21 + 3 Blackjack – How to Play

Many blackjack variations now appear online and in live venues. 21+3 blackjack is one of the more popular hybrids: you still play standard blackjack, but you can add a side wager that pays when your two cards plus the dealer’s upcard form a strong three-card poker hand—sometimes up to 100-1 on the side bet.

What makes 21+3 different from standard blackjack?

It keeps the same hit/stand/split/double decisions you already know, while adding an optional gamble tied to poker-style combinations instead of your total alone.

The rules of 21+3 Blackjack

The primary game in 21+3 blackjack is as standard as any regular blackjack game found online or in a live casino. Six decks of cards are used and shuffled after each hand of online play. After placing their wager players receive two face up cards just as in standard blackjack while the dealer displays one of his/her two cards face up.

Players are given the opportunity to act on their hands by hitting (taking a card), standing, splitting or doubling down. The goal is to try and beat the dealer by accumulating a card value total closest to 21 without going over. Aces are valued as either one or eleven and face cards count as ten. An ace combined with a face card on the original two cards is a blackjack for the player and pays 3-2.

Dealers in 21+3 blackjack are bound by the same rules found in standard variations of the game. The dealer must stand pat on any total of 17, hard or soft, and must take a hit on any total of 16 or below until his/her hand equals 17 or more. Going over 21 is a bust for the dealer and all players that have not busted before the dealer acts win the hand and collect an even money payout on their wager.

Splitting of any two paired cards is allowed and cards may be re-split one time per originally split card. Aces may be split, hit, doubled or re-split as well. Players may double down on any two original cards and receive one additional card after making a double. Players may also double down after a split.

Insurance is available when the dealer shows an ace and pays 2-1 on the insurance wager which is typically allowed to be up to half of the original bet.

The +3 side bet

Before the cards are dealt a player can make a side bet in order to qualify for the +3 pays. This bet is placed in a separate, marked box. Once a player has made the bet and the cards are being dealt the bet cannot be removed.

The +3 side bet is just like the table game known as Three-Card Poker. Instead of receiving three cards to make a hand, the player uses their two face-up cards and the dealer’s face-up card to qualify for the bonus payout. The following combinations are most common and pay varying amounts:

Suited three of a kind: Three cards with the same rank, all of the same suit. For three cards to have the same rank, they must share the same value (like three 8s) or the same picture (like three queens). Straight flush: Three cards of consecutive rank, all of the same suit—for example, 6-7-8 of hearts. Three of a kind: Three cards with the same rank of mixed suits.

Straight: Three cards of consecutive rank of mixed suits. Ace can be high (Queen-King-Ace) or low (Ace-2-3). Flush: Three cards of the same suit. A listing of all bonus payouts is placed for players to see and can range from 8-1 for a flush to as much as 100-1 for a suited three-of-a-kind.

Additional rules of 21+3 Blackjack

Players may draw or “hit” up to a maximum hand total of eight cards. An eight-card hand beats the dealer in all circumstances so long as it does not bust (go over 21) or the dealer has a blackjack. If the player and dealer both have a blackjack on their original two cards the hand is a push or tie. A blackjack can only be made with the original two cards.

21+3 Blackjack strategy

In most online blackjack games that offer a side bet, the operator wants extra action on higher-edge wagers. The base blackjack portion of 21+3 is often quoted around 99.7% RTP in some rule sets—strong by casino standards—but the optional +3 wager carries a much higher house edge, so your combined expectation drops whenever you bet it every hand.

Since the online casino shuffles six decks of cards after each hand of play it is almost impossible to depend on card counting as a viable strategy. The player can, however, use basic blackjack strategy to their advantage. This should be coupled with sound money management and an overall betting strategy.

There really is no strategy involved where the side bet is concerned. It is simply the luck of the draw. That’s not to say a player shouldn’t try it from time to time. The best time to do that is when the player has amassed a few winnings from the session. If the player is ahead and can make the side bet with the “house’s money” (their winnings) then the bet can potentially pay off a large amount. What is not advised is using the side bet in an effort to get even quickly when the session is a losing one.

Players should seek to limit their losses and maximize profits with good money management each time they play online blackjack.

FAQ

Is 21+3 the same as regular blackjack?

No. The core hand still follows blackjack rules, but the +3 wager is a separate bet resolved from your two cards plus the dealer upcard.

Can you beat 21+3 with card counting?

At typical online tables the shoe is shuffled every round, so counting offers little value. Focus on basic strategy for the main bet and treat the side bet as entertainment.

When does the side bet make sense?

If you enjoy the sweat and can afford it, occasional small side bets from session winnings are reasonable. Chasing losses with the +3 bet is usually a bankroll leak.