Perfect Pairs is one of the most common side bets in blackjack and its variants. It is popular across Australia, Macau and London, and is offered in the majority of online casinos. The side bet is also featured in other cards games, such as baccarat. The wager is very simple to understand and thoroughly entertaining, especially for players who enjoy spicing up their blackjack hand.
Blackjack Basic Strategy for Splitting Pairs of Nines How to Play a Pair of 9's in Blackjack. Hard hands: Hard 8 or less - Hard 9 - Hard 10 - Hard 11 - Hard 12 - Hard 13 - 16 - Hard 17 to 21 Soft hands: Soft 13 - 14 - Soft 15 - 16 - Soft 17 - Soft 18 - Soft 19 to 21. The basic strategy for pair splitting is shown below in a black and white table followed by a color-coded chart for single-, double-, and 4/6/8-deck games. The black and white strategy table shows your pair in the first column and, in the second column, what the dealer’s upcard should be for you to split.
Best online casinos for Perfect Pairs
What is Perfect Pairs?
Perfect Pairs is a wager placed on whether your first two cards are going to be a pair and there are three types of pairs that warrant a payout: a perfect pair, a coloured pair and a mixed pair. Obviously, the odds off achieving any type of pair on the first two cards dealt are considerably lower than not being dealt a pair, but that is the essence of the majority of side bets; that the high risk offers a high reward.
Perfect Pairs is available in most standard games of online blackjack, with the most respected casinos boasting a strong range of 21 games. Most of these online casinos will also have an option to play for free.
Perfect Pairs rules and objective
In order to put forward a Perfect Pairs wager, we must bet prior to being dealt our cards in the appropriate box. In blackjack games which offer this side bet, there will be two betting areas on the table to separate the normal wagers from such side wagers. The Perfect Pairs bet needs to be placed in the side bet zone.
A Perfect Pairs bet does not have to match the amount of our regular bets, but it must be at least the minimum wager of the table. In Blackjack Plus at Melbourne’s Crown Casino, the Perfect Pairs wager can be half of the table minimum, but this is rare. If playing with others, online or offline, the side bet is able to be placed on a hand that is not your own.
Blackjack games which implement this side bet are usually based on European blackjack rules and played with eight decks, though this can vary. In theory, the perfect pairs side bet can be added to any game of blackjack by altering the rules slightly.
Remember, a Perfect Pairs side wager is for the initial two cards dealt, and nothing else; the dealer’s cards have no bearing on the outcome. Once all initial two cards are dealt, any Perfect Pair wagers are settled immediately, before we proceed to make any moves, according to the standard payout chart (below). The main game of blackjack continues on as normal thereafter.
The Perfect Pairs side bet will be paid out if any of the following three possibilities show up:
- A mixed pair or red/black pair: The two initial cards drawn are exactly alike in face value, except for suit and colour. An example of a mixed pair would be a Nine of Hearts and a Nine of Clubs.
- A coloured pair: The two initial cards drawn are exactly alike in face value and colour, except for suit. An example of a coloured pair would be an Ace of Clubs and an Ace of Spades.
- A perfect pair: The two initial cards drawn are exactly alike (face value, colour and suit). An example of a perfect pair would be two Queens of Diamonds. Obviously, games played with a single deck do not lend themselves to such an outcome, so the perfect pairs side bet would be unavailable.
Perfect Pairs payout, probability & house edge
Perfect Pairs is entirely based on chance, like all blackjack side bets, and those chances are slim. In a standard eight-deck game, where we have the best odds available, we have just a 1.7% chance of drawing a perfect pair and being paid out 25:1, with slightly better chances of drawing a coloured or mixed pair, at 1.9% and 3.9%, respectively. With a 92.5% chance of not drawing a pair, and significantly high house edges on each type of pair, don’t expect to make a profit in the long run with such a bet (as with any side bet), but to play it for the thrill and excitement, in the hope of getting lucky every now and then, certainly provides some additional fun.
Blackjack 21+ Perfect Pairs sidebet is a great way to spice up a regular game of Blackjack.
With so many versions of blackjack being created by leading software developers, players may not know what game is best. One of the popular games that can be enjoyed for free and for real money online is Perfect Pairs, an exciting blackjack game that offers a side bet. This game can be enjoyed by anyone that has experience playing classic blackjack. The only difference is the ability to place a side bet.
With Perfect Pairs, players will have more chances to win based on whether they have placed the side bet and what the value of their first two cards are when dealt. Overall, the game is easy to play and can offer decent payouts, though experienced players will suggest to avoid the side bet as it has poor odds and actually increases the house edge.
How to Play Perfect Pairs
- Start by placing a bet as an ante. Players can also select to play the Perfect Pairs side bet before cards are dealt. The side bet must be of equal value to the ante bet.
- Two cards will be dealt to the player and the dealer. If the first two cards are a pair, the side bet will win. If not, the side bet loses and the regular blackjack game continues.
- Players will have the ability to stand, hit, split and take insurance with this variation.
- There are three types of pairs that offer payouts: mixed pairs, coloured pairs and perfect pairs.
How To Win Blackjack Strategy
- During the basic game, players who beat the dealer without going over 21 will win the hand.
- Blackjack hands win automatically.
- Dealer will stand on hands of 17 or above and hit on 16 or below.
- Perfect Pair wins are paid out before the basic blackjack game is played, after the dealer checks for blackjack.
Blackjack Strategy Simulator
- After the Perfect Pairs bet is removed, players can double down and split, though they cannot split Aces.
Rule Variation and House Edge for Perfect Pairs
When playing perfect pairs, the basic game of blackjack is enjoyed. The main difference with this game is the ability to place a side bet. This bet will be a bet on whether the first two cards dealt will be a pair. If the bet is placed, mixed pairs pay 5:1, coloured pairs pay 10:1 and a Perfect Pair will pay 30:1.
Blackjack Pairs Strategy Game
When placing the side bet, the house edge for the game is 6.76%. This is a very high house edge, which is why many experienced players will avoid placing this side bet, regardless of the win potential. This house edge is based on a four deck game. Some online casinos offer the game with six decks, where the house edge is a bit lower at 5.79%.