Blackjack is a card game that probably is never going to lose its popularity. The rules are simple and are identical in most parts of the world. If you’ve ever played this card game at a casino, you’ve probably seen people taking blackjack insurance. It is possible to play BJ and never make this bet, but have you wondered what it is and how it works? In essence, the blackjack insurance is a side bet. Certain blackjack variations offer this option and some players are more than eager to take it. Why? Well, as its name suggests, it is insurance – an insurance against the dealer’s blackjack. Protecting yourself against the ultimate pair of cards in blackjack might sound like a wise decision at all times, but is that the case?
In this article, we’re going to explain what blackjack insurance is, how it works, when to take it, and whether to do it at all. The key is to look at your odds of winning, the hand you’ve been dealt, the cards that have been drawn, and essential to make a business decision whether to make this one bet or to do your best to avoid it.
Blackjack Insurance – What is It?
As we said, blackjack insurance is a side bet. Unlike other, regular side bets, you can’t make this one before the cards are drawn. The only time you can make a side bet is when the dealer has drawn an Ace as his upcard. So, in a case that the dealer has a natural BJ after two cards and you’ve made an insurance bet, the payout will be 2:1. Players who decide to make an insurance bet need to make an additional wager that equals half of their original bet and to place it on the dealer’s blackjack.
The trick is in the fact that you can’t know whether the dealer has the BJ or not. In the case that they do not have it, the game continues as usual. While protecting yourself from a dealer’s blackjack might appear like a good idea, in most cases, it is not. For one, when you’re playing online blackjack, you do not want to bet against yourself. Secondly the chances for the dealer having a natural blackjack are slim. Eventually, you will win less than you wagered, so making this bet frequently means that you’re playing against yourself and playing for a loss. But, when you’re playing by using a conservative approach and the dealer gets an Ace as an upcard, you can cover yourself to ensure that your bankroll is flowing and to give yourself a chance to win in the next round.
When to Take Blackjack Insurance
While it’s called insurance, it is by no means a safe bet. When you take it, you’re placing a bet on the dealer, against yourself. While it can be a great way to protect yourself, in the case that the dealer doesn’t have the blackjack, your losses might increase if he beats you by a standard hand after all cards are drawn or you bust. To ensure that you always end up a winner when the dealer draws an Ace, you ought to learn why you should take a blackjack insurance bet and when to do it to maximize your chances of winning a hand in blackjack against an Ace. The first instance when to do it is:
* When The Dealer Has an Ace – When the dealer draws an ace, they’re halfway to a blackjack. Natural blackjack means your loss in all cases besides when you have a BJ. If you take an insurance bet you’re betting on the dealer. If he draws a blackjack, you will not win any money. The player, in this case, only gets his initial + insurance bet back. Breaking even is not a bad outcome in this scenario, but it is not a win by any means. If the dealer fails to draw a blackjack, you will lose the insurance bet, but the hand continues as usual.
* When Having a Low Hand – Insurance bet is taken after the dealer shows his upcard and it is an Ace and when you have your pair dealt. In case you have a low hand, you ought to take an insurance bet. A low hand is any hand that counts to sixteen or less. It is a risky move to draw another hand when you hold 16, so it’s better to protect your bet. It is either that or draw another card and risk a bust. Either way, you have low chances of winning against an Ace with 16 in hand considering that the dealer needs to draw cards up until it holds at least 17.
Blackjack Insurance Risks
That’s right, even an insurance bet has risks. The key to an insurance bet is that even in a perfect scenario, it protects you against a loss; it returns your initial and insurance bets, but it does not generate a win. This is why you ought to know the risks that making an insurance bet carries.
First of all, it does not come for free. Insurance bet costs and it is half of your initial bet. It only works if the dealer has a natural blackjack. If he draws 21 after three cards, you still lose your insurance bet, making you lose both your initial bet and the insurance bet, too. The blackjack insurance bet only works if the dealer hits a natural blackjack straight from the deck. It costs extra and it protects players only in that one scenario. In every other scenario, it is a clear loss, making it a risky bet. Many players are not ready to make this extra bet even risking losing that hand rather than betting against themselves.
Secondly, blackjack insurance is a one-way alley. When you take it, you’re protected only from that one hand – the blackjack. Any other hand at the table can beat you if the score exceeds your hand. So, when the dealer doesn’t draw a natural blackjack and the game continues he can still draw 21. If that happens you still lose your original bet and the insurance bet, having no protection whatsoever. This means that you only break even in the case of a dealer’s blackjack. Even in this case, you’re only breaking even on that one hand, as an insurance bet does not generate a win. In the long run, making insurance bets frequently is not a way to win in blackjack as you’ll find yourself betting against you, and that’s no way to play blackjack.
Lastly, betting on the dealer’s potential hand is out of your control. Whether a dealer has or doesn’t have a blackjack shouldn’t be your concern, nor the matter of your bet. At the end of the day, you play against the dealer. The game is created in such a manner that house edge is minimal, so you can win some and lose some. Making a bet that goes against you while not generating any winnings in the process is risking a lot if you ask us.
Insurance Bet Odds
As we said, a blackjack insurance bet can be made only when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace. Every player who pays the insurance bet is betting on the dealer to have a natural blackjack. In a scenario where the dealer draws 21 after two cards, everyone who paid the insurance bet will receive a 2:1 payout.
The odds of every insurance bet depend on the probability of the dealer drawing a straight out-of-pocket blackjack. Every time the dealer draws an ace on his first card, the chances of him having a blackjack amount to 31.5%. So, every player who made an insurance bet is expecting a return of 48.7%. This means that the players will lose an insurance bet 48.7% of the time, while they can win it 31.5% of the time.
When you take a distant look at this equation it is clear that the insurance bet shouldn’t be taken too often whether you’re playing in a land-based casino or online at Stake. When the dealer draws an Ace, the house edge increases with your additional bet, and it stands at 8.5% in a case when the insurance bet is paid. So, if you’re certain the dealer has a BJ you should pay it. In the long run, it is not a bet any player should rely on. For rookies in the blackjack game, it is not recommended to make these best as they can turn out to be costly the more you play. The goal is to win at the end of the day and not to be insured of a loss. Now that you know everything about insurance bets you ought to know before playing blackjack let us take a look at some other available side bets.
Perfect Pairs
Perfect pairs is a side bet where a player makes an additional bet on his hand. It is a side bet that pays out only if you draw two cards of the same kind. They vary in strength and it goes something like this:
– Having a pair of the same value but a different color pays out at 5:1.
– A pair of different suits but the same color pays out at 12:1.
– A perfect pair of the same suit and the same color pays out at 25:1.
21+3
For all of you wanting to make blackjack even more interesting 21+3 needs to be your get-go side bet. This side bet creates a combination of the two cards you’ve been dealt and the upcard of the dealer. This side bet is where blackjack meets poker. The possible combinations include:
– A flush is three cards of the same suit, and that combo pays at 5:1.
– A straight is drawing three consecutive cards (7,8,9), and it pays at 10:1.
– Three of a kind of a different suit pays at 30:1.
– Straight flush pays out at 40:1 and requires three consecutive cards of the same suit.
– Drawing three of a kind of the same suit pays out 100:1, and that’s the poker of the blackjack table.
Bottom Line
Blackjack is a card game that has been around for centuries. It owes its popularity to a straightforward rule and interesting gameplay. Most players are attracted to it since you’re pitted only against the dealer and not against the other players. Focusing only on your and the dealer’s hand makes it easier to win frequently. Now that you know about the blackjack side bets, you know that the game has more depth than simply drawing cards up until you have 21 or bust.
Our focus here was on the insurance bet which is a way of being protected against the dealer’s blackjack. While it provides a great cover against the ultimate two-card draw in blackjack, we recommend using it sparingly and only when you’re feeling that it might be the moment when the dealer is drawing Ace as a first card and it’s going to be followed by a face card. Rookie players should avoid it as playing blackjack and learning the game is best done when you focus only on your hand.
Lastly, the side bets in blackjack do not start, nor do they end with an insurance bet. As you can see in the article above, there are plenty more side bets that offer much more than a single insurance bet does. So, when you become adept at playing blackjack on a high level, try making as many side bets as possible. When you see the payouts offered with 21+3 and perfect pairs you start understanding why it’s important to learn about side bets in blackjack and incorporate them into your game plan.
