What is insurance in blackjack? Is there such a thing? Insurance in blackjack is a side bet offered when the dealer’s upcard is an ace. It pays 2:1 if the dealer has blackjack, but it is usually not recommended for most players.
Insurance in blackjack is a side bet that some players have sung praises of for being useful. Others say you are better off without it. For most players, insurance is not worth taking. It can make sense only in rare situations where the remaining deck is rich in 10-value cards.
In this blackjack guide, we answer what is insurance in blackjack. We explain the math behind the side bet so you can decide whether it is worth taking.
What Is Insurance in Blackjack & How Does It Work?
What is insurance in blackjack? Insurance is a side bet offered to players to wager on whether the dealer has a blackjack with their first two cards.
The dealer having 21 (natural) is an automatic win in the standard game, and the player loses. Insurance does not save the original bet. It is a separate side bet that can offset the loss if the dealer has blackjack. When you play blackjack, the insurance side bet pays out 2:1.
How Blackjack Insurance Works?
One of the blackjack insurance rules is that the side bet is not always made available in every blackjack round, but comes up under specific scenarios. At the start of every round, the dealer deals out two cards to all players at the table face up.
Following the blackjack rules, the assigned dealer also receives two cards, but only one of them is face up. The second card is face down. If the dealer’s up card is an ace, he offers the player an insurance bet. This is an opportunity to bet on whether the second card is a 10, which would mean the dealer has a blackjack.
Players can usually place an insurance bet worth up to half of their original wager. The dealer then flips the card, and if it is a blackjack, the player will be paid 2:1, and the game ends. If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance bet wins and pays 2:1. If the dealer does not have blackjack, the insurance bet loses and the hand continues as normal. You can use our basic blackjack strategy chart to make subsequent gameplay decisions.
When To Use The Insurance Side Bet?
Based on mathematical and probabilistic considerations, the insurance blackjack is a losing bet and should not be taken. Why? The likelihood of a dealer having a 10-value card with an ace is 31%. This means that, for the remaining 69% of the time, dealers don’t have blackjack, which increases your chance of losing the bet.
Furthermore, the house edge of the insurance bet is 7.5% and puts you at a greater disadvantage, even when you have the blackjack cheat sheet.
Now, let’s see the situations where insurance may make sense:
- Take the insurance bet if you are sure there are more 10-value cards in the deck that increase the dealer’s chances of having a blackjack.
- Take the insurance bet if you have a blackjack, as the dealer will offer you even money as a reward.
- You can also take the bet when you are playing casually and for fun.
Insurance: An Informed Betting Choice
What is insurance in blackjack? We have been able to define it and highlight both the positive and negative aspects of the popular side bet. Whether it is a smart wager to take depends on you. However, the most important thing is that you now have sufficient information to make an informed betting choice.
FAQs
What does insurance mean in blackjack?
Insurance in blackjack is a side bet where you make a bet that the dealer has a blackjack. Here, blackjack means a total of 21 with the first two cards.
How does insurance work in blackjack?
The insurance side bet becomes available after all the cards are dealt at a blackjack table, and the dealer’s up card is an ace. Players then have to make a bet of half of their original wager to participate and are paid 2:1 if they win.
Does insurance matter if I hit blackjack?
If you have blackjack and the dealer shows an ace, you may be offered even money, which is related to insurance. It guarantees a 1:1 payout instead of risking a push if the dealer also has blackjack, but it usually reduces long-term value.
Is insurance in blackjack worth it?
Insurance in blackjack is generally not a profitable side wager. The odds are low, which means it is not worth it most of the time.