Anyone find side betting to be profitable?

I have put some big bets out on lucky ladies while playing CVBJ when my true count was at 11, and I still get screwed. I am finding that I am doing better with straight Blackjack. It seems like I should be able to make money on that side bet when the count is right.

Anyone have any comments about this?

Lucky Ladies suggestions

I have beaten the side bet for the 1D game, and several people have beaten the side bet for the 2D game using specialized counts.

The 1st trick is to have a count that identifies the tens density left in the deck (side count aces and nines helps). The 2nd trick is to wait under after the half the deck was dealt in 1D, since the variance for this game is huge.

For example, a person using KO will make money on 1D LL if the RC is +8 (with IRC is 0) and waits until half the deck is gone.

For 6D or 8D shoes, the variance is a killer.

Insurance is the best side bet you can win!!!

Profitable insurance comes up the most freaklently with 1 or 2 decks if you are on a 6 or 8 deck shoe insurancewon't be profitable enough but with one deck insurance can be very profitable. Even of the top of the deck it can be profitable provided that you can see enough hands. If you see just two hands of the top of the deck with no tens insurance is marginally profitable if you can see all 6 hands and see 1 or less tens insurance is profitable. If you happen to have two tens in your hand insurance is almost never profitable. Only take even money on insurance when none of your neighbors has a ten other wise deny it. If you are using the hi low count the average profitable insurance comes at plus 2 but it can be all over the board seeings as 7,8,9 don't count these cards being out help you. If you are plus 2 with some tens out you are probably still in bad shape.
Although insurance cares an average house advantage of about 5% higher if you have a good hand such as blackjack or 20 with two tens. It can be as much as 58% in favor of the player in some hands. Basically all you need is tens to non-tens ratio of 2.00 or less. You start with a ratio of 2.25.

I've had some luck with the Lucky Ladies, Royal Match and Royal Twenties side bets (mostly the latter). The variance can be pretty big, but because the advantages are sometimes so huge you can reach the long run pretty quickly.

-Sonny-

I've also done well with Lucky Ladies. One thing I do which I learned from ZG is to get money on other players spots when the count gets good. It really improves your odds of winning!

Isn't that a red flag for the pit bosses to come over and start watching you? Do you keep a side count on the aces for the lucky ladies side bet?

I do not keep a side count of aces. As for heat I've never had a problem. While I've done well with Lucky Ladies the problem with this game is that your opportunities to play it are rare. You require a high count and very good pen to play this game. The max bet on this game is only $25 so when I'm wonging in and betting black chips no one cares if i'm tossing quarter chips on other peoples spots. It may however be a problem if you are a red chipper and suddenly you are tossing quarter chips at others.

Your better off watching where the Aces land in the discard tray and following them through the shuffle..

Side bet the player next too you!

If the dealer is showing a 5-6 and the player next too says the dealer is going to bust say I will bet you what that person bet say they bet $10 on the hand bet the person next to you $10 that the dealer will make a hand. Especially if the player next to wants to double down on a hand of 8 or less. Then put two $5 chips in front of you and ask the other player to do the same if the dealer makes a hand you get the $10 bucks if the dealer bust the other player gets the $10 bucks. That why you have the best of it and get to recover some of your loses if the dealer happens to make a hand.

I've done well at over/under 13

Blue where is this game still available? I thought it had gone the way of the dinosaur?