The Over/Under Report:
A System for Beating
the Over/Under Side Bet
By Arnold Snyder
- Over Under 13 Blackjack Side Bet Poker
- Over Under 13 Blackjack Side Bet Poker
- Over Under 13 Blackjack Side Bet Payouts
- Over Under 13 Blackjack Side Bet Sign
- Over Under 13 Blackjack Side Bet Picks
- Over Under 13 Blackjack Side Bet Odds
- Single deck Blackjack offers lower payouts – 3 to 1 for Easy Match (suited cards) and 10 to 1 for the Royal Match. Over 13, Under 13. Pretty self-explanatory bet type usually found at the 6 and 8 decks Blackjack tables. The players wager that their hand will be either lower than 13 or go above that number.
- You'll find the complete basic strategy in Stanford Wong's book, Basic Blackjack. This side bet allows a player to wager that the likelihood of his two initial cards will total either over 13 or under 13 (if the total is exactly 13 the player loses both the over and under bet).
Introduction
Much of this report will seem too technical for the average player. If you don’t quite grasp some of the mathematical concepts, don’t worry about it. The over/under card counting system described is simple and easy to apply. Just follow the recommendations and you should have no trouble. The more technical explanations are for the math-heads who will hopefully appreciate the full story. –A.S.
The Over/Under Rule
At the time of this writing (August, 1989) the only U.S. casino that offers the over/under rule at its blackjack tables is Caesars Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada. [Editor's note: As of 2006, the Over/Under rule is not offered in the U.S. However, it is offered in casinos in Eastern Europe, Asia, and elsewhere.] Caesars has a two-year exclusive contract with the developer of this rule variation to offer this game in the U.S. In the summer of 1990, the developer may market this rule variation to other U.S. casinos.
A Hi bet is also on offer, and that also pays out at odds of even money if a players two initial cards are valued at over 13. A third side bet option however is available and that is the 13 Bet option, by placing that side bet players will be hoping that their initial two playing cards dealt out to them are valued at exactly 13.
Note: Technically, the “rule” of a game cannot be protected by copyright or patent. However, the over/under bet requires an alteration of the blackjack table layout in order to facilitate the side bet. The developer, Mr. Ken Perrie, a Caesars’ pit boss, owns the rights to the design of his unique table layout.
Bets on the regular blackjack hand are placed in the large central circle (the normal betting spot). Optional over/under side bets may be placed in the small circles to the left and right of the center circle. The side bet circles will be labelled 'over' and 'under.'
How the Over/Under Bet Works
As with the normal blackjack bet, over/under bets must be placed prior to the deal. Over/under bets are always optional side-bets. No player at an over/under game is ever required to place an over/under bet.
The player who places a bet in the over circle is betting that his first two cards will total more than 13. The player who places a bet in the under circle is betting that his first two cards will total less than 13. These are even money bets. Aces always count as one when determining totals for the over/under bet. King, Queen, Jack and 10 all count as ten. All other denominations count as their face values.
Over/Under Restrictions
No player may place an over/under bet unless he is betting on a regular blackjack hand. The amount bet on over or under may never exceed the amount bet on the blackjack hand. At Caesars Tahoe at this time, no over or under bet may ever exceed $100.
All over/under bets are settled prior to the play of the blackjack hands. The outcome of over/under bets have no effect on any aspect of the blackjack game.
Analysis of the Over/Under Game
Compared to regular blackjack, the over/under game is easy to analyze. By considering all possible two-card totals, it is a straightforward calculation to count how many of these hands total over 13, and how many total under 13.
If we assume that the player will bet one unit on every hand that his hand will total over 13, then compare the results of his wins and losses, we see that he will lose about 6 1/2% of his total amount bet. If he always bets on the under side, he will lose slightly more than 10% of his total under bets. The house obtains its advantage from the fact that the house always wins over and under bets on player totals of exactly 13.
So, “basic strategy” for the over/under bets is to never bet on either side. The house has the advantage either way in the long run.
However, it is also obvious that this house advantage will change throughout the course of the game. An excess of high cards remaining to be dealt would make a hand totaling over 13 more probable. And an excess of low cards will make an under 13 hand more probable.
In order to devise an optimal card counting system that will tell us when the over or under bets have become advantageous, we must first figure out the effects of removing each of the individual cards. Again, this is a very straightforward mathematical calculation. It is done exactly like the initial calculation we did to determine the house advantage off the top of the six-deck shoe [editor's note: analysis of 1, 2, 4 and 8 deck Over/Under games is included in the supplement at the end of this report], except that we remove one of each denomination of card in turn, refiguring the outcome on the over and under bets.
We will find, for instance, that when we remove one ten-valued card, we come up with slightly fewer possible two-card hands that will total over 13, and slightly more two-card hands that will total under 13. The difference between the house advantage off the top and minus one ten tells us the effect of removing a ten. Note that each card will have two effects of removal—one effect on the over bet, and a different effect on the under bet.
These are the approximate effects of removal in percent for each denomination of card in the 6-deck over/under game (for effects of removal in 1, 2, 4, and 8-deck games, see the supplement at the end of this report):
A | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Over: | +0.60 | +0.60 | +0.60 | +0.20 | +0.11 | +0.01 | -0.09 | -0.19 | -0.29 | -0.39 |
Under: | -0.71 | -0.71 | -0.31 | -0.21 | -0.11 | -0.01 | +0.08 | +0.18 | +0.28 | +0.38 |
These effects are much greater than those for regular blackjack. The removal of one ace, for instance, in a 6-deck blackjack game, has an effect of approximately -0.10% on your regular blackjack hand. Removing an ace has 6 times this effect on any over bet, and seven times this effect on an under bet.
It is easy to see why the ace and deuce, for instance, have such high effects of removal. Consider that if either one of your cards is an ace or a deuce, you could not possibly lose the under bet, nor could you possibly win the over bet.
Also note that these effects of removal are for removing just one card from the top of a 6-deck shoe. In regular blackjack, effects of removal are usually given for removing one card from the top of a single deck. The effect of removing an ace from a single deck is approximately -0.6% on your regular blackjack hand. If the over/under bet were allowed in a single-deck game [editor's note: 1, 2, 4 and 8-deck games with the Over/Under rule later became available], the effects of removing one ace would be -4.40% on the under bet, and +3.73% on the over bet.
In other words, even though the house advantage over you on the over bet in a single-deck game is about 6.8%, the removal of just one ace and one deuce in a single-deck over/under game would put the edge in your favor by almost 0.7%! Although there are no single-deck over/under games at this time, the volatile swings in advantage caused by the effects of removal make even the 6-deck game a profitable game for card counters. Removal of a single ace, deuce, or three, for instance, from the 6-deck shoe has more effect on your over/under betting opportunities than the removal of any of these cards would in a single-deck regular blackjack game.
Devising an Over/Under Card Counting System
First let’s look at how well some common blackjack card counting systems correlate to the over/under bet:
Correlation of Various Card Counting Systems to the Over/Under Bet
COUNT SYSTEM | A | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | UND | OVR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EINSTEIN/HI OPT I | ||||||||||||
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.56 | 0.64 | |
DHM/GORDON | ||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.74 | 0.79 | |
GRIFFIN-1 | ||||||||||||
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.46 | 0.46 | |
BRAUN +-/DUBNER/HI-LO | ||||||||||||
-1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.50 | 0.57 | |
USTON +- | ||||||||||||
-1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.32 | 0.41 | |
REVERE ADVANCED +- | ||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -1 | -0.73 | 0.78 | |
CANFIELD EXPERT | ||||||||||||
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -1 | -0.55 | 0.62 | |
ITA GREEN FOUNTAIN | ||||||||||||
-1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -1 | -0.50 | 0.56 | |
HI OPT II/STEPPINE | ||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.64 | 0.67 | |
ANDERSON/REPPERT | ||||||||||||
-2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -1 | -0.30 | 0.38 | |
R&T POINT COUNT | ||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.63 | 0.66 | |
REVERE POINT COUNT | ||||||||||||
-2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.42 | 0.50 | |
CANFIELD MASTER/GRIFFIN-2 | ||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -2 | -0.64 | 0.66 | |
WONG'S HALVES | ||||||||||||
-1 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | -0.5 | -1 | -0.44 | 0.51 | |
GRIFFIN-3/USTON ADVANCED | ||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | -1 | -3 | -0.61 | 0.65 | |
REVERE ADVANCED ('71) | ||||||||||||
-4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | -1 | -3 | -0.38 | 0.46 | |
REVERE ADVANCED ('74) | ||||||||||||
0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -2 | -3 | -0.68 | 0.71 | |
ZEN | ||||||||||||
-1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.51 | 0.55 |
Note that the most common counting systems correlate poorly. Hi-Opt I has about a 64% correlation on the over bet, and about 56% on the under bet. The High-Low is worse; 57% over and 50% under. The Zen Count’s about the same. The Uston +/- is terrible. The best normal card counting system for this game is the DHM (a mail order card counting system of years gone by, no longer in print.) Second best is the Revere Advanced +/-, another ancient system no longer in wide usage. Third best is the 1974 Revere Advanced Point Count, which correlates 71% on the over bet and 68% on the under bet. But this is another system that is not widely available, and a difficult level 4 strategy that would be unwieldy for most players.
Considering the fact that the effects of removal indicate to us that over/under betting opportunities provide far more profit potential in this 6-deck game than regular blackjack, let’s devise some card counting systems specifically aimed at attacking the over/under. Here are six possible over/under counts:
COUNT | A | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | UND | OVR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Count 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.90 | 0.92 |
Count 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -1 | -0.89 | 0.91 |
Count 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -1 | -1 | -0.86 | 0.88 |
Count 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -1 | -1 | -0.94 | 0.97 |
Count 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -1 | -1 | -0.98 | 0.96 |
Count 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.91 | 0.94 |
We can see here that Count #4 and Count #5, both level two systems, correlate the best. My choice of system, however, is Count #1, for a number of reasons. First of all, as a level 1 system, it’s the easiest to learn and use. Second, if I assume that your are going to be using your over/under count not only to make over/under betting decisions, but also to play your regular blackjack hand, Count #1 is the best all-purpose card counting system. It has an insurance efficiency of 85%, the same as Hi-Opt I, and a playing efficiency of 47%, not that much worse than the High-Low’s 51%. For convenience, let’s call Count #1 the “Over/Under Count.”
The Over/Under Count
A | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | UND | OVR | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Over/Under Count | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.90 | 0.92 |
Although it is possible to develop many multi-parameter approaches that would optimize potential profits on both the over/under bets and the regular blackjack hand, I would not consider these more difficult strategies to be worth the trouble. Having a system with a high betting correlation for your regular blackjack hand is useless. The over/under bets are much more important. And to strive for a playing efficiency of 60%, or even 70%, in a 6-deck game, is a waste of time. The potential strategy gains are extremely small.
The vast majority of your profit potential will come from betting accurately on your over/under opportunities. You only want to be and play the regular blackjack hand well enough to reduce the ½% house advantage to as near a break even point as possible. You can’t table hop over/under games. You’re likely to miss betting opportunities on the under side when the count is negative.
For extreme ease, if you are already using a balanced level 1 card counting system, such as Hi-Opt I or the Hi-Lo count, you could use the same strategy tables to play your hand using the Over/Under Count, and you will be playing your regular blackjack hand with great accuracy. This is a count-per-deck strategy chart drawn up specifically for using the Over/Under Count to play your blackjack hands.
Count Per Deck Strategy Chart for the Over/Under Count
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 | +5 | +3 | 0 | +3 | ||||||
15 | +5 | |||||||||
14 | -4 | |||||||||
13 | 0 | -2 | -3 | -4 | ||||||
12 | +4 | +2 | +1 | -1 | -2 | |||||
A7 | +5 | 0 | ||||||||
11 | -4 | -4 | -1 | |||||||
10 | -5 | -2 | +3 | |||||||
9 | +1 | -1 | -4 | +4 | ||||||
8 | +4 | +2 | ||||||||
Insurance: +3 |
The next step in analyzing this game is to figure out the value of each point-per-deck; in other words, how much does your (dis)advantage change with each true count? The value of a point is a function of the effects o9f removal and the assigned point values. Since we have different effects of removal for the over bet, the under bet, and the regular blackjack hand, each true count will technically have three different values.
If you have a background in statistics, you may calculate the value of a true point for each of the three possible bets by dividing the inner products of the effects of removal and their respective assigned point values by the sum of the squares of the point values. Note that you should first multiply the 6-deck effects of removal for the over and under bets by 6, in order to obtain the effects of removal per deck. The effects of removal for the regular blackjack hand are in Peter Griffin’s Theory of Blackjack, as well as numerous other publications. Griffin also explains how to find the inner product.
Fortunately, Sam Case has a computer program that spits out this data in a fraction of a second. You don’t have to do the math, or even understand it. Just trust me that each true count using the Over/Under Count described above has the following values:
Over bet: | 2.70% |
Under bet: | 2.58% |
Regular blackjack hand: | 0.35% |
Do note that each true count with this system affects your regular blackjack advantage by only -.35%, instead of the 0.5% we usually expect with level one systems. This is due to the lower betting correlation, caused primarily by assigning a plus value to the ace. We are willing to relinquish the betting accuracy on our blackjack hand since the over/under bets offer so much more profit potential.
Caesars Tahoe’s 6-deck games use downtown Vegas rules with double after splits. The player’s starting advantage in this game is -0.54%. The following chart shows your expectation in percent on each of the three possible bets you may make at various true counts.
6-Deck Expectation for Various True Counts
True Count | Blackjack Bet | Over Bet | Under Bet |
---|---|---|---|
-9 | -3.69 | -30.85 | +13.15 |
-8 | -3.34 | -28.15 | +10.57 |
-7 | -2.99 | -25.45 | +7.99 |
-6 | -2.64 | -22.75 | +5.41 |
-5 | -2.29 | -20.05 | +2.83 |
-4 | -1.94 | -17.35 | +0.25 |
-3 | -1.59 | -14.65 | -2.33 |
-2 | -1.24 | -11.95 | -4.91 |
-1 | -0.89 | -9.25 | -7.49 |
0 | -0.54 | -6.55 | -10.07 |
+1 | -0.19 | -3.85 | -12.65 |
+2 | +0.16 | -1.15 | -15.23 |
+3 | +0.51 | +1.55 | -17.81 |
+4 | +0.86 | +4.25 | -20.39 |
+5 | +1.21 | +6.95 | -22.97 |
+6 | +1.56 | +9.65 | -25.55 |
+7 | +1.91 | +12.35 | -28.13 |
+8 | +2.26 | +15.05 | -30.71 |
+9 | +2.61 | +17.75 | -33.39 |
Now, we’re ready to devise a strategy for attacking this game. One of the nice features about the over/under bets is that you never have to place them. This means that all of the negative advantages that occur on these bets at various counts will have no effect on your expectation since you will not be betting. So, let’s simplify the above chart to show the effective player/house advantages at each true count, assuming that the player only bets on over or under when the player has the edge.
It can also be shown that if we place two equal simultaneous bets on events with different expectations, our combined expectation is the same as if we had placed one bet of the total amount on the average of the two expectations. For instance, the expectation on your blackjack hand at a true count of +3 is +0.51%. The expectation on the over bet is +1.55%. Therefore, if I place a $100 bet on each of these, I would expect to profit in the long run 51 cents on my blackjack hand and $1.55 on the over bet. This is a total profit of $2.06 on the $200 of total action. $2.06 is 1.03% of $200. 1.03% is also the average of .51% and 1.55%.
This means that we can further simplify the chart of our expectations at various true counts by averaging our advantages when we place simultaneous bets. The following simplified chart shows your actual expectations at various true counts when you place over or under bets when you have the advantage.
Expectation at Various Over/Under Count True Counts with the Over/Under Bet
Count | % Expectation |
---|---|
-9 | +4.73* |
-8 | +3.62* |
-7 | +2.50* |
-6 | +1.39* |
-5 | +0.27* |
-4 | -0.85* |
-3 | -1.59 |
-2 | -1.24 |
-1 | -0.89 |
0 | -0.54 |
+1 | -0.19 |
+2 | +0.16 |
+3 | +1.03* |
+4 | +2.56* |
+5 | +4.08* |
+6 | +5.61* |
+7 | +7.13* |
+8 | +8.65* |
+9 | +10.18* |
* Combined blackjack and over/under bets |
Now you can see why this is such a nice game for card counters. Not only does your advantage go up on both positive and negative counts—and quite a bit higher than a card counter’s advantage every rises—but the house never has an advantage over you of much more than 1 ½%.
We can now analyze your profit potential in this game using standard 6-deck frequency distributions. The frequency distributions for this count are identical to those for the Hi-Opt I counting system.
I visited Caesars Tahoe in June of 1989, and again in August, in order to play the over/under games and observe the shuffling standards. There is a wide variance in deck penetration on Caesars’ 6-deck games. On an average, most dealers deal out about 4 ½ decks, or 75% between shuffles. During both of my visits, however, I was able to find dealers who dealt out 5 decks. You will also see dealers who do not deal out much more than 4 decks.
As with any blackjack game, deep penetration is important for card counters. These are frequency distributions, in hands-per-hundred for the Over/Under Count, assuming 4 decks dealt out, 4 ½ decks dealt out, and 5 decks dealt out.
True Count | 4 Decks Dealt | 4.5 Decks Dealt | 5 Decks Dealt |
---|---|---|---|
-9 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 |
-8 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
-7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 |
-6 | 0.5 | 1 | 1.5 |
-5 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 |
-4 | 2 | 2 | 2.5 |
-3 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 |
-2 | 8 | 7.5 | 7 |
-1 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
0 | 42 | 40 | 37 |
+1 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
+2 | 8 | 7.5 | 7 |
+3 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 |
+4 | 2 | 2 | 2.5 |
+5 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 |
+6 | 0.5 | 1 | 1.5 |
+7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 |
+8 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
+9 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 |
If you are mathematically inclined, you may use these frequency distributions to estimate your potential advantage and win rate in dollars with various betting approaches. My analysis yields the following data.
Flat Betting
For the over/under game, we’ll define flat betting as placing the same size bet on all of your blackjack hands, but also placing a bet of the same amount on either the over or under only when it is advantageous to do so. Using the Over/Under Count, this means placing an over bet when your true count is +3 or more, and placing an under bet when your true count is -4 or less.
Flat betting is not a good approach to this game, though it is moderately favorable when the penetration is deep. If only 4 decks are being dealt out, your expectation is -0.1%. If 4 ½ decks are dealt out, your expectation is 0.1%.
In other words, with normal penetration, you will be playing a break even game. If 5 decks are dealt out, your expectation goes up to +0.4%. With $100 bets, and 100 hands per hour, this would be a potential win rate of about $50 per hour. If you have a large bankroll and you can afford the potential fluctuation, this approach may appeal to you—especially if you’re playing for comps. Generally, I do not advise serious players to risk so much for so little. It is remarkable that you are able to get any advantage at all flat-betting a 6-deck game, playing through all negative counts.
1-to-2 Spread
You bet one unit on your blackjack hand when the true count is between -5 and +2. Below -5, or above +2, you bet 2 units. At -4 or below, you match your blackjack bet with an under bet. This means you will be betting one unit on under at -4 and -5, and two units on the under at -6 or below. At +3 or above, you match your two unit blackjack bet with a 2 unit over bet.
With 4 decks dealt out, your expectation is +0.2%, nothing to write home about. With 4 ½ decks dealt out, you’ll expect to win at the rate of about 0.5%. With 5 decks dealt out, you’ll have a full 1% expectation. Spreading from $50 to $100, this would make you about $75 per hundred hands.
1-to-4 Spread
I analyzed this spread with a 1 unit bet on the blackjack hand from -4 to +1; 2 unit blackjack bets at -5 and +2; 4 unit blackjack bets below -5 and above +2. Under bets match the blackjack bets (1, 2 or 4 units) at -4 and below. Over bets match the blackjack bets (4 units only) at +3 and above.
With 4 decks dealt out, this spread will get you an advantage of about 0.7%, not bad for the poor shuffle point. 4 ½ decks dealt out will get you a 1.1% advantage. And with 5 decks dealt out, your expectation is about 1.6%, or about $88 per hundred hands.
You may have noticed that the percentage advantage seems to be climbing with larger spreads faster than the $ expectation. For instance, flat-betting $100 chips with 5 decks out provides a 0.4% advantage, and about $50/hour. Using a 1-to-4 spread, your advantage climbs to 1.6%, but $ expectation is only $88/hour.
The reason for this is that we are obtaining the larger spread by lowering the minimum bet, as opposed to raising the maximum. Since the maximum bet allowed is $100, I’m analyzing the maximum potential dollar return for players who can afford it. Smaller stakes players would find that their $ win rate advanced as expected if they raised their top bets. For instance, flat betting $25 chips, with 5 decks dealt out, would net about $12 per hour. Spreading from $25 to $50 would get you about $38 per hour. And spreading from $25 to $100 would take in about $88 per hour.
I’m analyzing this game with conservative spreads so that you can see that it is not difficult to get the best of this 6-deck game, even with a small spread. Remember, if you’re barred at Caesars Tahoe, there are no other casinos in this country that offer over/under games at this time. Brave fools who either have, or believe they have, incredible acts, may use the frequency distributions provided to discover that they will have no trouble killing the game, even with only 4 decks dealt, with a spread of $5 to $100. Good luck!
Players with substantial bankrolls, who are put off by the limitations of the $100 max bet, may be tempted to analyze the potential win rates if you spread to multiple hands when the over/under bets are favorable. Such tactics will greatly increase your expectation. If you are spreading from $25 to $100 on one hand, using the 1-to-4 strategy described above, and playing a second hand only when the true count is at +3 and above, or -6 and below, your expectation would be about 2.2%, and about $190/hour.
Over/Under Count Bankroll Requirements
One of the nice things about the over/under bet is that it is a true side bet. Betting $100 each on your blackjack hand and the over bet, simultaneously, is not the same thing, as far as fluctuations go, as betting $200 on your blackjack hand, or even playing two simultaneous blackjack hands. The reason for this is that the over/under bets are not affected by the dealer’s upcards.
When you are playing simultaneous blackjack hands, you must account for the covariance. In other words, if the dealer gets a total of 20, both of your hands are going up against this strong total. If the dealer gets a natural, neither of your hands win money. But over/under bets are not tied to the dealer’s hand in any way. If you place an over bet, and you are dealt a total of 14, you win regardless of what the dealer has.
In fact, one of the first things you will notice when playing this game is how the over bet, especially, acts as a hedge against most of your losing stiffs when you have a big bet out. Much of the pain of being dealt a 14, 15 or 16 vs. a dealer 10, when you’ve got a big bet on the table, is eased by collecting on the over bet prior to having to play your miserable stiff.
Another nice feature of the over/under bets is that your advantage climbs so dramatically with each true count. A blackjack player whose moderate bankroll would never allow bets above $25 would not infrequently be able to place $100 over/under bets, because his combined blackjack and over/under advantage will be 4% or more. This is virtually unheard of in any “normal” 6-deck game.
For this reason, even if you can’t afford to spread from 1-to-4 according to the strategy I’ve outlined, with your 4 unit bet placed at +3 or above, you may be able to use this spread if you wait for higher advantages for your big bet. At +3, your combined advantage is about 1%; at +4, it’s about 2 ½%; at +5, it’s more than 4%! If you get into the deeply dealt games, you will see opportunities like this regularly.
General guidelines: With a very small bankroll—say $1000—plan on spreading from $5 to $10 for most of your play according to the betting guidelines above. But look for deeply dealt games and don’t hesitate to put a $20 bet on the table if the true count goes to +5 or more. As with any other blackjack game, you’re not going to be able to make a living wage if your total bankroll is $1000. If you’ve got a $5000 bankroll, you will be able to play with quarter chips, and you will have many occasions to place the max $100 bets. But be aware of any substantial negative swings, and cut back your bets accordingly.
Future of the Over/Under Side Bet
Will the over/under game survive? Caesars Tahoe has been offering it on six tables now for more than a year, which indicates a better chance for longevity than most gimmick games. Caesars knows that card counters are attacking the game, and for the most part they’ve been welcoming them. This is because most card counters are using standard card counting systems to determine when to bet over and under, and such systems correlate poorly to the over/under effects of removal.
With the Hi-Lo card counting system, for example, you do not have an advantage on the over bet until your true count is +5 (as opposed to +3 with the Over/Under Count), and you do not have an advantage on the under bet until your true count is -8 (as opposed to -4 with the Over/Under). This means that with 4 ½ decks dealt out, the Hi-Low count would accurately recognize 3 ½ over/under betting opportunities per 100 hands. The Over/Under Count would recognize 13 ½ betting opportunities.
Most card counters using normal blackjack systems will bet far too often when the house has the advantage, simply because their blackjack systems are not designed to identify over/under opportunities. You cannot beat this game with a small spread and a normal blackjack card counting system.
So, despite this report, I suspect Caesars will continue to profit substantially from both card counters and non-counters at their over/under tables.
Player Advantage with Various Over/Under Betting Strategies in 6-Deck Games
4 Decks Dealt | 4.5 Decks Dealt | 5 Decks Dealt | |
---|---|---|---|
Flat Bet | -0.12% | +0.07% | +0.41% |
1-2 Spread | +0.22% | +0.52% | +1.01% |
1-4 Spread | +0.67% | +1.08% | +1.61% |
Over/Under Supplement for 1, 2, 4 and 8 deck Games
Since the initial Over/Under Report was published a few months ago, one- and two-deck over/under games have appeared in Reno. Others using various numbers of decks are reportedly being offered on cruise ships and in overseas casinos. This supplement to the Over/Under Report will aid you in beating these games with any number of decks.
Assumptions
Each page of this supplement analyzes Over/Under games with a different number of decks: 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8. At the top of each page is the number of decks in play, and the assumed rules. If you are playing in a game with a different set of rules, adjust the advantages accordingly.
For example, I’ve analyzed the 2-deck game with Reno rules. The advantage at a true count of 0 is -0.7. If you find a 2-deck Vegas Strip rules game, your advantage at 0 would be -0.3. All of the figures in the advantage column should be adjusted accordingly.
For ease of use, I have analyzed your expectation with a flat bet, a 1-2 spread, and a 1-4 spread. If you are playing in a game with a different set of rules, you may approximate your advantage simply by adding or subtracting, as appropriate, the difference in your starting advantage from the “win rates” shown.
All frequency distributions assume the Over/Under Count is being used as described in the report.
Note: These frequency distributions were obtained via computer simulation with “fixed” shuffle points, so they are not symmetrical. The simulations also used a different method of rounding than the mathematical model used for the Report. For this reason, the 6-deck distribution in the supplement is different from that in the report. You may note that the 6-deck win rates in the supplement are 0.1% to 0.2% lower than in the Report. The win rates are more accurate in the supplement.
Count | Advantage | 65% | 75% | 85% |
---|---|---|---|---|
-25 | 26.6 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-24 | 21.5 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-23 | 20.4 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-22 | 19.3 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-21 | 18.2 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-20 | 17.1 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
-19 | 16.0 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
-18 | 14.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
-17 | 13.8 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
-16 | 12.6 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
-15 | 11.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
-14 | 10.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
-13 | 9.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
-12 | 8.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
-11 | 7.1 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 |
-10 | 6.0 | 0.8 | 1 | 1.2 |
-9 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.5 |
-8 | 3.7 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.5 |
-7 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
-6 | 1.5 | 2 | 2.4 | 2.1 |
-5 | 0.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.5 |
-4 | -0.7 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 4.6 |
-3 | -1.5 | 5.6 | 6.5 | 6.0 |
-2 | -1.1 | 8.3 | 7.5 | 6.5 |
-1 | -0.8 | 7.5 | 6.6 | 5.8 |
0 | -0.4 | 30 | 28 | 26.8 |
+1 | -0.1 | 6.3 | 5.6 | 4.9 |
+2 | 0.3 | 7.1 | 6.3 | 5.6 |
+3 | 1.1 | 4.7 | 5.7 | 5.2 |
+4 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.8 |
+5 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.4 |
+6 | 5.7 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.8 |
+7 | 7.2 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 2.3 |
+8 | 8.8 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 |
+9 | 10.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.4 |
+10 | 11.8 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.1 |
+11 | 13.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
+12 | 14.9 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
+13 | 16.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
+14 | 17.9 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
+15 | 19.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
+16 | 21.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
+17 | 22.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
+18 | 24.0 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
+19 | 25.5 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
+20 | 27.1 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
+21 | 28.6 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
+22 | 30.1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
+23 | 31.6 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
+24 | 33.2 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
+25 | 34.8 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
Win Rate (%) | ||||
Flat Bet: | 1.6 | 2.2 | 3.1 | |
1-2 Spread: | 2.5 | 3.1 | 4.1 | |
1-4 Spread: | 3.2 | 3.9 | 4.9 |
2-Deck (Reno Rules) Over/Under Count Win Rates
Count | Advantage | 65% | 75% | 85% |
---|---|---|---|---|
-19 | 15.7 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-18 | 14.5 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-17 | 13.4 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-16 | 12.3 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
-15 | 11.2 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
-14 | 10.1 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
-13 | 9.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
-12 | 7.9 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
-11 | 6.8 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
-10 | 5.7 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 |
-9 | 4.6 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.9 |
-8 | 3.4 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.2 |
-7 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.8 |
-6 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.0 |
-5 | 0.1 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.1 |
-4 | -1.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
-3 | -1.8 | 6.0 | 6.3 | 5.8 |
-2 | -1.4 | 9.5 | 9.1 | 9.0 |
-1 | -1.1 | 16.2 | 14.6 | 13 |
0 | -0.7 | 19.6 | 18.5 | 17.7 |
+1 | -0.4 | 14.6 | 13.2 | 11.8 |
+2 | 0 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 8.1 |
+3 | 0.9 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 5.3 |
+4 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.8 |
+5 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 |
+6 | 5.4 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
+7 | 7 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 |
+8 | 8.5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1 |
+9 | 10 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.8 |
+10 | 11.5 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 |
+11 | 13 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
+12 | 14.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
+13 | 16.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
+14 | 17.6 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
+15 | 19.1 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
+16 | 21.2 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
+17 | 22.7 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
+18 | 24.2 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
+19 | 25.7 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
Win Rate (%) | ||||
Flat bet: | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.5 | |
1-2 spread: | 1.1 | 1.6 | 2.3 | |
1-4 spread: | 1.7 | 2.3 | 3.1 |
Count | Advantage | 65% | 75% | 85% |
---|---|---|---|---|
-14 | 10.4 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-13 | 9.3 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-12 | 8.1 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
-11 | 7.0 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
-10 | 5.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
-9 | 4.8 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
-8 | 3.7 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 |
-7 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.0 |
-6 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
-5 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.2 |
-4 | -0.8 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 3.5 |
-3 | -1.5 | 5.2 | 5.4 | 5.6 |
-2 | -1.2 | 9.5 | 9.3 | 9.0 |
-1 | -0.8 | 18.4 | 17.2 | 16.1 |
0 | -0.5 | 26.6 | 23.9 | 22.4 |
+1 | -0.1 | 16.6 | 15.8 | 14.8 |
+2 | 0.2 | 8.5 | 8.8 | 8.2 |
+3 | 1.1 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
+4 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 3.3 |
+5 | 4.1 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 2.0 |
+6 | 5.7 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.3 |
+7 | 7.2 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
+8 | 8.7 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
+9 | 10.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
+10 | 11.8 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
+11 | 13.3 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
+12 | 14.8 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
+13 | 16.3 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
+14 | 17.9 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
Win Rate (%) | ||||
Flat bet: | 0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | |
1-2 spread: | 0.4 | 0.9 | 1.4 | |
1-4 spread: | 0.9 | 1.4 | 2 |
6-Deck (Reno Rules) Over/Under Count Win Rates
Count | Advantage | 65% | 75% | 85% |
---|---|---|---|---|
-12 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-11 | 6.9 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-10 | 5.8 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
-9 | 4.7 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
-8 | 3.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
-7 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.6 |
-6 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 |
-5 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.7 |
-4 | -0.9 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 2.8 |
-3 | -1.6 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 5 |
-2 | -1.2 | 8.8 | 8.9 | 8.9 |
-1 | -0.9 | 18.7 | 17.9 | 17.1 |
0 | -0.5 | 32.1 | 29.3 | 26.6 |
+1 | -0.2 | 17.6 | 17 | 16.1 |
+2 | 0.2 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 8.4 |
+3 | 1 | 4 | 4.4 | 4.6 |
+4 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.6 |
+5 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.6 |
+6 | 5.6 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
+7 | 7.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.6 |
+8 | 8.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
+9 | 10.2 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
+10 | 11.7 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
+11 | 13.2 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
+12 | 14.8 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
Win Rate (%) | ||||
Flat bet: | -0.2 | 0 | 0.3 | |
1-2 spread: | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.8 | |
1-4 spread: | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.4 |
Count | Advantage | 65% | 75% | 85% |
---|---|---|---|---|
-11 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-10 | 5.9 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-9 | 4.8 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
-8 | 3.7 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
-7 | 2.6 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
-6 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 |
-5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 1.3 |
-4 | -0.8 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.5 |
-3 | -1.5 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 4.4 |
-2 | -1.2 | 8.1 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
-1 | -0.8 | 19.6 | 18.4 | 17.4 |
0 | -0.5 | 36 | 33.1 | 30 |
+1 | -0.1 | 18.4 | 17.6 | 16.8 |
+2 | 0.3 | 7.6 | 8.1 | 8.1 |
+3 | 1.1 | 3 | 3.7 | 4.2 |
+4 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
+5 | 4.2 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
+6 | 5.7 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 |
+7 | 7.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
+8 | 8.7 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
+9 | 10.3 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
+10 | 11.8 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
+11 | 13.3 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
Win Rate (%) | ||||
Flat bet: | -0.3 | -0.1 | 0.2 | |
1-2 spread: | 0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | |
1-4 spread: | 0.3 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
For the Unbalanced Over/Under Count and more information on professional blackjack card counting systems, see the Blackjack Forum Professional Gambling Library. ♠
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Many gaming enthusiasts enjoy blackjack because of its low house edge and in depth strategy. But what some players don’t realize is that blackjack has a wide variety of different side bets and variations available.
These are fun to play when you’re looking for something beyond standard blackjack. But before you jump into new blackjack games, it’s important to know the rules and house edge.
That being said, let’s take an in depth look at 27 different blackjack variations and side bets.
* All house edges for games are based on standard 6 deck variations.
1 – Progressive Blackjack
House Edge: The house edge on a progressive blackjack bet depends upon the size of the jackpot. The larger it is, the better your theoretical return.
Unique Characteristics: You can play for a progressive jackpot along with other side payouts.
How to Play Progressive Blackjack
Progressive blackjack allows you to play for a jackpot when you make an optional dollar side bet. This game also offers other side payouts that are paid for qualifying hands.
The hands that trigger the jackpot and other payouts all depends upon the game. Below you can see an example using a game that centers on the first four cards you receive:
- 4 red or black aces = Jackpot
- 4 mixed aces = 2000:1 payout
- 3 suited aces = 1000:1
- 3 mixed aces = 200:1
- 2 suited aces = 50:1
- 2 mixed aces = 15:1
- 1 ace of any suit = 3:1
When you play jackpot games like these, it’s important to note the rules and strategy nuances so that you maximize your chances of winning the progressive payout.
In this instance, you can’t win the jackpot and other payouts after splitting hands. If you’re dealt aces, which normally calls for a split, you’d keep them together so that you can win the qualifying side payout and try for the jackpot.
2 – Multi-Hand Blackjack
House Edge: 0.46% (multiple hands don’t change the house edge).
Unique Characteristics: You can play multiple hands on each turn.
How to Play Multi-Hand Blackjack
Multi-hand blackjack is the most common variation that you’ll find in online casinos. In fact, it’s rare when an online casino doesn’t offer this game.
Multi-hand blackjack is just like it sounds in that you can play multiple hands in the same round. All of the multi-hand games we’ve seen offer a maximum of 3-5 hands.
The plus side is that this gives you more action in each round. The downside is that playing more hands exposes you more to the house edge.
Here’s an example:
- The game you’re playing has a 0.5% house advantage.
- You bet $5 on three hands per round, instead of one.
- Your theoretical losses increase from $0.25 per round to $0.75 (15 x 0.05).
Some players won’t mind the extra risk because they want to see multiple results per round. But if you’re a bankroll-conscious player, then you should be careful with multi-hand blackjack.
3 – Hi-Lo Bet
House Edge: 2.08% on the Hi-Lo side bet.
Unique Characteristics: You get to make a side wager on whether your second card will be higher or lower than the first one.
How to Play Hi-Lo Blackjack
This game involves a Hi-Lo side bet, where you guess whether your second card will be higher or lower than the first card.
If your guess is correct, you receive a 1:1 payout.
The catch is that the ace has no value and gives the house an automatic win. This means that only 2 through king qualify for your Hi-Lo side bet.
4 – Blackjack Switch
House Edge: 0.58%
Unique Characteristics: You’re dealt two hands, and you can trade cards between them to improve your score.
How to Play
Blackjack switch has two interesting traits:
- You’re automatically dealt two hands.
- You can switch cards between the hands in an effort to beat the dealer.
Obviously your chances of winning improve when you can switch cards between hands.
But the house also gets favorable rules in that the dealer pushes on a 22, instead of busting. The other bad rule is that natural blackjack payouts are reduced from 3:2 to 1:1.
Each Blackjack Switch round begins with you making two bets that are of equal size. When your two hands are dealt, you’ll see an additional switch option along with the standard blackjack actions.
Note that you can only switch the top cards (second dealt). Here’s an example of how this works:
- You receive 5 and 10 (top) in one hand, and A and6 (top) in the other.
- You switch the top cards, creating new hands of 5-6 and A-10.
- You now play your new hands like any other blackjack game.
You can also switch back before making an action if you change your mind. But once the first action is taken, you can’t go back.
5 – Perfect Pairs
House Edge: 5.79% on the Perfect Pairs side bet.
Unique Characteristics: You can place a side bet that wins when you form a pair with your first two cards.
How to Play
Perfect Pairs blackjack allows you to make an optional side bet on whether or not your first two cards will form a pair. As long as you make a standard bet, you can wager $1 or more on getting perfect pairs.
Here are the payouts for this side bet:
- Mixed Pair (same rank; different colors and suits) = 5:1 payout
- Colored Pair (same rank and color; different suit) = 10:1
- Perfect Pairs (same rank and suit) = 30:1
The obvious appeal to Perfect Pairs is that you can win up to 30x your side bet. The downside is that the house edge is 5.79% – over 10 times what you face in a standard online blackjack game.
The risk is worth it to some players since you only have to bet a dollar. Furthermore, a 5.79% house advantage isn’t terrible as far as blackjack side bets go.
6 – Spanish 21
House Edge: 0.37%
Unique Characteristics: Spanish 21 removes all 10s from the deck and offers bonus payouts.
How to Play
Spanish 21 doesn’t have any 10s in the deck, which makes for a 48-card deck.
Given that 10s favor the player, this rule isn’t good for you. But Spanish 21 includes a number of player-friendly rules along with bonus payouts.
Here are some common rules that benefit you:
- Late surrender.
- You can double down on any two cards.
- You can double down after splitting.
- Natural blackjack payouts are worth 3:2.
- You can split up to 3 hands.
Below you can see examples of Spanish 21 bonus payouts, which are based on your first two cards and the dealer’s up card:
- Three suited 7s = 50:1 payout
- 7-card 21; three 7s spades; 6-7-8 spades = 3:1 payout
- 6-card 21; 6-7-8 mixed suits; three 7s same suit = 2:1 payout
- 5-card 21; 6-7-8- mixed suits; three 7s mixed suit = 3:2 payout
As with many other blackjack bonuses, these payouts are invalid when you split hands.
7 – Live Dealer Blackjack
House Edge: 0.46%
Unique Characteristics: You can chat with a real dealer and fellow players.
How to Play
Nothing in online gaming comes closer to replicating the land-based casino atmosphere than live dealer blackjack.
Live dealer gaming streams action from a brick-and-mortar casino to your computer or mobile device. This not only lets you play blackjack in a physical casino setting, but also gives you the chance to chat with the dealer and other players.
You communicate with the dealer and others by typing into the chat box. The dealer can then respond verbally if they choose to.
Another nice thing about live blackjack is that you’ll have a variety of dealers and stakes to choose from. This allows you to pick your favorite dealer(s) whenever you play.
8 – 21+3 Bet
House Edge: 4.14% on the 21+3 side bet (varies based on the number of decks and pay table).
Unique Characteristics: You can make a side bet on forming a 3-card hand with your first two cards and the dealer’s up card.
How to Play
If you enjoy 3-card poker, then you’ll probably like 21+3. This game lets you place an optional side bet on your ability to form a qualifying three-card hand.
Here’s the same pay table:
- Flush = 5:1 payout
- Straight = 10:1
- Three of a Kind = 33:1
- Straight Flush = 35:1
- Suited 3 of a Kind = 100:1
Under this paytable, the house edge is 4.14%. But this can change based on each individual payout and how many decks are in the shoe.
In 21+3, you gain an advantage when there are more decks due to the additional opportunities to form 3-cardhands.
What’s interesting is that some casinos combine the 21+3 and Perfect Pairs side bets into one variation. This gives you an opportunity to make one or both side wagers in the same game.
9 – Double Exposure Blackjack (a.k.a. Face Up 21)
House Edge: 0.57%
Unique Characteristics: Both the dealer’s hole cards are exposed.
How to Play
A standard blackjack game only lets you see one of the dealer’s hole cards. But Double Exposure differs in that both of the dealer’s hole cards are exposed.
This creates an interesting strategy dynamic because you have more information to act on. The downside, though, is that you’ll be dealing with several other unfriendly rules, including the following:
- Natural blackjack payouts are only worth 1:1.
- The dealer hitson a soft 17.
- 8 decks.
- You can only double down on 10 and 11.
- No doubling down after splitting.
- No re-splitting aces.
A smart player would run for the hills if they saw this combination of rules in any other game. But Double Exposure still has a reasonable house edge due to the fact that you see both dealer hole cards.
Another thing is that certain online variations leave out some of these unfavorable rules, which lowers Double Exposure’s house edge.
10 – Pontoon
House Edge: 0.55%
Unique Characteristics: Automatic wins for 5-card trick. Natural blackjack is called a pontoon.
How to Play
A natural 21 is called a pontoon in this variant, hence the title. This game also has slightly different hand rankings than the average blackjack game.
The best hand besides a pontoon is a Five Card Trick, where you draw to 5 cards without busting (a.k.a. 5 Card Charlie).
Some pontoon versions – especially those in Australia – use Spanish decks, where 10s have been removed.
Overall, this game isn’t much different from a standard blackjack game. But the different terminology, Five Card Trick, and possible Spanish decks make for an interesting variation.
11 – Atlantic City Blackjack
House Edge: 0.42%
Unique Characteristics: Several player-friendly rules.
How to Play
Atlantic City blackjack is what people except when they think of a standard blackjack game. This variation includes all, or some combination, of the following rules:
- Natural blackjacks pay 3:2.
- Dealer stands on a soft 17.
- You can double down after splitting.
- Double down on any total
- Split hands up to 3 times (4 total hands).
- No re-splitting aces.
- The dealer peeks for a natural blackjack.
- 8 decks.
- Late surrender is often included in online variants.
With its standard rules, Atlantic City blackjack is a good beginner’s game for those learning how to play and use strategy.
12 – Party Pit Blackjack (Land-based) & Live Party Blackjack (Live Dealer)
House Edge: 0.46% at live dealer casinos, 2% and up at land-based casinos.
Unique Characteristics: The casino creates a more-festive atmosphere by including dancers (land-based) or more dealers at the table (live dealer).
How to Play
Some Atlantic City and Las Vegas casinos offer a party pit blackjack game. This is aptly named because party pits feature loud music, a club-like atmosphere, pole-dancing girls, and scantily clad dealers.
This creates a fun-and-engaging experience for anybody who’s looking for more thrills from blackjack. But the problem is that you pay more for these games through worse rules.
Party pit tables only pay 6:5 or 1:1 on natural blackjacks, and the dealer stands on a soft 17. Oher unfavorable rules that you might see include double-down restrictions, no re-splitting after doubling down, and no re-splitting aces.
If you don’t like this prospect, then you should try party blackjack at live dealer casinos. This version features 2 or more dealers at the table and festive music.
The multiple dealers are key because they carry on conversations and chat with the players to keep things more lively.
Best of all, party blackjack offers the same player-friendly rules as you’ll find with any other online variant.
13 – Poolside Blackjack
House Edge: 2% and higher.
Unique Characteristics: You get to play blackjack while sitting in a pool.
How to Play
Poolside blackjack is much like the party pit version in that it offers you a unique experience. But in this case, the experience is centered on you playing blackjack while sitting in a pool.
The tables are located at the edge of the pool, with the tabletop above water so that the cards don’t get wet. You’ll also find underwater seats so that you can stay in the water while playing.
This is definitely a fun way to enjoy blackjack on a hot summer day. But the catch is that you’ll be dealing with the same unfavorable rules that are seen in party pit blackjack.
14 – Blackjack Surrender
House Edge: 0.49%
Unique Characteristics: You can surrender your cards and get half your bet back.
How to Play
Popular at online casinos, this game includes the surrender rule, where you can get half your bet back by surrendering your hand (after first two cards).
The most-common variation features late surrender, where you can surrender your hand after the dealer checks for blackjack. This rule version lowers the house edge by 0.07%.
Early surrender lets you quit before the dealer checks for blackjack. This rule cuts the house edge down by 0.63% because you can surrender when the dealer has an ace or 10 up card showing.
The only catch is that early surrender is much rarer than late surrender.
15 – European Blackjack
House Edge: 0.62%
Unique Characteristics: The dealer doesn’t receive a hole card in European blackjack.
How to Play
European blackjack is just like most blackjack variations, except for one big difference – the dealer doesn’t receive a hole card.
Seeing as how the dealer doesn’t have a hole card, they can’t check for a natural blackjack when they’re showing ace or 10. This means that you can potentially lose more bets by splitting and doubling down if the dealer does have a natural.
The no-hole card rule increases the house edge by 0.11%. For this reason, you’ll often see additional player-friendly rules included like doubling down on any two cards; doubling down after splitting; and/or being able to re-split aces.
16 – Vegas Strip Blackjack
House Edge: 0.44%
Unique Characteristics: Player-friendly rules and fewer decks than Atlantic City blackjack.
How to Play
Vegas Strip blackjack is similar to Atlantic City blackjack, with the main difference being that there are only 4 decks.
Because going from 8 to 4 decks lowers the house edge by 0.9%, few casinos also include the late surrender rule in this game too.
Here’s an overview of standard Vegas Strip blackjack rules:
- Natural blackjacks pay 3:2.
- Dealer stands on a soft 17.
- Double down after splitting.
- Double down on any total
- You can split hands up to 3 times.
- No re-splitting aces.
- The dealer peeks for a blackjack.
- 4 decks.
- No surrender.
The actual Las Vegas Strip no longer offers these player-friendly rules. The average Vegas Strip casino features casino-friendly rules that push the house advantage to 2% or higher, including 6:5 natural blackjack payouts.
But online Vegas Strip blackjack usually contains all or most of the rules presented above.
17 – Super Fun 21
House Edge: 1.16% (one deck) to 1.40% (six decks)
Unique Characteristics: Double down on any number of cards, Double Down Rescue, automatic wins with 6+ card hands that score 20, and diamond blackjacks paying 2:1.
How to Play
Super Fun 21 features several player-friendly rules that aren’t available in other blackjack games. But the downside is that more house-friendly rules are added to counteract the advantage that players gain.
Here’s an overview of Super Fun 21’s rules:
- You can double down after splitting.
- You can re-split up to 4 hands (including aces).
- You can hit and double down to split aces.
- Double down on any amount of cards (instead of 2).
- Late surrender after doubling down (a.k.a. Double Down Rescue).
- You automatically win when drawing to 20 or less with 6+ cards.
- You’re paid 2:1 on 5+ card hands that equal 21.
- Player blackjack in diamonds pays 2:1. Any other blackjack pays 1:1.
- Player blackjack always wins.
- 1-6 decks.
- Dealer hits a soft 17.
The most-interesting rules in this game include being able to double down at any time; later surrender after doubling; automatically winning when drawing to 20 with 6+ cards; and 2:1 payouts for diamond blackjacks.
But even with all of these player-friendly rules, the house edge is high because you’re only paid 1:1 on most blackjacks, and the dealer hits a soft 17.
Given the large house advantage, this game is only worth trying for something different.
18 – Double Attack Blackjack
House Edge: 0.61%
Unique Characteristics: Uses Spanish decks, Double Attack bets, and BustIt side bets.
How to Play
Double Attack is one of the most-unique blackjack variations available because it features Spanish decks along with two side bets. Here are the key rules:
- Spanish decks, where all 10s have been removed.
- You can double down or surrender at any time, including after splitting.
- You can make a Double Attack bet up to your original wager after the dealer receives their up card.
- A natural blackjack pays even money.
- You can make a BustIt side bet on if the dealer will bust on their third card.
- Dealer doesn’t peek for blackjack unless you take insurance.
- Insurance pays 5:2, instead of the standard 2:1.
If you make a Double Attack bet and split afterward, you have to match your Double Attack wager. When surrendering, you’re awarded half of your original and Double Attack bets.
Below you can see payouts for the BustIt side bets:
- Dealer busts with suited 888 = 200:1 payout
- Dealer busts with same-colored 888 = 50:1 payout
- Dealer busts with 6 = 15:1 payout
- Dealer busts with 7 = 10:1 payout
- Dealer busts with 8 = 8:1 payout
- Dealer busts with 9 = 6:1 payout
- Dealer busts with face card = 3:1 payout
19 – Royal Match Bet
House Edge: 3.78% for one deck, 6.67% for six decks
Unique Characteristics: This is a side bet on whether your first two cards will be suited.
How to Play
Royal Match is a side bet on whether or not your first two cards will be suited. You get an even larger payout if your first two cards are either suited kings or queens (a.k.a. royal match).
Here’s a common pay table for this bet:
- Royal Match (suited kings or queens) = 25:1 payout
- Easy match (any other suited hand) = 2.5:1 payout
In a 6-deck game, these payouts result in a 6.67% house edge. In a single-deck game, the Royal Match house edge drops to 3.78%.
You can find better pay tables online, which lowers the house advantage even more.
20 – Blackjack Bonus Pairs
House Edge: 4.10% on the Bonus Pairs side bet.
Unique Characteristics: This game lets you make a Bonus Pairs wager that’s based on being dealt pairs on your first two cards.
How to Play
This game features a side bet that’s based on your ability to get a pair within your first two cards. Bonus Pairs is very similar to Perfect Pairs, with the key difference being the pay table.
Below you can see the payouts for each pair:
- Mixed Pair (same rank; different colors and suits) = 6:1 payout
- Colored Pair (same rank and color; but different suit) = 12:1 payout
- Exact Pair (same rank and suit) = 25:1 payout
The Bonus Pairs bet has a 4.10% house edge, which is better than Perfect Pairs’ 5.79% house advantage.
This seems strange because Perfect Pairs offers a top payout of 30:1. But it also offers smaller payouts for a mixed pair (5:1) and colored pair (10:1) – both of which occur far more often than an exact pair.
If you’re going to choose between these side wagers, Bonus Pairs is the smarter bet.
21 – 5 Card Charlie (6, 7 & 8 Card Charlie)
House Edge: Varies based on whether you’re playing 5, 6, 7, or 8 Card Charlie.
Unique Characteristics: You automatically win when drawing 5 or more cards without busting.
Over Under 13 Blackjack Side Bet Poker
How to Play
5 Card Charlie is a blackjack variation where you automatically win by drawing to 5 cards without going over 21. This rule has a big impact because it lowers the house edge by 1.46%.
Some casinos offer different variations of this rule, including 6, 7, and 8 Card Charlie. The number indicates how many cards you have to draw to without busting before getting an automatic win.
Below is a look at how these affect the House Edge:
- 6 Card Charlie = Lowers house edge by 0.16%
- 7 Card Charlie = Lowers house edge by 0.01%
- 8 Card Charlie = Almost nonexistent
As you can see, anything beyond 6 Card Charlie won’t impact the game much.
It’s obviously best if you can find 5 Card Charlie. But beware that casinos will mix in unfavorable rules to counteract the 1.46% that you gain from this rule.
22 – Elimination Blackjack
House Edge: No house edge because this game is played in tournament format.
Unique Characteristics: You play in an Elimination Blackjack tournament, where players are eliminated at certain hands.
How to Play
Elimination Blackjack was created in the mid 1990s to mimic Texas holdem poker tournaments. Today, casinos normally use the elimination format when running a blackjack tourney.
You pay a buy-in fee to enter the tournament, and you’ll receive a chip stack equal to all other players in the field. From here, Elimination Blackjack is played like any other variant.
The key difference is that the tournament is only played for a specified number of hands (usually 30). Once the hand limit is reached, all remaining players’ chips are counted to determine the winner.
Of course, many players don’t reach this point due to eliminations. Below you can see how eliminations occur:
- A player loses all of their chips.
- A player doesn’t have enough chips to make the minimum bet.
- A player has the lowest number of chips at their table when an elimination hand is reached.
The elimination hands are reached at 8, 16, and 25 hands. The player with the least amount of chips from each table is eliminated at these points.
These tournaments are a refreshing break from regular blackjack because they present strategy on a number of fronts.
First off, you need to master basic strategy so that you don’t make mistakes against the dealer. Secondly, you also need to make good bet sizes to move up the leaderboard. Also, you must stay alive by not being the low-chip player on elimination hands.
Another plus to Elimination Blackjack is that you can gain a long-term edge because you’re competing against other players, rather than a fixed house edge.
23 – High Streak Blackjack
House Edge: 16.74%
Unique Characteristics: You can make a side bet on your ability to win consecutive hands/rounds.
How to Play
If you love cashing in on winning streaks, then High Streak blackjack is a fun variant to play.
This game features an optional High Streak bet, which is based on how many consecutive wins you can string together.
The table features different circles labeled Second Streak, Third Streak, Fourth Streak, and Fifth Streak. Every time you win, your bet advances to the next circle, where you’ll receive a larger payout.
Below you can see the available payouts:
- Second Streak (1 win) = 1:1 payout
- Third Streak (2 wins) = 2:1 payout
- Fourth Streak (3 wins) = 5:1 payout
- Fifth Streak (4 wins) = 10:1 payout
It’s exciting to chase larger payouts based on your win streak. But the problem is that this game features a 16.74% house edge, which is the worst blackjack side bet that we’ve ever seen!
24 – Chinese Blackjack (a.k.a. Ban-Luck or Ban-Nag)
House Edge: N/A
Unique Characteristics: Players can take turns being dealers, and you receive special payouts.
How to Play
Chinese blackjack, also known as Ban-Luck or Ban-Nag, is a popular variant found in Southeast Asia.
This game is somewhat like Pai Gow poker in that players take turns being the dealer.
When acting as the dealer, you represent the casino and bank the action. Every player is dealt two face-down cards.
Face cards are worth 10 and numbered cards are worth their value, just like in standard blackjack. But one key difference is in how much an ace is worth, which you can see below:
- Ace is worth 10 or 11 points if you have two cards.
- Ace is worth 1 or 10 points if you have three cards.
- Ace is worth 1 point if you have four cards.
Other blackjack games base the ace’s value on your score, rather than how many cards you have.
Another big difference between Chinese blackjack and common variants is the special hands you can form. Here’s a look at these hands:
- Free Hand – If your first two cards total 15, you (or dealer) can continue playing or stop immediately.
- Ban-Ban – Same as a natural blackjack, where your first two cards consist of an ace and 10-value card. This hand pays 2:1, unless your opponent uses a free hand.
- Ban-Luck – If your first two cards are aces, you receive 3:1 on your original bet. The free hand exception applies here too.
- Pairs – You receive a 2:1 payout for pairs.
- Chinese Blackjack – If your first three cards are 7-7-7, you win a 21:1 payout.
- 5 Dragon – You receive a 2:1 payout when drawing to 5 cards without busting. You earn a 3:1 payout if the total is 21. But you must pay the dealer 2:1 or 3:1 if they get the same hands and you don’t.
You check for most of these special hands upon receiving your first two face-down cards.
After special hands are checked for, Chinese blackjack is played like a normal blackjack game. But a notable rule difference is that you must hit when your score is 15 or lower.
This is a big disadvantage for players because common strategy dictates that you stand on these hands in certain situations.
Another problem is that the dealer can get 2:1 and 3:1 payouts for special hands. In a regular blackjack game, dealers only receive 1:1 payouts.
I honestly can’t find the house edge for Chinese blackjack, but it’s likely enormous if you’re the player. This is why you should act as the dealer whenever the option is available because it gives you an edge over players.
25 – Over / Under 13 Bet
House Edge: 6.55% for Under, 10.07% for Over
Unique Characteristics: Side bet where you guess if your first two cards will be over or under 13.
How to Play
The Over/Under 13 bet sees you guess whether your first two cards will be worth more or less than 13.
The house edge on the under is 6.55% in a six-deck game, while guessing the over carries a 10.07% house advantage.
Some casinos allow you to guess if both cards will match 13 exactly, which offers a 10:1 payout. The house edge on this wager is 8.58%.
None of Over/Under 13’s options are very good. But if you’re going to make this bet, you obviously want to put your money on under 13.
26 – Super Sevens Bet
House Edge: 11.4%
Unique Characteristics: You make a side wager on whether you’ll receive one or more 7s in your hand.
How to Play
This is a side bet based on getting 7s within your first three cards.
If your first card is a 7, you automatically win. The payout increases if you can get a second and third 7. Below is a sample Super Sevens pay table:
- Three suited 7s = 5000:1 payout
- Three mixed 7s = 500:1 payout
- Two suited 7s = 100:1 payout
- Two mixed 7s = 50:1 payout
- 7 on first card = 3:1 payout
One rule discrepancy is whether you do or don’t get paid for a third 7 when splitting.
Assuming you are paid for a third 7 after splitting, the house edge is 11.4% based on this paytable.
Obviously this isn’t very good, which is why we don’t recommend making the Super Sevens bet unless the pay table is better.
27 – Lucky Ladies Bet
House Edge: 17.6% and higher (depending upon payouts).
Unique Characteristics: Lucky Ladies is a side bet based on forming different hands valued at 20.
How to Play
Lucky Ladies is a common side bet that revolves around getting a hand valued at 20. The best payout comes when you form a queen of hearts pair, and the dealer gets a natural blackjack.
Over Under 13 Blackjack Side Bet Poker
Here are all of the Lucky Ladies payouts:
- Queen of hearts pair w/ dealer blackjack = 1000:1 payout
- Queen of hearts pair = 200:1 payout
- Matched 20 (same rank and suit) = 25:1 payout
- Suited 20 = 10:1 payout
- Nonsuited 20 = 4:1 payout
The prospect of winning a 1000:1 payout is definitely exciting. But the problem is that the house edge is 17.6% with this pay table.
That said, Lucky Ladies is a side bet to avoid, or at least limit how much you risk.
Over Under 13 Blackjack Side Bet Payouts
Conclusion
Over Under 13 Blackjack Side Bet Sign
The general theme with blackjack is beating the dealer without going over 21. But you can always add new wrinkles to your blackjack experience by trying the different side bets and variations that we’ve discussed here.
We recommend switching games first because most blackjack variants offer a reasonable house edge. This is even true with games like Blackjack Switch and Spanish 21, where the rules change quite a bit from standard blackjack.
Side bets are also a nice way to spice up your blackjack experience, especially when they offer big potential payouts. But you should keep your side wagers to a minimum because most of them have high house edges.
Over Under 13 Blackjack Side Bet Picks
If you’re worried about the house advantage, then you can always try side bets and variations for free before playing for real money. Online casinos give you the chance to do this without spending any money.
Over Under 13 Blackjack Side Bet Odds
Above all, blackjack is about entertainment, so don’t hesitate to try something new when you find a reasonable game / bet.
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