | 0.24462 | 0.611551 |
| Loser | -1 | 1748359080 | 0.752412 | -0.752412 |
| Total | 2323673820 | 1 | -0.058622 |
The next table shows the house edge by number of decks.
Royal Match — Version 4 — 1-8 Decks
| Number of Decks | House Edge |
|---|---|
| 1 | 10.14% |
| 2 | 7.59% |
| 3 | 6.73% |
| 4 | 6.3% |
| 5 | 6.04% |
| 6 | 5.86% |
| 7 | 5.74% |
| 8 | 5.64% |
Royal Match — Version 5
Version 5 of the Royal Match is a progressive jackpot on ShuffleMaster TableMax units. These are the electronic blackjack games with a big screen, usually showing a pretty and very buxom dealer.
In this version, the side bet is always $1. It pays a progressive jackpot for a 'Crown Treasure,' which is both the dealer and player having a Royal Match. Smaller pays are $60 for a player only royal match, and $10 for a player straight flush, which I assume means the player's first two cards are suited and consecutive, including A-2.
There is also a $500 envy bonus, which pays if you make the side bet, and another player gets a Crown Treasure. The other player does not have to make the side bet for other players to qualify for the Envy Bonus.
The following table shows a hypothetical return table, for six decks, a $10,000 jackpot, and no other players.
Six-Deck Progressive Royal Match — $10,000 Jackpot and No Other Players
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Treasure | $10,000 | 19,152.00 | 0.000008 | 0.082421 |
| Royal Match | $60 | 6,877,728.00 | 0.002960 | 0.177591 |
| Straight Flush | $10 | 82,762,560.00 | 0.035617 | 0.356171 |
| Loser | $0 | 2,234,014,380.00 | 0.961415 | 0.000000 |
| Total | 2,323,673,820.00 | 1.000000 | 0.616183 |
The general formula for the return in a six-deck game is 0.533762 + 0.082421×j + 0.004121× p, where j is the jackpot divided by $10,000, and p is the number of other players (not counting yourself).
The next table shows the breakeven points, in which the expected return is exactly 100%, given the number of other players, in a six-deck game.
Progressive Royal Match Breakeven Points
| Other Players | Breakeven Point |
|---|---|
| 6 | $53,567.70 |
| 5 | $54,067.70 |
| 4 | $54,567.70 |
| 3 | $55,067.70 |
| 2 | $55,567.70 |
| 1 | $56,067.70 |
| 0 | $56,567.70 |
Written by: Michael Shackleford