Question of the Day - 27 September 2025

[Editor's Note: Once again, we turned to Andrew Uyal, ex-blackjack pro and floor supervisor at a major Strip casino, for the answer to this question.]

Without a timeline or specific bets you're curious about, it's a bit tough to answer this question, so I'll talk about five of the most popular side bets around the country.

First on the list is Perfect Pairs. When you place a Perfect Pairs bet, you're betting on being dealt a pair (like 9s, queens, etc.) and are paid according to whether your pair is mixed (a red 9 and a black 9), a colored pair (a 9 of clubs and a 9 of spades), or a perfect pair (two 9 of diamonds). The number of decks on the game, along with the paytable chosen by the casino, will result in a house edge of anywhere from 4% up to 11%. 

Next up, Lucky Ladies. This bet pays if your first two cards equal 20. The 20 can be off-suit, suited, a pair, a suited pair, or the huge payout of two queens of hearts along with a dealer blackjack. There are also a handful of different paytables for this bet, offering house edges up to a whopping 17%.

We've got one more bet that focuses on the player's first two cards. It's a classic that's making a comeback on electronic table games (ETGs) all over the country. Royal Match pays when your first two cards are suited, with the big payout coming with a suited king/queen combo. This one isn't as exciting, with only two payouts, but it does hit more frequently, resulting in one of the more player-friendly house edges at about 4%.

Now, let's get into a bet that includes the dealer's up card, 21+3, which has been rebranded on many (but not all) tables as Trilux. This bet pays when the player's first two cards, along with the dealer's up card, combine to make a three-card poker hand. It pays when those 3 cards combine to make a flush, straight, three-of-a-kind, or straight flush. There are a ton of versions of this bet with varying paytables, with a house edge of 3.5% all the way up to 10%.

Last on our list for today is Buster Blackjack. This bet relies on the dealer busting, making it a fun one to play. The payout goes higher the more cards the dealer draws to get to the bust. The house edge varies a bit depending on the game, ranging from 6% to almost 9%. 

These are some of the most popular side bets found on casino floors around the country. There are more, of course, but this gives you an idea of the house edges you'll be up against. The lowest can be around 3%, up to the big whoppers at almost 20%, with some going over even that. If that doesn't sound like a lot, think about how much money people lose on blackjack and remember that the average house advantage on blackjack is around 1.5%.

As for whether they're worth playing, that's entirely subjective. It has to be fun for you. If you understand that you're likely to lose, but have a good time when you win, then it's worth playing, just like gambling in general. Tread carefully and have fun.