How to play
Over/Under 21 is classic six-deck blackjack with two optional side bets on the total of your first two cards. They’re settled the moment the cards land, before you play the hand.
- Choose a chip and tap Bet for your main blackjack bet.
- Optionally tap Over 13, Under 13 or both (10 to 100 each).
- Press Deal. The side bets are paid right away, then you play the main hand: Hit, Stand, Double or Split.
Blackjack rules. Six decks. The dealer stands on all 17s and checks for blackjack under an ace or a 10. Blackjack pays 3 to 2. Double on any first two cards, double after split, split up to four hands. Insurance is offered against an ace.
The side bets
Add up your first two cards. For these bets an ace always counts 1, and picture cards count 10.
| Bet | Wins when the total is | Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Over 13 | 14 or more | 1 to 1 |
| Under 13 | 12 or less | 1 to 1 |
A total of exactly 13 loses both. So ace-King is a blackjack for the main hand but a total of 11 for the side bets: it wins Under 13.
The odds
We calculated both bets exactly, counting every pair of cards from the six-deck shoe:
| Bet | Wins | Return to player | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 13 | 46.72% of deals | 93.45% | 6.55% |
| Under 13 | 44.97% of deals | 89.93% | 10.07% |
The remaining 8.3% of deals are a total of exactly 13. Under 13 loses more because a 10-value card is four times as common as any other: big totals come more often than small ones.
Tips
- Over 13 is the better side bet. Both pay even money, and Over wins more often.
- Betting both is a losing hedge. One of them wins unless the total is 13, so you get your money back most of the time, but on every 13 you lose both.
- The side bets cost more than the main game. Following the hint, the main hand gives up well under 1%.
- They don’t change how to play. The hint only looks at the main hand.
For other side bets, try Side Bet 21, Royal Queens 21 or Dealer Bust 21.
If you enjoy Over/Under 21, try Pachinko Rush or Pai Gow Poker next.
