2023-05-17

Blackjack insurance

Blackjack is one of the most popular games in a live casino, and when playing a game, players may see the chance to place a blackjack insurance bet if the dealer has an ace within their hand. One of the most popular side bets on offer, the insurance will be placed alongside the main bet and will offer a payout if the dealer does form a natural blackjack.

Although they can be helpful when playing blackjack, strategies such as whether to take the insurance bet should always be researched. Find out below what this type of bet can offer players and when it should be placed at live blackjack tables.

What is insurance in blackjack

Blackjack insurance bets will come into play after the player has been dealt both of their hole cards and the dealer's up card is also visible. The basic strategy of the insurance bet is to offer players a payout, even if the dealer is showing an ace and can potentially make a natural blackjack.

The insurance bet offers a payout of 2:1. If players are willing to take this option during a game of online blackjack, the decision will need to be made before the game can progress.

What any player will need to remember when playing blackjack is that insurance is a side bet and will be placed alongside the original wager, which means you will need to have the amount available in your bankroll. They're also predicting the dealer's second card will be a ten or picture card, alongside the original card.

Upon the revelation of the second card, if the dealer has blackjack, winning will be paid out, which means the bet on the insurance works. However, if the dealer has ten or less in their second card, the bet will be lost.

How does insurance work in blackjack?

Within a blackjack game, the insurance bet is an additional bet that players can make on a table which is played with a single deck or multiple decks of cards.

It will cost half of your original stake, but it can give you a chance to recoup some of your losses if the dealer does, in fact, have a natural blackjack in the two cards they have been dealt.

Blackjack insurance side bet example

If you've played blackjack before, you might know what an insurance bet looks like and when is the best time to take the bet. If you’re a new player to the live casino game, we’ve included below an example of when you could potentially take the insurance bet.

In every game of blackjack, the dealer deals the cards from the shoe, and if they have an ace showing in their hole card, you will be given a chance to place a separate bet on insurance. If the cards then show dealer blackjack, you will be paid out at odds of 2:1, which means if you place a bet of £1, the bet pays £2.

When to take insurance in blackjack

When it comes to any additional blackjack side bets, you should be aware of when to actually use them and what the advantages can be.

Insurance can be a good bet to take in a game which is played with multiple decks, as there is the chance four tens, four jacks, four queens, and four kings could be in the shoe.

Like we've mentioned above, blackjack insurance is also a wise decision to make if the dealer's hole card is an ace. This means the dealer getting blackjack is a high possibility.

When to avoid the Blackjack Insurance bet

When you play blackjack, there are occasions when you should avoid placing a blackjack insurance bet, as it will instantly be a losing bet or a losing strategy. No optimal blackjack strategy is available, but if the dealer doesn't have an ace or picture card as their first card, we advise against placing insurance bets, as they most likely won't payout.

The risk of Insurance in Blackjack

When you choose to implement any basic strategy in blackjack, including insurance bets, they all come with a risk, as the house advantage is always present in both land-based casinos and online casinos. Even though this side bet can offer some potential payout, it's not always profitable, which means you may not recover your net loss. Never count on guaranteed outcomes. Casino games are all based on chance. There will always be a risk involved, and there’s no secret recipe to avoid it. Whether or not to take the risk will depend on the cards on the table, your betting style, and budget.