Now that I’ve shared my experiences as an online blackjack player, it’s time to share the one lesson I have learned the hard way: never make side bets at the blackjack table or in online casinos. As you will see below, they are bad bets in general, but there are even more reasons not to do them than that. In fact, if there were only one reason, it would be this: side bets require that you only play with money you can afford to lose – no exceptions. Why? Let me show you…
An introduction
Blackjack is a complicated game. While it might seem simple—pick cards until you’re satisfied with your hand—it’s actually quite difficult to win over a long period of time. You need to understand basic strategy, deck composition and be able to recognize when other players are bluffing or acting strangely (which means they probably have a good hand). And then there are side bets that people tend to take in order to try and gain an edge over the house; these are bad bets for players because they give up money more often than not.
Common Side Bets
There are a variety of common side bets played while playing blackjack. Amongst these most popular side bets are: Match Play (hit a card to complete a specific hand), Splitting Pairs (splitting pairs to play two hands instead of one), and Insurance (wager that your hand is better than dealer’s). These three types of blackjack side bets are among some of favorites for beginning gamblers. It’s also easy to figure out what you’re doing and how much you’ll win if you know how each works. If you haven’t tried any side bets yet, now might be as good a time as any! Read on for additional information about them before you put any money down…
The reason to avoid side bets
First off, side bets are part of games that offer house edge that is much higher than traditional casino table games. For example: Let’s look at a couple side bets available at some casinos. In craps, you can bet on Don’t Pass/Come (betting against rolls of seven or eleven). The rules state you lose if any number six is rolled with your pass line wager in place. So let’s say someone decides to bet $5 on Don’t Pass and they win. They get paid $10 for their winnings, but they also have to pay back their original $5 bet. That means they just lost five dollars instead of winning ten dollars like they thought they would. This is known as the negative expectation which means you will most likely lose money over time when playing these types of games. It might seem like a fun idea, but it could actually cost you more money in the long run because it has such a high house edge!
Variations on side bets
If you’re playing at a live table and don’t have access to a computerized game with great rules, be very wary of any variation on betting against another player or against someone whose cards you think you can read. These bets tend to involve doubling your bet for a slightly greater return; for example, maybe you will get 3:1 on your money if you win. But these bets usually offer much worse odds than blackjack and are likely to cost more over time than if you just played even money.
Why they are bad
One thing many gamblers do not realize about blackjack side bets is that casinos always win. The odds are stacked against you. For example, if you bet $1 on a Blackjack side bet and won then you would win $5 but to win that money you would have had to risk an additional $4 first. The math does not work out in your favor. Even if someone can get into a situation where they have an edge over the casino it will be minimal at best. In other words, even though there may be a slight chance of winning something with these bets, there is no way to guarantee it. If you want to play blackjack for fun then go ahead but avoid betting anything more than what you are willing to lose because chances are good that’s exactly what will happen.
Tips on avoiding side bets when playing blackjack
Side bets are offered by many blackjack dealers and can appear to be good deals, but in reality they’re one of blackjack’s worst bets. Here are some tips on how to avoid them: Before you even take a seat at a table, walk around and look for people making side bets. Many players may have started betting on something else—such as whether a specific card will be dealt from that deck or what number will be turned over after two cards please is called—without realizing they shouldn’t do it. If you see someone making a side bet next to you and he’s losing his shirt…he probably knows better now too.
