What Is Insurance Blackjack?

Blackjack insurance is an option that most players overlook. It is a side bet that can be placed after the dealer has been dealt the initial two cards. It is usually half the amount of the original bet and pays 2 to 1. However, it can also be a huge mistake if not used correctly. In this article, we will explore what is insurance blackjack, explain the difference between insurance and surrender, and provide you with advice on whether it’s worth making this bet.

Insure and Surrender allowed – This rule variation is quite contradictory to the rules of blackjack, as it allows players who have been dealt a blackjack to surrender their hand. They can then choose to play with their original bet and win or lose the hand based on the outcome.

Even money – This rule variation is another contradiction to the rules of blackjack, as it allows a player to insure their hand and receive even money for it. The player’s first card will still be valued at 10 and their second card will be of a value not less than 10.

If the player wins, they receive twice the amount of the original insurance bet. If they don’t, they still win the insurance bet but lose their original bet.

Insurance bets can be a tempting prospect in certain scenarios, but they are almost never a good idea. They can increase the house edge and cost you money in the long run, which is why they should be avoided at all costs.

Basic odds of dealer blackjack with an Ace up-card vary depending on the number of decks in the shoe and how many ten-point cards are already in play. In a one-deck game, the probability of dealer blackjack is 5.88% and increases to 7.39% and 7.47% for six-deck and eight-deck games respectively.

Casinos are aware that a lot of novice players make mistakes when playing blackjack, so they offer insurance bets as a way to avoid this problem. The insurance bet is a type of side bet that pays 2:1 for the dealer to have a blackjack. It can be a great way to save your original bet if you are confident that the dealer will have blackjack, but it’s not always a wise decision.

In most cases, the dealer’s chances of hitting a blackjack are just 30%. That means that you’ll have to make a big bet to break even with the insurance bet if you want to protect your original bet. You’ll also risk losing your original bet if the dealer does not have a blackjack. Therefore, you should not take insurance bets unless you have a very strong hand that you are confident will beat the dealer’s blackjack.