When playing Blackjack games, casino players have the option to go with a number of different wagering options. Blackjack players can opt to go with the traditional wagering options such as fold, call, raise and surrender. Along with that, several land-based and online Blackjack games allow players to place additional side bets.
Blackjack Insurance is a popular Blackjack side bet that’s present in several Blackjack games. While the basics of the Blackjack Insurance bet are easy to understand, players may find it tricky to get the bet right. In this article, we offer a comprehensive overview of the Blackjack Insurance bet and explain when you should and shouldn’t use it.
What is Insurance in Blackjack?
Put simply, Blackjack Insurance is a side bet that can be found in multiple Blackjack variations. This Blackjack side wagering option is only offered when the dealer’s face-up card is showing an Ace. By taking the Insurance bet, you’re essentially wagering that the dealer will have a “natural” Blackjack. This Blackjack wagering option pays out at odds of 2:1 if the dealer indeed has a Blackjack.
So, for instance, if you wager £10 on the Insurance bet and the dealer is showing a Blackjack, you’ll receive £20 in potential winnings. However, you’ll lose your £10 wager amount if the dealer’s hand doesn’t show a Blackjack. Contrary to the popular notion, there are only certain instances when you should go with the Blackjack Insurance bet. We’ll explain them later in our article.
Blackjack Insurance bet examples
Below are examples of winning and losing Blackjack Insurance bets that’ll make the concepts of Insurance betting clearer.
Winning Blackjack Insurance
- You place the standard Blackjack bet for £10
- You receive your initial two cards – a nine and a Jack
- The dealer’s face-up card shows an Ace.
- You opt to place an additional Insurance wager for £5.
- The dealer draws a ten-point card as their second card.
- As the dealer is having a natural Blackjack, you win your insurance bet.
Losing Blackjack Insurance
- You place your initial bet for £10.
- You receive a ten and an eight as your initial two cards.
- The dealer draws his face-up card, which turns out to be an Ace.
- You take Insurance by wagering an additional £5.
- The dealer’s second card turns out to be a four.
- At this point, you’ll lose your insurance wager. But you’ll continue the hand to see whether the dealer goes over your hand total of 18.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Blackjack Insurance Betting
As with any other wagering option, going with the Blackjack Insurance bet has its own set of pros and cons. Below we detailed some of them:
Advantages
The Blackjack Insurance bet can be a great wagering option to go with if your chosen online Blackjack game involves multiple decks. This is because the more the number of decks used, the higher the number of cards with a ten value will be.
Another advantage of this bet is that if you have access to many ten value cards, the dealer has a higher chance of getting a Blackjack. This, in turn, can improve your overall chances of winning the Blackjack Insurance bet at casinos online.
Disadvantages
When playing the Blackjack Insurance bet with a hand total of 14 or 15, you have smaller winning chances. This is because 14 and 15 are good hand totals and there are higher chances of you winning the hand. The only option you have in such instances if to focus on saving your original wager amount rather than trying to win the Insurance bet.
Another disadvantage of the Blackjack Insurance bet is that once the number of decks exceeds a certain amount, the odds turn out to be slightly worse for the player than the dealer. This is because in single-deck Blackjack games, the potential winning chances for the Blackjack Insurance bet are around 8.5%. But they get reduced to 7.5% when multiple decks are used.
Conclusion
To conclude, the Blackjack Insurance bet is an interesting side wagering option that has contributed to the rising Blackjack popularity. Now that you know the basics and the working of this Blackjack side bet, it’s time to try on our platform.
When going with this Blackjack side wagering option, just make sure you remember the things mentioned in our article. If you’re new to the game of Blackjack, we suggest you check our blog on Blackjack skills and other beginner guides. Have a safe and responsible Blackjack gaming experience there!