You can find numerous table & card games with optional side bets at many of today’s best online casinos. You can also find a growing number of feature-rich online slots with optional side bets that increase the chance of triggering certain bonus features when paying a little extra per spin to activate.
In other words, instead of the standard betting options and payouts, some games also now come with even more betting options that can be placed before the start of each hand, round or spin, depending on the game.
Side bets often come with the possibility of huge rewards, but many side bets have high odds and a low implied probability rate.
Let’s dive straight in to learn more about side bets and reveal the names of several famous online casino games that come with one or more side betting options.
Are side bets worth being placed in any online casino games?
Seasoned pros/expert gamers will generally say that side bets are usually NOT worth placing unless you’re feeling really lucky and have loads of spare cash lying around.
In other words, a quick way to lose your money is to place side bets in every hand/round you play because, although there’s the potential for huge returns, most side bets have higher odds and a lower IPR. Therefore, side bets are riskier in the long run and are only worth the occasional flutter.
However, that doesn’t mean to say that side bets never win. If you are one of the lucky ones, and your side bet wins, it can be extremely rewarding.
Which online casinos have games with optional side bets?
Almost every online casino today has a selection of classic table and card games and slots (computer-generated games and cutting-edge live dealer games) with side bet options.
Even if you live in the United Kingdom and are currently self-excluded, you can still find many non-GamStop casinos with several side bet games on globally renowned iGaming sites like the official https://casinosnotongamstop.co/ website.
Their carefully handpicked online casinos have multiple side bet games from numerous market-leading software providers and game development studios.
Their top 10 suggested casino sites where you can find several blackjack, poker, and baccarat games with side bet options are the following trusted brands:
- Non-GamStop
- Donbet
- Mystake
- Freshbet
- Goldenbet
- Betzino
- 7bets
- NonStop Casino
- Winstler
- Seven Casino
They all accept real cash wagers from UK players, even if a player has placed themselves on the self-excluded GamStop list. These sites are free to sign up to, and can be accessed from Wi/Fi/internet-connected desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablet devices, provided you are 18+.
What kind of side bet options do most games have, and what are the odds like for some of them?
It all depends on what game you play. For example, in games like Casino Hold ’em and Three Card Poker, which have several side bet options, the odds can range from 1:1 up to 500:1 or higher, depending on the side bet.
Therefore, if you place a $/€/£1.00 side bet with 1:1 odds, and win that bet, you would receive a $/€/£2.00 payout (includes your initial $/€/£1.00 stake returned and a $/€/£1.00 profit.
Similarly, if you place a $/€/£1/.00 side bet with 500:1 odds, and win, you would receive a $/€/£501.00 payout (includes your initial $/€/£1.00 stake returned and a $/€/£500.00 profit, and so on.
Other popular side bets you are likely to come across in certain games are the following:
- Game: Blackjack. Side bets: Perfect Pairs
- Game: Three Card Poker/Brag. Side bets: Ante Bonus Pays (prial, running flush, run – A-2-3 is highest run and running flush), and Pair Bonus Pays (pair, flush, run, running flush, and prial – 3-3-3- is highest prial)
- Game: Casino Hold’em. Side bets: Pocket Bonus (pocket aces, ace face suited, ace face, pair), and Trips Plus (trips, straight, flush, full house, quads, straight flush, royal flush)
Most side bets are relatively easy to understand, so try not to let these few examples confuse you. The important thing to remember before placing side bets is to understand what the odds and implied probability rates are trying to tell you.
Some players place side bets all the time because they have won before, whereas others will avoid placing side bets, no matter what game they play or how tempting the odds are.
