Side bets like insurance and perfect pairs are generally not favorable for players. Insurance, offered when the dealer has an Ace, carries a high house edge and is statistically a losing bet, so it's best to avoid it. Similarly, perfect pairs, while offering big payouts for matching cards, also have a high house edge and are not worth focusing on if you're aiming to maximize your chances in the main game. Overall, these side bets can be fun but should be seen as distractions rather than essential to your strategy.