Are Side Bets Worth It in Blackjack?

Most blackjack players don’t give much thought to side bets. They’re happy to stick with the main game and maybe make a few dollars from time to time. But what if you could make some serious money from side bets? Would it be worth your while to give them a try?

The answer to that question depends on a few factors. First, you need to understand what kinds of side bets are available.

Then, you need to know how much money you can reasonably expect to make from them. Finally, you need to compare that potential earnings to the amount of money you’d lose if you failed at the bet.

There are two main types of side bets in blackjack: those that pay off when your hand is a certain value, and those that pay off when the dealer’s hand is a certain value. The most common hand-based side bet is insurance, which pays off if the dealer has blackjack.

Other hand-based side bets include bets that pay off if you have a natural blackjack (an ace and a ten-value card), or if you hit a certain number of cards in your hand (such as six).

The most common dealer-based side bet is called “bust insurance.” This bet pays off if the dealer busts (goes over 21).

Other dealer-based side bets include bets that pay off if the dealer gets a certain number on their up-card (such as an ace), or if the dealer hits a certain number of cards in their hand (such as 17).

So, how much money can you expect to make from side bets? That depends on the odds of the bet and the size of the bet. For example, insurance pays off at 2-to-1 odds, so if you bet $10 on insurance and the dealer has blackjack, you’ll win $20.

Similarly, a bet that pays off at 3-to-1 odds will net you $30 if it wins, while a 4-to-1 odds bet will net you $40.

Of course, no betting system is perfect. There will always be times when you lose your bet, even if it has good odds. That’s why it’s important to compare your potential earnings from side bets to your potential losses.

For example, let’s say you have a 50% chance of winning a 3-to-1 odds bet. That means you have a 50% chance of losing $10 (the amount of your original bet). So, in this case, you could expect to break even in the long run – not exactly an exciting prospect!.

On the other hand, let’s say you have a 90% chance of winning a 4-to-1 odds bet. In this case, your expected loss is only 10% of your original bet ($1), which means you stand to make quite a bit of money in the long run.

Of course, there’s always the possibility that you could lose your entire bet – but that’s true of any gambling system, including traditional blackjack play.

So are side bets worth it? It depends on your goals as a blackjack player. If your goal is simply to have some fun and maybe make a little extra money from time to time, then sure – go ahead and place some side bets! But if your goal is to make serious money from blackjack, then you need to be more selective about which side bets you place, and make sure that their expected return is high enough to offset any potential losses.