21 3 Side Bet
IIRC, you have to play the minimum bet on 21+3, which is $5, in order to play the minimum bet on this sidebet, which is $1. 21+3 The 21+3 side bet is the most common side bet in blackjack. It is offered in most land-based and online casinos. This side bet is adapted from poker and involves both the player’s and the dealer’s cards. This is the%age of a bet that the house can expect to win. If someone bets $100 and the house edge is 3.5%, the house should, on average, win $3.50. The house edge on the most common form of 21+3 – in Vegas at least – is 3.24%. This means each time you bet, you will only bring back 97 cents in every dollar.
21+3 Blackjack is a very popular side bets blackjack variation, invented and patented by Derek J. Webb in 2000. The game is a combination of blackjack and three card poker, where your first 2 cards and the dealer’s face up card are used to combine a three card hand. If you are familiar with Perfect Pairs, then you can look at 21+3 as its further development.It is considered one of the latest additions and therefore it is not offered by most blackjack sites. Nevertheless, there are 3 versions of 21+3 Blackjack available online and we are sure that more to come.
Content1. Game reviews
2. 21+3 payout variations
3. Where to Play
4. 21+3 rules
5. Online games comparison
6. Summary
Game Reviews & Free Play
21+3 Payouts
21 plus 3 Blackjack has two common payout tables which you can find below, however some casinos offer their own rule sets. If you encounter any discrepancies, we recommend that you check the appropriate house edge before you proceed.
*We’ve also added option #3 since it’s the one used in IGT online casinos. The odds are calculated based on 6 deck games.
Option #1
Flush – 5:1
Straight – 10 to 1
3 of a kind – 30 to 1
Straight flush – 40 to 1
Suited three of a kind – 100 to 1
Odds: 95.38%
Option #2
Flush – 9 to 1
Straight – 9 to 1
Three of a kind – 9 to 1
Straight Flush – 9 to 1
Odds: 96.76%
Option #3
Flush – 5:1,
Straight – 10 to 1,
3 of a kind – 33 to 1,
Straight flush – 35 to 1
Suited three of a kind – 100 to 1.
Odds: 95.86%
Where to Play
Blackjack 21+3 Side Bet Odds
| Casino | Bonus | Why it’s here | Best Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100% up to $1000 | Best for USA and AUS casino | Single Deck – 0.08% house edge | |
| 100% up to £/$/€ 100 | Best for UK, Canada and EU | Classic Blackjack – 0.21% house edge | |
| 150% up to $1500 | Highest USA Blackjack Bonus | N/A |
21+3 Blackjack Rules
21+3 is based on European blackjack rules, meaning that the dealer doesn’t check for blackjack. Therefore in case the dealer has a natural, your doubles and splits will be lost as well. Other rules:
21+3 Extreme Side Bet
- Usually played with 6 standard decks.
- Dealer stands on all 17s.
- Double down rules vary, but usually you can double on 9,10, 11 value.
- Doubled down hands receive one card.
- Split up to 2 hands, including Aces.
- You can hit or double split hands, including Aces.
- Blackjack pays 3:2
- Similar value hands are push.
The house edge under these rules is 0.48%.
Blackjack 21+3 Online Games Comparison
There are three 21+3 games available online. The first can be found in Wagerworks (IGT) casinos. The second one was developed by Felt Gaming and can be found only in Unibet casino. The third one is a live dealer game by Evolution Gaming.
Basic Game Rules
We will mention only the rules that differ from the common ones listed above.
IGT (Wagerworks): You can split two 3 hands and re-split Aces. Double down on any 2 cards.
Felt Gaming: Standard rules
Evolution: Played with 8 decks. Also offers Perfect Pairs side bet. Double down on any 2 cards. Single card to split Aces.
21+3 Bonus Comparison
Evolution: Standard Option #1, but played with 8 decks which lowers the side bets house edge by roughly 1%.
Felt: Standard Option #1.
IGT (Wagerworks): Option #3.
21 Plus Top 3 Side Bet
Bottom Line
Wagerworks (IGT)
Base Game: 99.70%
Side Bets: 95.86%
Evolution Gaming
Base Game: 99.41%
Side Bets: 96.38%
Update: Realistic Games also offer 21+3 blackjack. The special rules are: based on American Blackjack (dealer checks for blackjack). Double down on any 2 cards. Split Aces receive only 1 card. Bonus payouts are as on Option #1, except the 3 of a Kind which pays 25:1. Under these rules basic odds are 99.59%. The side bet odds are extremely low, just 92%.