Side Bet
An optional supplementary wager offered alongside the main game bet, typically with higher payouts but a larger house edge.
Detailed Explanation
Side bets are optional wagers available in table games that run parallel to the main game. They are decided independently of the primary outcome — a player can win the side bet while losing the main bet, or vice versa. Common examples include: 21+3 in blackjack (combining the player's two cards and the dealer's upcard into a poker hand), Pairs in baccarat (wagering that the first two Player or Banker cards will form a pair), and various bonus wagers in three-card poker.
Side bets are almost universally worse EV than the main game. While main blackjack has a house edge of ~0.5% with basic strategy, popular side bets carry edges of 3–10%. They compensate for poor EV with high payout multipliers — a suited three-of-a-kind in 21+3 might pay 100:1 — appealing to players seeking volatile, high-reward outcomes.
For advantage players, side bets can occasionally be profitable. Some side bets (like 21+3 or Lucky Ladies) are known to be card-count-sensitive — their EV swings positive at high true counts. This makes them attractive to card counters as a supplementary profit centre when conditions are right, even though the main game remains the primary focus.
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