- 21+3 Blackjack side bet deals with different 3-card poker hands.
- There is a 0.0002% chance of a suited Three of a Kind.
LAS VEGAS – There are several side bets that you could make when playing blackjack, both online and in person. One of the most common side bets at blackjack tables is the 21+3 bet, which focuses on the player trying to get different poker hands.
A quick breakdown of how the legal blackjack side bet works, it deals with your first two cards and the dealer's up card, and if they come out to any poker hands, such as a:
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Straight Flush
- Suited Three of a Kind
Payouts, Probability, & Combinations
Given the five different poker hands that you can get from this blackjack side bet, you’ll want to know more or less that the payouts are and how often you could expect to see one of these combinations. Below you’ll see all of the different hands, combinations, payouts, and probabilities for this side bet:
| Hand | Payout | # Of Combinations | Probability Of Hitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flush | 5 to 1 | 292,892 | 0.058424 |
| Straight | 10 to 1 | 155,520 | 0.031021 |
| Three of a Kind | 30 to 1 | 25,272 | 0.005041 |
| Straight Flush | 40 to 1 | 10,368 | 0.002068 |
| Suited Three of a Kind | 100 to 1 | 1,040 | 0.000207 |
| Losing Hands | -1 Unit | 4,528,224 | 0.903239 |
It is also worth noting that casinos do hold the right to offer different payouts for these winning combinations. In some classic versions, the standard payout is just 9 to 1 regardless of what you hit.
Do Not Waste Your Money
All in all, it’s better to stick to the basic strategy for blackjack when playing this game. If you do decide to play the side bet, play it at a low amount for fun and not on every hand. For serious players, the 21+3 side bet isn’t worth it based on the mixed payouts and the low probability of each hand.