Brick-and-mortar casinos have introduced a broad range of side bets over the last few decades as a way of attracting more customers to their tables. This approach has apparently been successful, as the same trend can be observed across many live dealer tables available online.
Online players can choose from a host of exciting side bets at the live tables powered by software suppliers like Evolution Gaming, Playtech, Ezugi, and Visionary iGaming. One thing side wagers have in common is the higher house edge they carry.
This advantage varies among different side bets, depending on the payout structure. Some side wagers yield a greater casino advantage than others. Nevertheless, if you can live with the higher edge, you still have plenty of options. SuperCasinoSites takes a look at some of the most common side bets you will find in live blackjack, poker, and baccarat.
Live Casino Side Bets in a Nutshell
In a nutshell, side bets are optional wagers that have no relation to the outcome of the main bet you place on the live table layout. These are typically placed at the very start of the betting round before any cards have been dealt. In card games, side bets typically win when the players’ and the dealer’s cards form certain qualifying hands.
With some side bets, such as those in the Perfect Pairs category, payouts are awarded when the two cards in the player’s starting hand form suited, colored, or mixed pairs. The longer the odds of forming a specific combination, the bigger the payout for the respective side wager.
These optional wagers are placed in specially designated betting boxes on the live table layout. They are usually settled before the playing round commences, although this is not always the case. For example, the optional bets from the Buster category are settled at the end of the round after the live dealer has completed their hand.
Speaking of payouts, most side wagers have minuscule chances of winning, much lower than those of winning in the main game. Discrepancies between the casino odds and the true odds of winning cause a significant increase in the house edge of most side bets.
What is more, the outcome is normally based on chance rather than skill, so you should be careful with side bets and place them only occasionally. Side wagers truly are a gold mine from the perspective of live casinos because they increase the casino’s take and yield additional profits.
Live Blackjack Side Bets
| Side Bet |
Perfect Pairs |
21+3 |
Bust It |
Hot 3 |
| Winning Criteria |
First two drawn cards of player/dealer are a pair |
Player’s first two cards and the dealer’s first card form a three-card poker hand |
Player predicts how many cards the dealer will bust with (must be more than three) |
Player’s first two cards and the dealer’s up card must total 19, 20, or 21 |
| Payout |
6 to 1 for a mixed pair
12 to 1 for a colored pair
25 to 1 for a perfect pair |
Ranges between 5 to 1 and 100 to 1, depending on hand ranking |
Even money for 3 cards
2 to 1 for 4 cards
9 to 1 for 5 cards
50 to 1 for 6 cards
100 to 1 for 7 cards
250 to 1 for 8 or more cards |
Even money for a total of 19
2 to 1 for a total of 20
4 to 1 for an unsuited total of 21
20 to 1 for a suited total of 21
100 to 1 for three 7’s |
| RTP |
95.9% |
96.3% |
93.82% |
94.6% |
Side Bets in Live Dealer Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the casino games whose structure readily lends itself to side bets. Many live dealer variants available online feature a broad range of options for side bettors, with the most popular wagers falling into two main categories: Perfect Pairs and 21+3 (Rummy). Let’s take a closer look at what these bets involve and how they pay.
The Perfect Pairs Group of Side Bets
The 21+3 Group of Side Bets
Other Side Bets in Live Blackjack
The Perfect Pairs Group of Side Bets
These optional wagers pay whenever the first two cards of either the player or the dealer form a designated pair. The more difficult the pair is to make, the higher the payout. A Perfect Pairs bet can be placed only after you have posted an initial wager in the main game.
Payouts vary according to the type of pair you hit. For the sake of simplicity, we will use the payoffs awarded at Evolution Gaming live casinos. Other software platforms may offer different prizes for these bets. The possible combinations are:
- Mixed pairs pay 6 to 1 when you receive two offsuit cards of the same rank. They are easiest to form, especially when playing with eight decks, as in most Evolution Gaming live blackjack games.
- Colored pairs pay 12 to 1 when the player’s or dealer’s first two cards are offsuit but share the same color and numerical rank, such as [2s][2c].
- Perfect pairs deliver the top payout in this category at 25 to 1 because they are hardest to hit. A perfect pair comprises two cards of identical suit and rank, for example two Aces of spades.
The 21+3 Group of Side Bets
With this category of side bets, blackjack meets poker. Extra-high payouts are awarded when the player’s first two cards and the dealer’s upcard combine to form specific three-card poker hands. You must place your chips before the round begins.
In other words, you cannot place these side bets on their own; you must first wager in the main blackjack game. Compare the payout tables of different live-casino providers to ensure you get the best return on your winning 21+3 bets. The following prizes are paid for valid three-card poker hands.
- A Flush pays 5 to 1 and consists of three cards of the same suit.
- A Straight is formed with three offsuit cards in sequential rank and pays 10 to 1.
- Offsuit Three of a Kind (offsuit trips) pays 30 to 1 when your two cards and the dealer’s upcard share the same rank but different suits. For example, [Qs][Qc][Qh].
- A Straight Flush offers odds of 40 to 1. It comprises three sequential cards of the same suit, such as [Js][Qs][Ks].
- The highest-paying hand is suited Three of a Kind (suited trips). For instance, three Queens of spades pay 100 to 1.
Other Side Bets in Live Blackjack
Apart from Perfect Pairs and 21+3, blackjack features a variety of less common side wagers, including the Honey Bonus Bet, Lucky 7, Hot 3, Top 3, Bust It, and the Buster Bet. Although less popular, they are highly entertaining.
Feel free to place them occasionally for fun, but only for modest amounts and when your blackjack bankroll allows it. These side wagers appear at selected live blackjack tables powered by Evolution Gaming, BetConstruct, and Playtech.
- The Honey Bonus Bet is rarely available in online live casinos. It resembles the 21+3 bet, with one additional payout for blackjacks made with suited cards. This option is exclusive to BetConstruct live casinos. The qualifying hands and payouts are: Three of a Kind (20 to 1), Straight (10 to 1), Flush (5 to 1), and Suited Blackjack (3 to 1). The house edge for this set of wagers is 13.51%.
- The Lucky 7 is another engaging side wager offered only at BetConstruct-powered live tables. You win whenever your hand contains one or more 7s. Suit also matters. The payouts are: at least one 7 (3 to 1), a pair of offsuit 7s (25 to 1), a pair of suited 7s (50 to 1), three offsuit 7s (100 to 1), or three suited 7s (500 to 1).
- The Lucky Lucky side bet appears in RNG blackjack variants and at some Playtech live tables. To earn a payout, your first two cards and the dealer’s upcard must form one of these combinations: three suited 7s (200 to 1), suited 6/7/8 (100 to 1), three offsuit 7s (50 to 1), offsuit 6/7/8 (25 to 1), suited 21 (15 to 1), or any 19 or 20 (2 to 1).
- The Hot 3 side wager is found in Evolution Gaming’s Infinite Blackjack. It pays for certain three-card totals of 19, 20, or 21, calculated from the player’s first two cards and the dealer’s upcard. The top payout of 100 to 1 is awarded for three suited 7s. When using this bet, reconsider some splitting decisions.
- The Top 3 is another Playtech-exclusive wager available in All Bets Blackjack. The player’s first two cards and the dealer’s upcard form qualifying three-card poker hands that pay: offsuit Three of a Kind (90 to 1), Straight Flush (180 to 1), and suited Three of a Kind (270 to 1).
- The Bust It Bet is featured in Infinite Blackjack by Evolution Gaming. Unlike the wagers covered above, Bust It is resolved after the dealer reveals the hole card and completes the hand. The bet pays when the dealer busts with three or more cards, returning even money for a three-card bust and up to 250 to 1 for eight or more cards.
- The Buster Bet is similar to Bust It but pays more when the player has blackjack and the dealer busts with seven cards (800 to 1) or eight cards (2,000 to 1). Other payouts include: dealer bust with eight cards without player blackjack (250 to 1), seven-card dealer bust without player blackjack (50 to 1), six-card dealer bust (18 to 1), five-card dealer bust (4 to 1), and four- or three-card dealer bust (2 to 1).
Side Bets in Live Casino-Banked Poker
Like blackjack, poker can also support a wide variety of side betting options. And by poker, we mean the variations where you play against the house’s bank rather than the traditional format where you compete against other players. This structure enables the games to accommodate an almost unlimited number of participants. Let’s see what live dealer poker has in store for side bettors.
The Bonus Side Bet in Live Casino Hold’em Poker
The 5+1 Side Bet in Live Carribean Stud Poker
First 5 Side Bet in Live Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker
Other Side Bets in Live Poker
The Bonus Side Bet in Live Casino Hold’em Poker
Casino Hold’em is a gripping, action-packed live game from Evolution Gaming in which the dealer qualifies with a pair of 4s or better. The Bonus Bet is optional, yet you cannot place it by itself.
You must first make an Ante bet to unlock the betting spot for this wager. The side bet is settled using your two cards and the flop, that is, the first three community cards on the board. It pays whenever these five cards form a pair of Aces or better. The house edge is 6.26%. You will find the full list of payouts in the table below:
Bonus Bet Payouts in Casino Hold’em Poker
| Qualifying Hand | Casino Odds for the Bonus Bet |
| Paired aces or better | 7 to 1 |
| Flush | 20 to 1 |
| Full House | 30 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind | 40 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 50 to 1 |
| Royal Flush | 100 to 1 |
Perhaps even more appealing is the Jumbo 7 Jackpot side bet, available at Evolution Gaming casinos that participate in the shared pools. By posting it, you can play for a massive progressive jackpot that often reaches impressive amounts.
The Jumbo 7 side bet has an even higher house edge of 18.36%. The jackpot is claimed when a player who has made the wager hits a seven-card Straight Flush using their two cards and the five community cards. This hand wins the entire jackpot. Other qualifying hands award fixed prizes as well. We feature the full paytable for this progressive side wager below.
Payouts for the Jumbo 7 Progressive Bet in Live Casino Hold’em Poker
| Qualifying Hand | Payout |
| Seven-Card Straight Flush | The entire progressive jackpot |
| Six-Card Straight Flush | $5,000 |
| Five-Card Straight Flush | $250 |
| Four of a Kind | $50 |
| Full House | $5 |
| Flush | $4 |
| Straight | $2 |
The 5+1 Side Bet in Live Carribean Stud Poker
Caribbean Stud is another thrilling live poker variant in which you play against the house and can boost your earnings with optional side bets. The game uses a standard 52-card deck with the Jokers removed.
Each round begins with the player placing a bet in the Ante box. Both the dealer and the player receive five cards, but only one of the dealer’s cards is dealt face-up. No community cards are used. The dealer qualifies with Ace/King or higher.
The spotlight here is the optional 5+1 Bonus Bet. It pays when your five cards combined with the dealer’s upcard form a five-card poker hand. You need Three of a Kind or better to collect. The side bet carries a house edge of 8.56%. Below is the full paytable for the 5+1 Bonus Bet.
5+1 Bonus Bet Paytable in Live Caribbean Stud Poker
| Qualifying Five-Card Poker Hand | Bonus Casino Odds |
| Royal Flush | 1,000 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 200 to 1 |
| Four of a Kind | 100 to 1 |
| Full House | 20 to 1 |
| Flush | 15 to 1 |
| Straight | 10 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | 7 to 1 |
First 5 Side Bet in Live Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker
Live Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker is offered exclusively at Evolution Gaming live casinos. As the name implies, the game closely follows traditional Texas Hold’em, with the key difference that you compete against the house instead of other players.
In addition, the player is not required to place a bet after the river card , unlike in the standard game. After the initial deal, you may either fold or post a bet equal to 2x your ante. Once the flop is dealt, you can make a turn bet equal to your ante or check. After the turn, you may place a river bet equal to your ante or check again.
The game offers two exciting side wagers, the first of which is the Bonus Bet. It is settled based on your two face-up cards and the dealer’s two initial cards. Payouts vary according to the strength of the hand you form.
Bonus Bet Payouts in Live Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker
| Qualifying Hand | Payout |
| Ace/Ace (Player and Dealer) | 1,000 to 1 |
| Ace/Ace (Player) | 30 to 1 |
| Suited Ace/King | 25 to 1 |
| Suited Ace/Queen or Ace/Jack | 20 to 1 |
| Offsuit Ace/King | 15 to 1 |
| King/King, Queen/Queen, Jack/Jack | 10 to 1 |
| Offsuit Ace/Queen or Ace/Jack | 5 to 1 |
| Paired Tens through Deuces | 3 to 1 |
But that is not all Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker offers. You can win a share of a large progressive pot by posting the optional First 5 Jackpot wager. The entire progressive prize is awarded for a Royal Flush, while smaller shares are paid to players who wager on the progressive side bet and hit at least Three of a Kind.
First 5 Jackpot Side Bet Payouts in Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker
| Qualifying Hand | Payout |
| Royal Flush | Wins the entire current jackpot |
| Straight Flush | $2,500 |
| Four of a Kind | $250 |
| Full House | $50 |
| Flush | $25 |
| Straight | $10 |
| Three of a Kind | $3 |
Other Side Bets in Live Poker
Casino-banked poker also features several rarer side bets that you can play from time to time just for fun. Most of the wagers listed below are exclusive to the live poker variations developed by the Evolution Gaming studio. Here is a brief description of each bet and the game in which it appears.
- The Trips Bonus Bet is available in the live version of Ultimate Texas Hold’em, which Evolution Gaming created in partnership with the Scientific Games software studio. This wager adds extra excitement by paying for five-card poker hands made from your two cards plus any three community cards. The following hands pay: Three of a Kind (3 to 1), Straight (4 to 1), Flush (7 to 1), Full House (8 to 1), Four of a Kind (30 to 1), Straight Flush (40 to 1), and Royal Flush (50 to 1).
- Players will find the Pair Plus Bonus Bet in Evolution Gaming’s Live Three Card Poker, where the dealers qualify with Queen high or better. Unlike the games discussed so far, both you and the dealer receive three cards. The dealer’s hand is dealt face-down. Additional payouts for Pair Plus are: pair (even money), Flush (4 to 1), Straight (5 to 1), Three of a Kind (30 to 1), Straight Flush (40 to 1), and Mini Royal Flush of Ace/King/Queen (100 to 1).
- The 6 Card Bonus Bet is another enticing option in Live Three Card Poker. Your three cards together with the dealer’s three cards form a six-card hand, from which any five-card poker hand on the bonus paytable can qualify. The prizes are: Three of a Kind (7 to 1), Straight (10 to 1), Flush (15 to 1), Full House (20 to 1), Four of a Kind (100 to 1), Straight Flush (200 to 1), and Royal Flush (1,000 to 1).
Side Bet Paytable Comparison
We mentioned earlier that side bets pay at different casino odds, depending on the platform your chosen live casino uses. Because of this, it is highly recommended to compare what different software providers offer in terms of payouts so you can choose the platform that gives you the most value for your money.
We believe the side-by-side comparison featured in the table below will save you a lot of time and effort. The table includes the payouts for the two most popular groups of side wagers – Perfect Pairs and 21+3.
Side Bet Payouts Offered by Different Live Casino Platforms
| Side Bet |
Evolution Gaming |
Ezugi |
NetEnt |
Playtech |
Visionary iGaming |
BetConstruct |
Extreme Live Gaming |
| Perfect Pairs |
25 to 1 |
25 to 1 |
30 to 1 |
25 to 1 |
11 to 1 |
25 to 1 |
25 to 1 |
| Colored Pairs |
12 to 1 |
12 to 1 |
10 to 1 |
12 to 1 |
11 to 1 |
12 to 1 |
12 to 1 |
| Mixed Pairs |
6 to 1 |
6 to 1 |
5 to 1 |
6 to 1 |
11 to 1 |
5 to 1 |
6 to 1 |
| Suited Trips |
100 to 1 |
100 to 1 |
100 to 1 |
100 to 1 |
9 to 1 |
N/A |
100 to 1 |
| Straight Flush |
40 to 1 |
40 to 1 |
40 to 1 |
40 to 1 |
9 to 1 |
N/A |
40 to 1 |
| Offsuit Trips |
30 to 1 |
25 to 1 |
25 to 1 |
30 to 1 |
9 to 1 |
N/A |
30 to 1 |
| Straight |
10 to 1 |
10 to 1 |
10 to 1 |
10 to 1 |
9 to 1 |
N/A |
10 to 1 |
| Flush |
5 to 1 |
5 to 1 |
5 to 1 |
5 to 1 |
9 to 1 |
N/A |
5 to 1 |
