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.


They add an extra layer of volatile excitement to a game that might otherwise feel slow or repetitive.

The True Cost of Chasing the Jackpot

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


Casinos heavily promote these bets because they represent pure, unadulterated profit for the corporation over the long term.

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
Treating Side Bets as Pure Entertainment

However, gambling is ultimately about entertainment, and side bets undeniably add a massive adrenaline rush to the game.


Never increase the size of your main bet to try and cover the continuous losses generated by chasing a side bet jackpot.

The IllusionThe RealityThe Impact"It's only one dollar"$1 per hand equals $60 an hour lostSteadily drains a small bankroll"The payout is 100 to 1"The true odds of hitting it are 200 to 1The casino pockets the massive mathematical difference

If you understand the math and still want to play them for fun, do so with strict, unbreakable limits.