The Best Casino Table Game Side Bets: Are They Worth It?

The standard, mathematically sound bets in table games are no longer enough to satisfy the modern, thrill-seeking casino player.


These side bets promise massive, life-changing payouts for a tiny one-dollar or five-dollar wager, making them incredibly tempting.

The Math Behind the Madness

The golden rule of casino gambling is simple: the higher the potential payout, the higher the mathematical house edge.


A player utilizing perfect basic strategy can still go broke incredibly fast if they continuously leak chips onto the side bet circles.

The '21+3' blackjack side bet, which uses your two cards and the dealer's upcard to make a poker hand, usually carries a 9% house edgeCard counters completely ignore side bets because the variance is too high and it draws unwanted attention from the pit bossThe flashing lights and massive payout numbers printed on the felt are designed to distract you from the incredibly poor mathematical probability
Should You Ever Place a Side Bet?

If you choose to play them, you must treat the side bet money as a completely separate, highly volatile entertainment budget.


If you want to play purely for the mathematical edge, stick to the main game; if you want a lottery ticket, throw a dollar on the bonus.

Popular Side BetGameAverage House EdgePerfect PairsBlackjack6.00% - 11.00%Dragon BonusBaccarat8.00% - 9.00%

Always remember that the massive resort was built exactly by collecting millions of those 'harmless' one-dollar side bets.