Blackjack Side Bets

Unless otherwise stated, the cut card placement is fixed as follows. In the case of a two-deck shoe, the cut card is placed 29 cards from the end (at a depth of 75 cards). In the case of a six-deck shoe, the cut card is placed 52 cards from the end (at a depth of 260 cards). Card counting tags are given in the order (A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, T) when all ten-valued cards are equivalent. When all 13 tags are used, they are given in the order (A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, T, J, Q, K).

18 Bet, 6 Decks

Use tags: (4, -1, -1, 0, 0, 0, -2, -1, 1, 0)
Trigger true count: +5
Bet frequency: 9.92%
Average edge (6 decks): 1.73%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.171

19 Bet, 6 Decks

Use tags: (2, -1, -1, -1, 0, 0, -1, -1, -1, 1)
Trigger true count: +4
Bet frequency: 9.20%
Average edge (6 decks): 1.08%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.099

21 + 3

Count difference between most abundant and least abundant suit.
Trigger true count: +8
Bet frequency: 3.53%
Average edge: 5.04%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.178

21+3 Extreme

No card counting system developed. Perfect play only.
Bet frequency (perfect play): 0.299%
Average edge (perfect play): 4.080%
Units won per 100 hands (perfect play): 0.0122

Bust It

Use tags: (3,2,2,1,0,-2,0,-1,-1,-1)
Trigger true count: +5
Bet frequency: 18.13%
Average edge (2 decks): 10.66%
Units won per 100 hands: 1.933

Buster Blackjack, 2 Decks

Pay tables (2,2,4 …) have low vulnerability.
Pay tables (1,3,6 …) have high vulnerability.
For (1,3,6,…) use tags (-2,-3,-2,0,0,0,1,1,1,1)
Trigger true count: +5
Bet frequency: 16.83%
Average edge: 7.30%
Units won per 100 hands: 1.228

Buster Blackjack, 6 Decks

Pay tables (2,2,4 …) have low vulnerability.
Pay tables (1,3,6 …) have moderate vulnerability.
For (1,3,6,…) use tags (-2,-3,-2,0,0,0,1,1,1,1)
Trigger true count: +4
Bet frequency: 13.29%
Average edge: 5.28%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.702

Dealer Bust 21

Card counting vulnerability varies by pay table.
Use tags: (-1,0,0,1,1,0,2,1,0,-1)
Trigger true count: +3
Bet frequency: 19.46%
Average edge (2 decks): 3.05%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.593

Field Gold 21

Use tags: (-3, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1)
Trigger true count: +2
Bet frequency: 27.28%
Average edge (2 decks): 8.73%
Units won per 100 hands: 2.383

Golden 21

Use tags: (-6,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,-2)
Trigger true count: +9
Bet frequency: 12.18%
Average edge (2 decks): 5.72%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.697

High Tie

Use tags: (-4,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,-1)
Trigger true count: +5
Bet frequency: 14.60%
Average edge 9.53%
Units won per 100 hands: 1.392

In Between

Use tags: (4,2,0,-1,-2,-2,-2,-2,-2,-1,0,2,4)
Trigger true count: +20
Bet frequency: 3.56%
Average edge: 3.03%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.108

Insurance

Use tags: (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 ,1, -2)
Use running count with no true count conversion.
Trigger running count: 4*D + 1 (D = number of decks).
Bet frequency: 1.67%
Average edge (2 decks): 10.09%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.182

King’s Bounty, 6 Decks

Ten count: (0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,-2,-2,-2,-2)
Trigger true count: +8
Bet frequency: 4.00%
Average edge: 12.14%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.485
Stronger count system includes count of K of Spades.

Lucky Ladies, 2 Decks

Ten count: (0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,-2,-2,-2,-2)
Trigger true count: +8
Bet frequency: 7.159%
Average edge: 16.41%
Units won per 100 hands: 1.175
Stronger count system includes count of Q of Hearts.

Lucky Ladies, 6 Decks

Moderately vulnerable to card counting.
Ten Count: (0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, -2,-2,-2,-2)
Bet frequency: 2.973%
Average edge: 13.23%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.393

Lucky Lucky

Use tags: (-1, 1, 1, 0, 0, -1, -2, -2, 0, 1)
Trigger true count: +2
Bet frequency: 28.48%
Average edge: 5.57%
Units won per 100 hands: 1.586

Match the Dealer (Spanish 21, 6 Decks)

Use tags: (1,1,1,1,1,1,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1,1)
Trigger true count: +10, -10
Bet frequency: 1.28%
Average edge: 2.06%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.026

Over/Under 13

Use crush count: (2,2,1,0,0,0,0,0,-1,-1)
Trigger true count for Over 13 wager: +3
Trigger true count for Under 13 wagers: -5
Bet frequency: 19.724%
Average edge: 5.242%
Units won per 100 hands: 1.034 APPENDIX C: BLACKJACK SIDE BETS 465

Pair Square / Bet the Set

Most vulnerable game is six-decks with 20/10 pay table.
Use tags: (1,1,1,1,1,1,0,-1,-1,-1,-1,-1,1)
Trigger true count: +10, -10
Bet frequency: 1.27%
Average edge: 2.28%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.029

Red Flex Pure 21.5

Red/Black count (Black = +1, Red = -1)
Trigger true count: +1
Bet frequency: 30.87%
Average edge: 10.38%
Units won per 100 hands: 3.204

Royal 20’s

Use Ten count: (0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,-2)
Trigger true count: +8
Bet frequency: 8.89%
Average edge: 17.07%
Units won per 100 hands: 1.517

Royal Match

Count difference between most abundant and least abundant suit.
Single-deck trigger running count: +6
Bet frequency: 4.83%
Average edge (1 deck, rule of 6): 2.34%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.113

Slingo Bonus Bet 21

Various wagers available, each has its own count system.
Trigger true counts are +1 and +2
Bet frequencies range from 23.16% to 36.22%
Average edge ranges from 8.10% to 13.81%
Team of five counters can earn 17.67 units each per 100 hands.

Super Sevens

Card counting system: sevens = -12, others = +1.
Trigger true count: +4
Bet frequency = 24.890%
Average edge = 34.354%
Units won per 100 hands = 8.550

Wild Aces

Use tags: (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, -2)
Use running count with no true count conversion.
Trigger running count: 4*D + 1 (D = number of decks).
Bet frequency: 1.67%
Average edge: 10.09%
Units won per 100 hands: 0.182