When playing at a regulated UK online casino like Betmaster, you will often Top 3 Side bet this option on digital tables provided by developers like Evolution or Playtech. Before tapping your screen to place a £1 chip on this bet, it is crucial to understand exactly how it works. This guide breaks down the rules, the exact math behind the odds, and how the mechanics appear on your screen.
What is Top 3 in Blackjack?
Top 3 in Blackjack is an optional side bet you can place before the cards are dealt – it uses your first two cards and the dealer’s face-up card to create a three-card poker hand. If those three cards form a strong poker combination — like a flush, straight, or three of a kind — you win a fixed payout, no matter what happens in the main blackjack game.
Example: You get 9♣ and 10♣, and the dealer shows J♣ — that makes a straight flush, so your Top 3 bet wins.
So, your main blackjack hand and your top 3 side bet are completely separate. If you place a wager on the top 3, the dealer checks the result immediately after dealing the initial cards. You can bust and lose your main blackjack bet, but still receive a return on the top 3 wager if the cards line up.
To win this specific wager, your two starting cards and the dealer’s upcard must combine to form one of these exact hands:
- Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same number or face value, regardless of their suit (for example, a 7 of Hearts, 7 of Clubs, and 7 of Spades).
- Straight Flush: Three cards in direct numerical order that also share the exact same suit (for example, the 4, 5, and 6 of Diamonds).
- Suited Three of a Kind: Three cards of the exact same number and the exact same suit (for example, three Jacks of Spades).
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Blackjack Side Bets, Explained
When you open a live dealer or digital blackjack game on your phone, you will see the main betting rectangle directly in front of your virtual seat. Next to or slightly above this main box, you will see smaller, separate circles or badges. Tapping these smaller circles places a side bet.
If you do not place chips in these specific circles before the countdown timer reaches zero, you are not involved in the side bet for that round. You will often see a format called “all bets blackjack,” which groups several different side wagers onto one table.
Common side bets you will see on your screen include:
- Insurance: A bet offered by a screen pop-up only when the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace. It pays out if the dealer’s hidden card is a 10 or a face card.
- Perfect Pairs: A bet placed in a side circle that pays out if your first two dealt cards form a pair.
- 21+3: A three-card poker bet very similar to the top 3, but with a slightly different set of rules.
Because the 21+3 blackjack wager and the top 3 wager look similar, players frequently confuse them.
The Difference Between 21+3 Blackjack and Top 3
The 21+3 blackjack side bet and the top 3 wager both use your two cards and the dealer’s upcard. However, they pay out on a different number of qualifying combinations.
The standard 21+3 bet covers five different poker hands. It pays out if you land a Flush, a Straight, a Three of a Kind, a Straight Flush, or a Suited Three of a Kind. Because there are five ways to trigger a return, you will hit a qualifying combination more often.
The top 3 wager is a stricter version of this bet. It removes the easiest hands to hit (the Flush and the Straight). It only pays out on the three rarest, highest-value hands.
If you are comparing the two, remember these rules:
- The 21+3 bet has a higher hit frequency but lower payouts (usually starting at 5:1 for a Flush).
- The top 3 bet has a very low hit frequency but significantly higher multipliers (starting at 90:1).
- On many UK casino user interfaces, you cannot place a top 3 bet unless you have already placed a chip on the 21+3 betting circle first.
Once you understand these differences and decide to proceed, placing the bet is a simple mechanical process.
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How to Play the Top 3 Blackjack Side Bet
Placing a top 3 blackjack side bet requires you to follow a specific sequence of clicks before the cards are dealt. If you miss the betting window, the software locks your screen, and you must wait for the next hand.
When the round begins, a graphical prompt will ask you to “Place Your Bets.” You must use your device to select your chip value and place it on the digital felt.
Follow these exact steps to place the wager:
- Select your chip value (for example, £1) from the menu at the bottom of your screen.
- Tap the main betting box to place your standard blackjack wager.
- Tap the circle labelled “21+3” (if required by the specific game rules).
- Tap the specific circle labelled “Top 3” to place this secondary wager.
- Wait for the dealer to distribute the two cards to your position and one face-up card to their position.
- Watch the screen; the software will instantly highlight your side bet circle in green if the condition is met, automatically adding the funds to your overall balance.
Once the side bet is settled by the computer, the dealer will ask you for your standard blackjack decisions, such as hitting or standing. The return you receive depends entirely on the game’s paytable.
Top 3 Blackjack Hand Rankings and Payouts
The payout structure for the top 3 wager is fixed, meaning the odds do not change based on how many people are playing at the table. Because these specific three-card hands are statistically rare, the paytable features large multipliers acting as a blackjack bonus mechanic.
If you wager £1 on the top 3 bet and hit an unsuited Three of a Kind, the dealer pays £90. You also keep your original £1 stake, returning £91 to your digital balance.
The standard paytable found in most UK online casinos looks like this:
| Winning Hand | Example | Standard Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Suited Three of a Kind | Three 8s of Clubs | 270 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 9, 10, Jack of Hearts | 180 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind (Unsuited) | 4 of Hearts, 4 of Spades, 4 of Clubs | 90 to 1 |
It is a strict rule that you only receive a return for the highest value hand you create. If you land a Suited Three of a Kind, you receive the 270:1 payout. You do not receive the 90:1 payout on top of it.
To understand why operators can offer a 270:1 payout, you must look at the underlying mathematics.
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Odds and Combinations for Top 3
The mathematical odds of forming a top 3 hand are very low. UKGC-regulated online blackjack tables generally use shoes containing 6 or 8 standard 52-card decks.
In a 6-deck shoe, there are 312 total cards in play. To form a Suited Three of a Kind, the dealer must pull three specific cards out of those 312. For example, there are exactly six Aces of Spades in the entire shoe. You need three of them to land on your exact spot in one hand.
Look at the statistical probabilities of these hands appearing in a standard 6-deck game:
- The chance of forming an unsuited Three of a Kind is roughly 0.50% (about 1 in 200 hands).
- The chance of forming a Straight Flush is roughly 0.20% (about 1 in 500 hands).
- The chance of forming a Suited Three of a Kind is roughly 0.02% (about 1 in 5,000 hands).
Because these events occur so rarely, the casino has a significant mathematical advantage over the player. This is called the house edge. While playing perfect basic strategy on your main blackjack hand reduces the house edge to around 0.5%, the house edge on the top 3 side bets usually sits between 9% and 11%.
This means that for every £100 wagered on this specific side bet, the casino expects to keep roughly £9 to £11 over the long term.
Are Blackjack Side Bets Worth Playing?
Side bets provide a high-variance mechanic for players willing to accept higher risk in exchange for larger potential multipliers.
If you decide to engage with these bets, apply strict bankroll management rules:
- If you have a strict, small budget (£10 to £20), avoid the top 3 bet to increase your total time at the table.
- If you have a larger budget and choose to place side bets, limit your side bet size to roughly 10% of your main wager (e.g., a £5 main bet and a 50p side bet).
- If you hit a losing streak on the side bets, never chase the losses by increasing your stake; the statistical probability of the outcome remains exactly the same on every single hand.
By understanding the math, the strict rules, and the UI layout, you can navigate online blackjack tables with total clarity and make informed decisions about your wagers.
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FAQ
What’s the difference between 21 3 and top 3?
The 21+3 side bet pays out on five different poker hands (Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Straight Flush, Suited Three of a Kind). The top 3 side bet is a stricter version. It only pays out on the three rarest hands (Three of a Kind, Straight Flush, Suited Three of a Kind). Because the probability is lower, it offers larger multipliers, ranging from 90:1 to 270:1.
What is the 777 rule in blackjack?
The 777 rule is a different side bet that triggers a return if your first dealt cards are 7s. If your first two cards are 7s, you receive a payout. If you decide to hit and your third card is also a 7, the multiplier increases significantly. This differs from the top 3 bet, because the top 3 bet uses the dealer’s face-up card, whereas the 777 bet uses only the cards drawn to your specific hand.
What is the lucky 3 side bet in blackjack?
The lucky 3 side bet is simply another name for a three-card poker wager used by different casino software providers. It works exactly like the 21+3 bet. It uses your first two cards and the dealer’s face-up card to form a poker hand, offering a return if you hit combinations like a straight or a flush.
What is the payout for 3 of a kind in blackjack?
The payout for a 3 of a kind changes depending on which exact side bet you placed your chip on. If you place a standard 21+3 side bet, an unsuited 3 of a kind usually pays 30:1. However, if you place a chip on the top 3 side bet, that exact same unsuited 3 of a kind pays 90:1.
