Here’s another side bet that actually has decent return for how much you pay to play, and the rules are simple and straightforward. It’s not offered at many online casinos (mainly in or around Las Vegas), but if you can find it and you enjoy the diversion of the blackjack side bet, I’d give this one a whirl.

Basically, it pays you out if your starting hand equals 20, and the dealer’s up card is some value of 10. There are different payouts for different combinations, and the bet each time is a dollar. In a standard six-deck game, the average house odds are at 18 percent. As you know by now, most of these side bets yield a house edge of 10 percent or greater (otherwise why would they offer them?) but since others can climb into the 20’s and 30’s…I would go so far as to call this one a reasonable wager.

And here’s what you’re shooting for – the online blackjack jackpot payoff so to speak. If your two cards totaling 20 are of the same rank and same suit, and the dealer’s first two cards (yeah, this is the only payoff variation that plays it to the dealer’s first two cards) matches, you’ll win $25K. Of course, the probability comes in at a rather tough 0.000062%. Yeah, lots of zeroes on the wrong side of the decimal point there. Still, though, it’s a sexy amount to win, so that’s the draw.

Going down from there, if the same situation plays out and just the dealer’s first card matches, you get $2,500. 10% less for something with a probability that drops in about two decimal points.

From there, the drop in payout money is pretty significant on Golden Casino. Under the same player hand scenario, coupled with a dealer card of any value of 10, the payoff is a measly $100. The same dealer hand paired with a player hand of 20 comprised of cards of the same rank makes you $30, same suit is $20, and that’s the end of it. But let’s be honest with ourselves, nobody plops down $1 each time like Lemmings going off a cliff in hopes they’ll make their money back every 30 hands or so – you’re doing it for that $25K. You’ll never win it, but it’s fun to strive for anyway.