Match the Dealer in Mines Games on Lucky Cola Blackjack
Match the dealer usually refers to a side bet that’s available at specific blackjack tables. But it’s also a term used for a strategy that some losing blackjack players use.
The majority of this post explains what the match the dealer side bet is, how it works, and the return percentage you can expect when you make a bet. Toward the end of the post, I explain the match the dealer blackjack strategy and why you shouldn’t use it.
Like most blackjack side bets, the match the dealer isn’t a good bet. But it’s better than many other side bets, so it won’t cost you too much money if you make the match side bet from time to time. Learn everything you need to know about the match the dealer side bet in this post.
Match the Dealer Blackjack Side Bet
The first thing I want to cover is the match the dealer side bet, which is the most common usage for the phrase. Match the dealer is a side bet that you can find with any blackjack style game, including Spanish 21.
How the Match the Dealer Side Bet Works
At the beginning of every hand, when you’re playing at a blackjack table with the match, the dealer side bet you place a bet for the main blackjack game and have the option to make a bet on the match the dealer wager. The casino dictates the amount of the bet and can be a set amount or within a range of bet amounts.
For Example:
You might be able to make a standard bet for anywhere from $10 to $100 on the base blackjack game, and the same range of bet amounts applies to the match the dealer side bet. So, in this case, you could bet $50 on the base game and $10 on the match the dealer bet, or bet $20 on each option.
When you place a match the dealer side bet, you win when either one of your first two cards is the same rank as the dealer card. For example, if the dealer has a seven and one of your cards is a seven, you win the amount listed in the paytable.
If you have two sevens, you win more, and if one or both of your sevens are the same suit as the dealer’s seven, you win more. Thus, the paytable is different based on how many decks are in play in the blackjack game.
In a double-deck blackjack game, you win 4 to 1 for each card matching the dealer card rank and 19 to 1 if you match both the rank and suit. However, realize it’s impossible to match both rank and suit for both your cards in a double-deck game because there are only two cards of each rank and suit in the game.
When playing a four-deck game, you win 4 to 1 for a matched rank and 12 to 1 for a matched rank and suit. A six-deck game pays 4 to 1 for a matched rank and 11 to 1 for a matched rank and suit. An eight-deck game pays 3 to 1 for a matched rank and 14 to 1 for a matched rank and suit.
Here’s the same information in a table for easy reference:
| Number of Decks | Rank Match | Suited Rank Match |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4 | 19 |
| 4 | 4 | 12 |
| 6 | 4 | 11 |
| 8 | 3 | 14 |
As I mentioned earlier, the match the dealer side bet is available on some Spanish 21 games. For example, in an eight-deck Spanish 21 game, a ranked match pays 3 to 1, and a ranked suited match pays 12 to 1. However, if the game uses 6 decks, a rank match pays 4 to 1, and a ranked suited match pays 12 to 1.
You can also find match the dealer offered on other blackjack variations that use a standard deck of 52 cards. In all of these games, the paytable is the same as the table listed above. I’ve never seen a paytable that didn’t match the table in this post. So if you see a paytable with different payouts, you can quickly see if it’s better or worse.
If the paytable pays more than the numbers listed in this post, it’s a better paytable, which offers a higher return, and if the numbers are worse, the return is lower.
For example, if you’re playing an eight-deck game and a suited rank match pays 15 to 1 instead of 14 to 1, you get a better return. However, if the suited ranked match pays 13 to 1, your return is lower. You will learn more about the return percentages for the paytable you just read in the next section.
Match the Dealer Return to Player Percentages
The return to player percentage for the match the dealer side bet varies based on the paytable and number of decks in play. The return percentage is the amount of money you bet on any bet that you win back, on average over time, displayed as a percentage.
For example, if you make a bet with a 96% return percentage, for every $1,000 in total bets you make, you win back $960. Therefore, you should compare return percentage numbers for every bet you make, so you make more bets with higher returns. In the long run, making higher return bets gives you a better chance to win and reduces your long-term losses.
Here are the return percentages for each combination:
- Double-deck game – 96.7% return
- Four deck game – 95.2% return
- Six deck game – 96% return
- Eight deck game – 96.3% return
- Six deck Spanish 21 game – 97% return
- Eight deck Spanish 21 game – 97% return
The return percentages for the match the dealer side bet aren’t bad when compared to many blackjack side bets, but when you compare them to the return for the base blackjack game, you should notice that the returns for the side bet are worse than for the base game.
Most casinos have at least one blackjack table with rules where you can get a return over 99%. If you find the proper rules and use basic blackjack strategy, you can get a return of 99.7% or better. I never make the match the dealer side wager because I always get a better overall return from the base blackjack game.
Match the Dealer Blackjack Strategy
You’ll notice that this section isn’t as extensive as the rest of the sections in this post. This section isn’t as large as the others because most people looking for information about match the blackjack dealer are looking for details about the side bet. You just learned everything you can about the match the dealer side wager.
But there’s also a strategy that some gamblers use when they play blackjack that I’ve heard called match the dealer. Of course, the match the dealer blackjack strategy is a bad strategy. But I wanted to make sure that I touched on it for the few people who might find this page looking for information on the strategy.
The first thing I want to get out of the way is there is no strategy for the match the dealer side bet as described earlier in this post. You could count cards to possibly find a way to change the house edge a small amount on the side bet, but not enough to make it profitable.
Your long-term returns are much higher if you count cards for the regular blackjack game and ignore the match the dealer side bet.
Now, on to the match the dealer strategy I mentioned at the start of this section.
The match the dealer blackjack strategy uses the same rules the dealer uses when they play their hand. The rules are basically to hit until you have 17 or higher and stand on any total of 17 or higher.
When you play using this strategy, the house edge is higher than using the basic blackjack strategy, which means that your return is lower.
Conclusion
The best strategy you can use is to forget that the match the dealer side bet exists. You get a better return when you don’t use the match the dealer side wager, so if you never make this bet, you’re not going to lose as much money.
If you’re considering using the match the dealer blackjack strategy, now you know why it’s a terrible strategy.
If you decide to try the match the dealer side bet, your best odds are at a Spanish 21 table. But remember that the best strategy for Spanish 21 is different than the best strategy for a regular blackjack game.
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