21+3 Blackjack is one of the widely spread side bet blackjack games. The game was invented almost two decades ago by merging blackjack with three card poker. Besides the regular blackjack gameplay, you can choose to place a side bet on whether your first 2 cards and dealer’s face up card will make a winning poker combinations.

• How To Play 21+3 Blackjack
• How Does 21+3 Work In Blackjack

The game was quickly adopted by the audience who love to mix skill based blackjack with a luck dependent side bets. Of course the possible payouts of 100×1 also didn’t hurt.

Currently, there are four variation of this game available online, here we will review Realistic 21+3 blackjack. For other versions, please check our 21+3 online blackjack games comparison.

Realistic 21+3 Blackjack Rules

What really stands out in Realistic title is that it’s the only one that is played according to American blackjack rules and not European ones, as all other available versions. What that means is that in case the dealer face up card is of 10 value, he will check for blackjack. It’s a positive rule since if the dealer has blackjack, we will lose only our original bet and not doubles and splits, which is the case under European rules.

When it comes to splitting hands in 21+3 Blackjack, the game is both liberal and conservative with its rules. You can split any hand with identical-valued cards, however, you can only do this one time for a maximum of two hands. As a result, if you are dealt another pair, you will not be able to resplit it. 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. 21+3 is based on European blackjack rules, meaning that the dealer doesn’t check for blackjack. Therefore in case the dealer has a natural, your doubles and splits will be lost as well. Popular examples include 777 or Perfect Pairs. 21 +3 Blackjack is a regular game which can be either European or US rules, which has a 3-card optional side bet. The idea is that you make a poker style hand with your first 2 cards in combination with the dealer’s up card. There are some big payouts possible. Tunica, MS Blackjack Rules & Conditions Chart 2021.Mobile users view horizontally (landscape).Desktop Users – Charts best viewed using Google Chrome browser.

Another advantage is that it’s actually 2 games in 1. Besides 21+3, you can place additional Perfect Pairs side bets.

Basic rules:

• Played with 6 decks of 52 cards.
• Dealer stands on all 17s.
• You can double down on any two cards.
• Doubled down hands receive one card.
• You can split only once, including Aces.
• Split Aces receive only one card.

Payouts:

• Blackjack pays 3:2
• If the dealer face up card is an Ace you will be offered 2:1 insurance or if you have a natural, you will be offered even money.
• Same value hands: push.

Side Bets Payouts

Realistic 21+3 blackjack follows a standard payout table with one exception. Three of a kind is usually worth 30:1, while here it’s set on 25:1. It might seem insignificant, but it is. This minor change lowers the side bet odds from 95.38% to 92%. That’s quite a difference, for sure compared to 95.85% odds offered by IGT (Wagerworks) or 95.38% at Felt 21 plus 3 blackjack.

• Flush pays 5:1.
• Straight (Ace can be high or low) pays 10 to 1.
• Unsuited Three of a kind pays 25 to 1.
• Straight flush pays 40 to 1.
• Suited three of a kind pays100 to 1.

How To Play 21+3 Blackjack

*Perfect Pairs payout are 30:1 on suited pairs, 10:1 on same colour and 5:1 on other pairs.

Limits & Interface

Realistic Games software is very friendly and smooth. There is no need to download anything and you can play directly in your browser. Unfortunately, it’s still not available on mobile devices. The minimum bet is $1, while the maximum bet on the main game is a whopping $2,000, which should serve even super high rollers. The side bets can go from $1 and up to $200.

Realistic Blackjack House Edge & Verdict

Realistic state that the main game odds are 0.41% and the 21 plus 3 side bets stand on 4.62%. According to our calculations the main house edge is 0.45%, while side bets house edge is 8%. We re-tested it few times and got the same results.

How Does 21+3 Work In Blackjack

Bottom line, Realistic title is smooth, fun and exiting game, with solid main game odds and an array of side bet options. Our only problem is high house edge on 21+3.