[Aberdeen Ace]

Spent Thursday evening at Genting Edinburgh playing their £10 minimum blackjack tables, and noticed something odd about the side bet payouts. The "21+3" side bet (three-card poker hands using your first two cards plus dealer's up card) was paying 9:1 for straight flush, 30:1 for suited trips, but the house edge works out to roughly 8.2% based on the payout structure they're using.

For comparison, most UK casinos run this same side bet at around 3.2-4.1% house edge with slightly better payouts on the flush and straight combinations. At £5 per side bet, you're basically throwing away an extra £0.41 every hand compared to standard odds.

The maths breakdown

Standard 21+3 pays:

• Suited trips: 100:1 (they pay 30:1)
• Straight flush: 40:1 (they pay 9:1)
• Three of a kind: 30:1 (they pay 9:1)
• Straight: 10:1 (they pay 9:1)
• Flush: 5:1 (they pay 5:1)

Anyone else noticed similar side bet structures at other Scottish venues, or is this just Genting pushing margins higher? Wondering if it's worth sticking to basic strategy only when the side action is this heavily skewed against players.

[Glasgow Gambler]

Genting's been pulling this nonsense for months. Their Perfect Pairs side bet is even worse - 5:1 for mixed pairs when most places pay 6:1. Avoid the side bets entirely at that venue, the main blackjack game is fair but they're milking punters on the extras.

[Edinburgh Expert]

I've been tracking side bet RTPs across Scottish venues for the past six months, and Genting Edinburgh consistently ranks bottom for player value. Your 8.2% calculation is spot on - I recorded similar figures during my February sessions there.

The issue stems from their decision to reduce payouts on mid-tier hands (straights, three of a kind) while keeping the high-frequency low-payout combinations unchanged. This creates a steeper house edge curve compared to venues like Mad Casino online, where their live dealer 21+3 runs at 3.7% house edge with standard payouts.

During my last session at Genting, I tracked 47 side bets over two hours. Hit three flushes (paid 5:1 correctly), one straight (9:1 instead of standard 10:1), and zero suited trips. Lost £186 on side action versus £23 profit on basic strategy play. The variance is brutal when combined with their reduced payout structure.

For Scottish live venues, Alea Glasgow runs fairer side bet odds, though their minimum stakes are higher. Online alternatives consistently offer better mathematical value if you're chasing the side bet action specifically.

[Inverness Ian]

This is exactly why I stick to basic strategy only. Side bets are designed to drain your bankroll faster, regardless of the venue. Even at 3% house edge, you're better off increasing your main bet size rather than chasing side action that hits maybe 1 in 15 hands.

Set a strict limit and avoid the temptation entirely. The casino makes enough profit from the main game without these extras.

[Dundee Dealer]

Worked at three different Scottish venues including Genting properties, and the side bet payout structures are set by head office, not local management. They adjust payouts based on regional profit targets and player volume data.

Edinburgh Genting processes higher volume than most Scottish venues, so they can afford to run tighter side bet margins. The 21+3 game generates roughly 15-18% of total table revenue despite only 40% of players touching it regularly.

From a dealer perspective, I've seen players lose £300+ in an evening purely on side bets while breaking even on basic strategy. The house edge compounds quickly when you're betting £10-15 per side action across multiple hands per hour.

[Stirling Slots]

Never been keen on blackjack side bets anyway, but 8.2% is robbery. I'd rather play slots at that point - at least you know most games run 96%+ RTP. Rolletto has live blackjack with proper 21+3 payouts if you want the side bet action without getting fleeced.

[Perth Punter]

Noticed the same pattern at Genting when I was there for the Rangers match last weekend. Stuck to £15 main bets and avoided the side action entirely after seeing those payout cards. Made £67 profit over three hours of steady play.

Better off putting that side bet money on football accumulators - at least you get decent odds on weekend fixtures. Speaking of which, Celtic are getting good value at 2.8/1 for the title next season if you fancy a proper punt.