Perfect Pairs: Winning Strategy

Blackjack is a classic card game with many variations. One of the most popular formats is Perfect Pairs, a game that plays out like regular blackjack but also offers the possibility of making a Perfect Pairs side bet. Anyone who’s played standard online blackjack before will easily adapt to the rules and proceedings of Blackjack Perfect Pairs, and if you are hesitant, try it first in demo mode and then switch to real money bets. 

It’s always difficult to identify a winning strategy that guarantees success on every blackjack hand, and that is also the case with Perfect Pairs. Yes, blackjack is a game of skill and as far as that aspect is concerned there are always tips and tricks that are proven to advance the player’s outcomes. However, blackjack is also a game of chance and that is something no tactics will ever surpass. But let’s focus on what we know and what experienced Perfect Pairs players have pointed out as beneficial for an overall winning strategy in a blackjack game with a Perfect Pairs side bet.

Perfect Pairs is played with 8 decks of cards and regular 21 rules apply: 21 pays 3:2, insurance pays 2:1, the dealer hits on a soft 17 and doubling and splitting rules are applied as per usual. It’s the side bet that changes the game. The Perfect Pairs bet is a wager on whether the first two cards dealt will be a pair and there are three types of pairs that offer payouts: mixed pairs (5:1), colored pairs (15:1) and perfect pairs (30:1).

It is said that Blackjack Perfect Pairs is a great game for bettors with larger bankrolls, ones that can afford a side bet. The house edge is quite high. Let’s just say the Perfect Pairs side bet is not recommended, in general. If we flip the coin, the winnings after the side bet is placed are stellar. It’s a temptation some players can’t resist. So if you’re not looking for a sustainable profit in the long run and you’re into a quick thrill and an adrenaline rush mind the following advice and affirmations:

• Carefully measure your regular wager and then determine the size of your Perfect Pairs bet
• Since the side bet is always settled first, you need to make sure that its result doesn’t affect your regular wager
• Probability and luck have major roles to play in determining whether you win the side bet, so no strategy can really work.
• Double your bet every time your hand score is 11 or lower, do not double otherwise, to upper your chances in the standard blackjack game
• Don’t split two 10s, to upper your chances in the standard blackjack game
• Different casinos will have different payouts (some offer 25:1 for a perfect pair, 10:1 or 12:1 for a colored pair)
• The dealer’s cards have no bearing on the outcome of the Perfect Pairs side bet
• In a standard 8-deck game there is a 1.7% chance of drawing a perfect pair, 1.9% chance of drawing a colored pair and a 3.9% chance of drawing a mixed pair. 
• It’s smart to set aside a separate bankroll for the side bet. It should be equal to the payout for a perfect pair. This will enable you to take advantage of the fun side bet without losing too much cash.