We play casino games to unwind and relax. They serve as a source of entertainment; one that can occasionally net us a cool win or two! The beauty of these games is that you can play them as casually or as hardcore as you like.
With blackjack, you can follow an optimal strategy and stick to it all the time. However, you may find the game quickly becomes bland doing that. As a result, most tables will give you the option to play side bets.
These extra wagers offer you a bonus reward on top of your existing win for completing certain requirements. In this article, we will take a closer look at the Perfect Pairs side bet and its intricacies.
Perfect Pairs Explained
The core idea behind Perfect Pairs is simple. When the dealer gives you your first two cards, the side bet checks what cards you received. If the two cards form a pair, then you win the extra prize! Depending on how good the pair is, the payout can increase! For the vast majority of blackjack tables, this side bet comes in three tiers.
- Just a pair with non-matching colors and suits will earn you the smallest possible prize.
- A pair with matching colors but different suits grants you the middle prize.
- A perfect pair with matching colors and suits scores the best possible prize!
How much each pair will earn you tends to vary with the casino you are playing with. If playing online, the payouts are set by the software provider who made the game.
Odds of Winning
For our calculations, we are assuming the blackjack table you are playing uses eight decks. That means 416 cards total to work with!
For the best possible payout, we need two cards that match perfectly. With eight decks, that gives us a 7/415 chance to win the perfect side bet score, or 1.69%.
When it comes to matching colors but not suits, that only slightly increases the chance of winning. Here, we will only have eight cards that can create the right winning combination. That means your odds of winning are 1.93%.
Finally, for the lowest value Perfect Pairs win, we have sixteen possible matches for our drawn card. That means the chances of winning are 16/415 or 3.86%. You are twice as likely to win this pair instead of the color matching pair!
Should You Play It?
For players looking to maximize their winnings, Perfect Pairs is a no-go. Basic blackjack strategy does not include any side bets since they bring the RTP down. However, if you are just playing blackjack for a bit of fun, then there is no harm in playing it.
Approach Perfect Pairs like an occasional treat, rather than expecting it to win every single round. It will be much more enjoyable that way.
