Insurance in Blackjack
When the dealer's face-up card is an ace, he offers the players a chance
to take insurance. This means that you're allowed to insure your hand
against the possibility of the dealer having a natural twenty-one with
his two cards. To take insurance, you must place a bet on the insurance
line equal to half of your wager. This is a side bet. You're betting
that the dealer has a blackjack. If the dealer makes the natural, your
bet pays off at two to one.
In actuality, this is a very bad bet and should generally be avoided.
When the dealer has an ace, he has a very good chance of getting a pat
hand, that is, 17, 18, 19, 20 or 21. (It's called a pat hand because the
dealer stands pat). So if the dealer has a good hand but not a
blackjack, you lose your insurance bet and probably your initial wager
as well. This is bad.
The only time you should make this bet is if you're counting cards and
are almost sure the dealer has a ten-value card underneath his ace. If
you make an insurance bet and the dealer has a natural, then you win
twice the amount of your insurance bet but lose your initial wager.
Therefore, you'd push on this hand. (A push is when you don't win or
lose money on a hand).
Never take insurance. It's a sucker's bet.
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