Have you been wanting to go beyond the basic wagers in your live casino games? That’s where side bets come in. While playing blackjack, baccarat, or even roulette, side bets provide an interesting and often profitable variation that enhances the enjoyment of your gaming sessions. But what exactly are they, and how do they work? This is an informative guide to side bets, detailing their importance and popularity while illustrating how they can be utilized to improve one’s experience at live casinos. Are you prepared to make the subsequent game session more exciting? Let's dig deeper.
What Is a Side Bet?
Consider it as a side wager with a potential payout that serves to enhance the excitement of your casino experience.
A side bet is an additional, optional wager that you can make at the same time as your primary bet while participating in a live casino game. These are "minigames" within the main game. Instead of betting on winning a hand or a round, a side bet allows you to wager on getting a pair in blackjack or certain combinations of numbers in roulette. These bets usually have bigger potential payouts, which are enticing to players aiming to maximize their winnings.
In other words, a side bet is a non-primary but secondary wager made on the side, which doesn't affect the main game (but does affect the outcome of the side wager).
Side Bet vs Main Bet – What's the Difference?
For better understanding, let’s outline the differences side by side.
Main Bet:
Your principal wager
Essential in order to participate in the game
Determines if you win or lose for the round
Side Bet:
Additional wager that is not a requirement
Focuses on set bets like pairs or suits
Does not influence the outcome of the main game
Offers greater risk and reward
Why Side Bets Are Popular in Live Casino Games
Most live casino players now use side bets for various reasons. These extra wagers help to break the monotony of the game while enhancing the thrill associated with gambling.
They Add More Excitement
The side bets incorporate a new accent of energy and pace to the live-action casino games. Now you do not only have to worry about the game’s final result, but rather try to envision bonus outcomes like a perfect pair in blackjack or a 3-number combo in roulette. Apart from being more enjoyable, the gameplay is also more immersive. No matter the outcome, every deal or spin adds a new level of excitement since there are more factors to focus on.
Opportunity for Bigger Payouts
One of the main things that comes on why most people pursue side bets is the abundance of side bets payouts. These wagers have high payout multipliers for rewards that can reach up to 10x, 20x, or even more, depending on the odds and the game being played. While they are riskier than the main bet, the side bet reward is a lot harder to overlook.
Great for Casual and Social Players
Casual players who play simply for enjoyment will definitely appreciate side bets. It might be safe to say that side bets appeal to those who aren’t quite strategy mappers, but rather fun lovers. Relaxation, social interaction, and even casual conversation with friends are possible while beneath the surface of it all, there is head-spinning mathematics that determines the odds and payouts for these bets, which brings an extra level to the experience.
Common Live Casino Games with Side Bets
Individual game categories can be found on the Side Bet section of the Live Casino page. Side bets, as explained previously, can be incorporated at any point in the game, whether play sessions are long or short. Whether one wants to live or record, bets placed before live streams begin, side bets have something for everyone.
Blackjack
Perfect Pairs and 21+3 both make side bets that increase the thrill of Blackjack. While with 21+3, you make a wager with the dealer in which you combine your cards with theirs to make poker hands, with Perfect Pairs, you create a wager on whether your first two cards will be a pair. Such bets keep the players on their toes and excited throughout, and in addition, make it easier to win.
In 21+3, you wager on one of the two poker hands that could be formed by your cards and the dealer’s up card. Further, bets you place using your winnings can be a pair of kings, and if you win those, you bet to make blackjack pairs. With all its twists and turns, the side bets give ample elation to the players, making them win easily, to always keep improving their experience.
Baccarat
Player and Banker Pair, along with Dragon Bonus bets, give even more win opportunities in baccarat. A Player or Banker Pair bet allows you to wager on whether the first two cards of the Player or Banker form a pair. This bet increases the win opportunities and enhances the experience for baccarat fans. Dragon Bonus pays you if you place a bet on the margin of victory and whether the hand wins or loses. Bigger margins increase the payout, creating even more excitement for baccarat.
Poker Variants (e.g., Casino Hold'em)
Poker variants like Casino Hold’em have side bets that include Bonus Bet and AA Bet. These additional wagers enable players with strong poker hands, such as a straight or two aces, to earn more money than the main hand. The Bonus Bet rewards players who go for strong hands like a flush or straight, increasing chances of winning and excitement in the game. The AA Bet allows players to win wagers that suffer the loss of being dealt two aces as their first two cards. This makes it a very entertaining side bet for poker enthusiasts.
Are Side Bets Worth It? Pros and Cons
Side bets can provide opportunities for multitasking side actions that gamers may consider advantageous for their gameplay. However, it is also crucial to analyze whether side or optional side bets fit into their particular gambling style.
The Upside
In some instances, side bets can improve the gaming experience by providing higher payouts than the standard bets. This also helps in creating variety in the game by introducing new ways to win, which keeps the game exciting. It comprises casual gamers who side bets because they increase the number of events to be concentrated on, thereby making the game more entertaining.
The Downside
Regardless of how side bets sound, they come with set drawbacks. The main disadvantage is that the higher the bet, the more money the gambler stands to lose. The increased variability could also draw attention away from the main game, causing other players to be distracted, which may result in not utilizing their primary wagers wisely, making poor decisions, and leading to much bigger losses. Such unwarranted losses are better incurred by people untrained owing to the unregulated environment.
Tips for Making the Most of Side Bets
Side bets have the potential to be riskier, so it is important to take a strategic approach when it comes to placing them.
Know the Odds Before You Bet
Knowing what the odds are for each wager plays a key role in forming a strategy. Each wager features a different side bet and comes with a distinct house edge, three or four different sides that shape each respective payout scheme. Decrease the likelihood of making poor bets with high undue losses by better researching the odds.
Set a Side Bet Budget
Rolling side bets can be very appealing. Crafting a budget plan for these kinds of wagers will help tame your gambling problem. Set aside a section of your bankroll and stick to that budget. This way, you do not spend more than you intended on side bets, nor do you allow the side wagers to monopolize your main game focus.
For beginners, trying side bets for the first time could be best done in live dealer games. Players can try out live dealer games at 7bet and witness firsthand how players engage with side bets.
Final Thoughts: Should You Try Side Bets in a Live Casino?
In both online and live casino settings, side bets are an excellent way to add to the excitement of the game while giving the player an opportunity for higher payouts. In most scenarios, however, they tend to come with greater risk as well because of the increased house edge.
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