An optional blackjack side bet is taking Turning Stone Resort Casino table games pits by storm, as increasing numbers of guests push chips into the circle for the chance to match their dealers and win.

The game, Match the Dealer, involves the first two cards dealt to a guest and the dealer up-card.

Guests can wager up to $100 every hand (but not to exceed the original Blackjack wager)  for the one-time bet that pays out different denominations for different kinds of matches. There are two payoff amounts for each respective wager, a suited rank match and an unsuited rank match. All Match the Dealer bets are settled before the hand is dealt fully.

“Match the Dealer is a side bet that adds excitement to the regular action that plays out on the table,” said Guy Renzi, Vice President of Gaming Operations. “All of a sudden in addition to cheering for the cards to beat the dealer, because of this wager you’re cheering for matches to pay big bucks on the side as well.”

Guy added that guests love placing this wager. On any given night, most people are betting it.

Turning Stone offers two different versions of Match the Dealer: one at blackjack tables with six-deck shoes, another at tables with eight-deck shoes.

Payouts for a six-deck shoe range from 4 to 1 for one non-suited match to 22 to 1 for two suited matches. One suited match on this table pays 11 to 1. With eight-deck shoes, payouts are a little different: 3 to 1 for one non-suited match and 28 to 1 for two suited matches, with one suited match paying 14 to 1.

To put this into perspective, if you’re at a table with an eight-deck shoe and you bet $25 in the Match the Dealer circle, when one of your cards comes up as the same face card as the dealer’s but not the same suit, you’d win $75 on the initial bet.

You can imagine why guests like this bet—when luck is working properly, one or two same-suit matches over a few hands can total serious cash. The action can be fast and furious! Just the way we like it.