Gambling Guide
Last Updated: December 5, 2022
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Golden 21
Introduction
Golden 21 is a blackjack side bet found at some tables at the Four Queens in Las Vegas. It pays based on the player's initial two cards.
Rules
The Golden 21 pays based on the player's initial two cards, as follows.
- ace/king suited — 30 to 1
- straight flush — 5 to 1
- pair — 3 to 1
- straight — 1 to 1
- blackjack — 3 to 2
Analysis
The following table shows my analysis of the Golden 21 bet, based on six decks of cards. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 7.35%.
Six-Deck Analysis
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace/king suited | 30 | 144 | 0.002968 | 0.089043 |
| Straight flush | 5 | 1,728 | 0.035617 | 0.178086 |
| Pair | 3 | 3,588 | 0.073955 | 0.221865 |
| Blackjack | 1.5 | 2,160 | 0.044521 | 0.066782 |
| Straight | 1 | 5,184 | 0.106851 | 0.106851 |
| All other | -1 | 35,712 | 0.736087 | -0.736087 |
| Total | 48,516 | 1.000000 | -0.073460 |
The following table summarizes the house edge for various numbers of decks.
House Edge Summary
| Decks | House Edge |
|---|---|
| 8 | 7.10% |
| 6 | 7.35% |
| 5 | 7.54% |
| 4 | 7.84% |
| 2 | 9.34% |
| 1 | 12.37% |
Written by: Michael Shackleford
