Should You Ever Insure in Blackjack?

When playing blackjack, one of the most common questions that arise is whether or not to take insurance. Insurance is a side bet that you can make when the dealer’s up card is an Ace. The idea behind it is to protect yourself against the dealer having a blackjack, which would result in you losing your original bet.

However, the question remains – should you ever insure in blackjack The answer may surprise you.

Understanding Insurance in Blackjack

Before we dive into whether or not you should take insurance, let’s first understand what it entails. When the dealer’s up card is an Ace, they will offer players the option to take insurance. This means that players can make a side bet worth half of their original bet that pays 2:1 if the dealer has a blackjack.

For example, if you have placed a $10 bet and the dealer’s up card is an Ace, they will offer insurance for $5. If you take insurance and the dealer has blackjack, you will win $10 (2:1) from your insurance bet and lose your initial $10 wager. Thus, resulting in no net loss.

The Odds of Insurance

Now that we understand how insurance works let’s look at its odds. The odds of the dealer having a blackjack when their up card is an Ace are 9:4 or 31%. This means that for every 13 times they have an Ace showing, they will have a blackjack four times on average.

Therefore, if you were to take insurance every time the dealer had an Ace showing, you would lose money over time. This is because even though insurance pays out 2:1 when the dealer has blackjack, it only happens about one-third of the time.

When to Insure in Blackjack

Now that we know the odds of insurance, let’s discuss when it may be appropriate to take it. The simple answer is – almost never.

The only situation where taking insurance may be appropriate is if you are an experienced card counter and have kept track of the cards that have been dealt. In this scenario, if you know that there is a higher than average number of ten-value cards remaining in the deck, taking insurance may be a good idea as it increases the chances of the dealer having blackjack.

However, for most players, taking insurance is not recommended. It is a sucker bet that will only result in long-term losses.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, while taking insurance may seem like a smart move to protect your hand in blackjack, it is not recommended for most players. The odds are against you, and it will ultimately result in long-term losses. Instead, focus on playing basic strategy and making smart bets to increase your chances of winning at blackjack.

• Key Takeaways:
• – Insurance in blackjack is a side bet offered when the dealer has an Ace showing.
• – The odds of the dealer having blackjack when they show an Ace are 31%.
• – Taking insurance every time is not recommended as it results in long-term losses.
• – Only experienced card counters with knowledge of remaining decks should consider taking insurance.