How to Use Royal Match Side Bet in Blackjack: Odds, Payouts, & More

Royal Match Blackjack can be a viable side bet option to increase your potential payouts while playing live blackjack online. Alongside 21+3, Perfect Pairs, and Insurance, it’s a popular side wager among players at the best U.S. casinos.

Discover how it works and explore the odds and potential payouts for this fun bet below. 

What is Royal Match Blackjack? 

Royal Match in blackjack is an optional side bet in some live dealer variants, alongside Perfect Pairs, 21+3, and Insurance.

The Royal Match side bet is based on your first two cards. You receive a payout if your cards are suited (a king of spades plus a five of spades, for example). 

The best hand you can be dealt in this side bet is a Royal Match (suited king and queen), while some variants offer a Crown Treasure payout, which is where the dealer and the player receive a suited king and queen. 

As with most blackjack side bets, the outcome of the game hand doesn’t affect your winning chances. If you receive a suited pair to kick things off, you will win a payout, regardless of whether you beat the dealer in the upcoming round.

Royal Match Odds, Payouts, & House Edge 

The odds and payouts attached to Royal Match blackjack depend on the number of decks. While the house edge of a standard blackjack hand is usually under 1%, it increases to 5% to 10% for side bets like Royal Match. 

In a standard live blackjack game with six decks, you can make a Royal Match with 144 combinations, with a probability of 0.0029. An Easy Match can be formed with 11,868 combinations, with a probability of 0.245. 

The odds and probability change depending on the number of decks in play, as do the payouts. You can use the following as a starting point when the Royal Match side bet is offered: 

It’s important to remember that every blackjack game is unique, with its own house edge and side bet payouts. So, before opting for a side bet like Royal Match, read the game rules, check the payouts, and understand your chances of winning. 

Analysis: Is Royal Match Blackjack a Good Play? 

Royal Match has pros and cons, as with all side bets in blackjack. The main advantage is that you can play for bigger returns, up to 25:1 for a Royal Match in most variants, while the biggest payout in the blackjack base game is only 3:2. 

But when you place a side bet, you increase the risk attached, while the house edge is also considerably higher, reducing the likelihood of a payout. 

Of all the side bets in blackjack, Royal Match is a decent option, thanks to the inclusion of the Easy Match payout of 2.5:1. This makes a win more likely than in 21+3 and Perfect Pairs. 

If you plan to play Royal Match Blackjack, ensure you have sufficient bankroll to cover the additional wager, and please always remember to gamble responsibly. 

Other Blackjack Side Bets 

After placing Royal Match blackjack bets, check out the following side bets offered in many online variants of the game: 

• Perfect Pairs: This is a side bet on your first two cards being a pair. Any pairs, colored pairs, and perfect pairs offer payouts ranging from 5:1 to 25:1. 
• 21+3: Combine your first two cards with the dealer’s up card to form the best three-card poker hand. Payouts range from 5:1 to 100:1. 
• Insurance: This side bet is offered when the dealer shows an ace. You will receive a 2:1 payout if the dealer gets blackjack. 

Play Royal Match Blackjack Today

Royal Match Blackjack is a fun and potentially profitable side bet you can place while playing live online table games at top U.S. casinos like FanDuel, Fanatics, and BetMGM. Discover the best new free chips bonuses at the best casinos to kick things off with a free bet.