Is “Match The Dealer” A Good Bet To Make In Blackjack?

Match the Dealer blackjack side bet is essentially a strategy in which you play exactly like the dealer. The two cards you’re starting with will need to match the value of the dealer’s cards. But does ‘Match the Dealer’ actually work? What do you have to pay attention to? What are the rules? All that and more will be answered in our guide. 

Blackjack Match, the Dealer, Bet – How Does it Work?

To start playing Match the Dealer, you have to place an additional wager on the blackjack table. 

The winning conditions for this popular side bet are quite straightforward – if the rank of your initial cards matches the dealer’s cards, you win the gamble. Therefore with this view, all you have to do is make this side bet and expect the best possible outcome at the beginning of every hand. Moreover, if your cards both match in rank and suit, you will receive even bigger rewards.

This type of wager is available in most blackjack variants, including Spanish 21 and Down Under Blackjack. The chances of getting an unsuited or suited match vary greatly, depending on the deck number used in the game.

How Does Blackjack Match the Dealer Bet Pay?

Apart from the number of decks, the payouts differ depending on the type of game. However, we will focus only on classic blackjack in this article.

• Two-Deck Game

If you play the game with two decks, an unsuited match will pay 4:1. In other words, if you bet £50, you would get £200 once your cards’ rank matches the dealer’s. On the other hand, if you manage to create a suitable match, meaning that both you and your dealer get identical cards, both rank-wise and suit-wise, the bet will pay 19:1. That is the highest possible single card payout you can get when making this type of side bet.

• Four-Deck Game

An unsuited match also pays 4:1 in blackjack games that use four decks. However, a suitable match is decreased to 12:1.

• Five-Deck Game

Blackjack types that use five decks will pay only 3:1 in an unsuited match. However, a suitable match is more challenging to achieve than four-deck blackjack, so the odds are set to 15:1.

• Six-Deck Game

An unsuited match would also pay 4:1 in six-deck blackjack. Incidentally, the probability of making a suitable match is the highest with six decks, so the payout for it is set to 11:1.

• Eight-Deck Game

Finally, all blackjack types that use eight decks will pay 3:1 for an unsuited match and 14:1 for a suitable match.

• Other Possibilities

All the probabilities and payouts above are for one card only. However, your rewards can be higher if both of your cards are unsuited or suitable matches. Many blackjack games that allow this type of side bet will pay for the following possibilities:

• One non-suited match
• Two non-suited matches
• One suited match
• One non-suited and one suited match
• Two suited matches

You should take into view that two suitable matches are tough to get. In reality, it is possible only when played with more than two decks. The highest pay for two suitable matches that you can get is 30:1 for five-deck blackjacks. However, the probability of winning that bet is 0.000180, so you have to be extremely lucky.

Is Match the Dealer a Good Blackjack Betting Strategy?

You probably already know that blackjack is a casino game with the lowest house edge. Therefore, casinos first introduced these side bets to increase their end and earn more money from players.

These bets add a new layer of entertainment when playing blackjack, resulting in two different schools of thought about this side bet.

It's Not Always About Blackjack Betting Systems

Many blackjack enthusiasts would disagree with the statement that players should always avoid a blackjack side bet. The blackjack game is a game of chance above all, and it is still exciting to test your luck with a couple of side bets. You can win a lot of money if you are fortunate enough, and no strategy can help you with that.

Therefore, if you are a type of person who likes playing card and table games just for fun and for the “thrill,” then “match the dealer” bet is something you should consider trying, but make sure not to overdo it; it won’t make you a wizard.

There are many side bets suitable for blackjack beginners, and their primary purpose is to spice up the game and offer players to test their skill across all blackjack levels. In addition, many blackjack variants include other types of side bets, such as an insurance bet and perfect pairs bet.