What Does It Mean To Insure In Blackjack

broken image


The insurance bet should be seen as independent from your initial stake, as it doesn't affect what happens to that. As such, there are basically only two possible outcomes to consider; you either win the insurance bet or you lose it. To win you need the dealer to have a blackjack, which means his second card must be either a ten or a picture.

  1. Essentially, Blackjack insurance allows the player the option to lessen their wager after the dealer exposes their cards and reveals an Ace card. In this scenario, if the rule is in play, then if the dealer has an Ace then he or she will go around the table asking each player whether or not they want insurance.
  2. Buying insurance is a side bet which is available when the dealer's up card is an Ace. When you are buying insurance you placing a bet that the dealer has an face card in the hole, giving the dealer a Blackjack. The bet is equal to half your initial wager.

Everyone likes to play it safe sometimes, especially when they are playing Blackjack.

There is multiple ways that players can play things a little bit more safely and less gung-ho with extra bets.

One of the more popular versions is Blackjack Surrender, which allows players to give up their hand if its looks likely they will lose and receive half their bet back.

However, this is not the only way to do so and most tables will allow its players the option for 'insurance'. Blackjack insurance is a much more straightforward way of making sure you don't lose more cash than necessary when the dealer is in a good position.

Many players are rightly skeptical of this option in Blackjack, but this said, it can still be beneficial for certain types of players and in specific situations. However, you should bear in mind that the option for insurance has many flaws and is not the best option in a lot of other scenarios.

However, read here and find out here what does insurance mean in Blackjack, learn how to use it effectively and then make your own mind up about whether or not it can benefit your future Blackjack games.

Watch how it works here: androidslots.co.uk

If you already know how it works, then simply check out our toplist here and find a game that offers Blackjack insurance today.

How Blackjack Insurance Works

Essentially, Blackjack insurance allows the player the option to lessen their wager after the dealer exposes their cards and reveals an Ace card.

In this scenario, if the rule is in play, then if the dealer has an Ace then he or she will go around the table asking each player whether or not they want insurance.

When you have insurance, it means you take out half of your original bet as insurance. So for example, if you had placed a $10 bet you will then have to wager an extra $5 for the insurance to be in play.

Then, if the dealer exposes his second card and he does indeed have Blackjack, then you win your insurance $5 back as well as the other half your original bet, due to insurance paying 2:1. This means that although you will have lost the original wager, you will have got the total amount back. As such, you have broken even.

In the opposite situation, if he doesn't, then you lose your $5 insurance bet, but will still stand to win with the original $10 wager.

When to take Insurance in Blackjack?

When to take the insurance bet is pretty straightforward, as you only get offered in the specific situation where the dealer is holding an Ace.

Naturally, it then reflects the hand you have and the probability that the dealer will be holding a 10 or a face card.

If you feel comfortable enough with your hand, for example, if you yourself are holding an Ace, regardless of your other card, naturally the odds are the same and you may as well stick to what you got.

The same goes for whether you have a good hand in any other situation, such as a picture card and an 8 or 9.

The only real exception would be in the scenario where you are holding something very weak, like a 5 or 6, where in any scenario, insurance or not, you would see yourself struggling against a dealer's Ace.

The insurance bet is not something to take just because you can see an Ace. The fundamental issue with the Blackjack Insurance bet is the extra investment that is required and thus, you will need to be sure it is worth it.

Is the Blackjack Insurance Bet Worth it?

A lot of online blackjack chat rooms will tell you that the insurance bet is a bad bet and to be fair, this is in many ways true.

You have to invest more to even apply it and so, it could be argued that you are already on the back foot as you have already invested more cash before you even have started to benefit.

However, to call it a bad bet each and every time is really a matter of what is in play on your side. For one, as mentioned, if you are holding a weak hand then you may stand to gain from the bet.

Here are a few of the pros and cons of using Blackjack insurance.

Pros:

  • Protecting a Large Wager:If you are playing at a table that has a large initial bet in play, $100 or above for example, then it may be beneficial in this case. As you stand to lose a lot less. However, if you are playing on a smaller wager table, than to save a small bet isn't very beneficial.
  • Playing it Safe: If you are having a run or bad luck or happen to have a bad hand, then in this situation it may be worth considering. If you are already losing a lot and it looks like this hand isn't going to work out either, then it may be better to cut your losses
  • Dealing is Running Hot: This for players who follow their gut instincts. If you have noticed the dealer is running hot and has landed another Ace, then this may be a reason to use insurance.
  • Counting Cards or Statistic Geeking: If you are counting cards or a geek about the statistics, then it is the most practical use of the bet. If you are have been doing the math and are certain a 10 is imminent then naturally, this is the best way to save cash. Essentially, if the shoe is clearly rich in tens then it might be worth considering it.

Cons:

  • Maximizes Loses: Although it can see you save some money if used effectively, if the dealer doesn't have Blackjack then you are already down an unneeded extra wager even if you win. If you lose the hand not only have you lost your first bet, but also the extra insurance too.
  • Lose/Lose situation: Even if you win the insurance bet, you have still lost half your wager and as mentioned, you can stand to lose more.
  • More Likely to Lose: The odds overall are stacked against you. Due to the number of 10 Cards in the deck compared to any other digit, it is always more likely that the dealer doesn't have a 10 then does. In theory, if you were to play the insurance bet 1300 times you would lose 900 of these bets. This is obviously relative of the amount of decks in play.
  • Heavily in House Favor and Blackjack Insurance Pays out 2:1: The odds are always in the house favour, due to all the reasons mentioned so far and by applying the rule, you are instantly going to lose something.

So, as you can see, Blackjack insurance is actually statistically not the right call most of the time. Unless you are close to certain that it will be pay out for you and you have taken note that there is a lot of tens still in the shoe, then you should probably avoid it.

Although for some situations, where you feel you have a particularly weak hand and there is a high chance that the dealer is going to be holding a 10, then you shouldn't do it. Except of course, if you like to play with you gut and you get piece of mind by doing so.

Blackjack

Ultimately, you should probably avoid the bet as much as possible or risk being disappointed more often than not.

Alternatives to Blackjack Insurance: Playing it Safe and Maximising Wins.

Ok, so maybe Blackjack Insurance isn't the most beneficial side bet to place, but there is several other ways to either limit your losses or maximum your bets in each round.

Below are our three top picks for versions of the game to play in different ways, some of which can save you cash others may see you benefit more!

Blackjack Surrender

Blackjack Surrender works in the same way to Blackjack insurance, in that you don't have to lose all your money if the dealer has a good hand. Depending which you play, the more similar it is to Insurance. Blackjack with Early Surrender, is most similar to Insurance, as you look at one of the dealer's card and if you don't fancy your chances you can bail out nice and early and although you lose half your bet, there is no extra fee on top. As such, if you can choose between Early Surrender and Blackjack Insurance it is a no brainer. The alternative is Blackjack Late Surrender. This is slightly more challenging, but you can still stand to get your half your money back. Essentially, the way it works is that when the rule is in play, the dealer checks for Blackjack and if he doesn't have it, the game continues and then you can use information to decide whether or not to give up. You can read more about Blackjack Surrender here!

Blackjack

Pros:

  • Protecting a Large Wager:If you are playing at a table that has a large initial bet in play, $100 or above for example, then it may be beneficial in this case. As you stand to lose a lot less. However, if you are playing on a smaller wager table, than to save a small bet isn't very beneficial.
  • Playing it Safe: If you are having a run or bad luck or happen to have a bad hand, then in this situation it may be worth considering. If you are already losing a lot and it looks like this hand isn't going to work out either, then it may be better to cut your losses
  • Dealing is Running Hot: This for players who follow their gut instincts. If you have noticed the dealer is running hot and has landed another Ace, then this may be a reason to use insurance.
  • Counting Cards or Statistic Geeking: If you are counting cards or a geek about the statistics, then it is the most practical use of the bet. If you are have been doing the math and are certain a 10 is imminent then naturally, this is the best way to save cash. Essentially, if the shoe is clearly rich in tens then it might be worth considering it.

Cons:

  • Maximizes Loses: Although it can see you save some money if used effectively, if the dealer doesn't have Blackjack then you are already down an unneeded extra wager even if you win. If you lose the hand not only have you lost your first bet, but also the extra insurance too.
  • Lose/Lose situation: Even if you win the insurance bet, you have still lost half your wager and as mentioned, you can stand to lose more.
  • More Likely to Lose: The odds overall are stacked against you. Due to the number of 10 Cards in the deck compared to any other digit, it is always more likely that the dealer doesn't have a 10 then does. In theory, if you were to play the insurance bet 1300 times you would lose 900 of these bets. This is obviously relative of the amount of decks in play.
  • Heavily in House Favor and Blackjack Insurance Pays out 2:1: The odds are always in the house favour, due to all the reasons mentioned so far and by applying the rule, you are instantly going to lose something.

So, as you can see, Blackjack insurance is actually statistically not the right call most of the time. Unless you are close to certain that it will be pay out for you and you have taken note that there is a lot of tens still in the shoe, then you should probably avoid it.

Although for some situations, where you feel you have a particularly weak hand and there is a high chance that the dealer is going to be holding a 10, then you shouldn't do it. Except of course, if you like to play with you gut and you get piece of mind by doing so.

Ultimately, you should probably avoid the bet as much as possible or risk being disappointed more often than not.

Alternatives to Blackjack Insurance: Playing it Safe and Maximising Wins.

Ok, so maybe Blackjack Insurance isn't the most beneficial side bet to place, but there is several other ways to either limit your losses or maximum your bets in each round.

Below are our three top picks for versions of the game to play in different ways, some of which can save you cash others may see you benefit more!

Blackjack Surrender

Blackjack Surrender works in the same way to Blackjack insurance, in that you don't have to lose all your money if the dealer has a good hand. Depending which you play, the more similar it is to Insurance. Blackjack with Early Surrender, is most similar to Insurance, as you look at one of the dealer's card and if you don't fancy your chances you can bail out nice and early and although you lose half your bet, there is no extra fee on top. As such, if you can choose between Early Surrender and Blackjack Insurance it is a no brainer. The alternative is Blackjack Late Surrender. This is slightly more challenging, but you can still stand to get your half your money back. Essentially, the way it works is that when the rule is in play, the dealer checks for Blackjack and if he doesn't have it, the game continues and then you can use information to decide whether or not to give up. You can read more about Blackjack Surrender here!

Perfect Pairs

If you would prefer betting on your own hand opposed to the dealers and increasing your payouts, Perfect Pairs might be the Blackjack game for you. The game allows you to bet on the chance of your two cards matching in some way. You can choose from either them matching with suit, colour or both, with different payouts for each. This is much more beneficial, as not only do your odds increase if you do this, opposed to lowering with Blackjack insurance, it is more interesting then just betting on the likelihood of a loss. It is more difficult of course, with more factors contributing, but it adds a thrill to the game.

Blackjack Switch

This is slightly more unique way of playing then the other two options and is more of a whole new dynamic rather than it is an extra element. It is generally new version and was born in 2009. Rather than one hand, you are dealt two and are then given the option if you want to 'switch' the two hands to make a set of one or two better hands. It is immediately obvious the benefits that come from this, as rather than just relying on one hand you have the option of two and if you get set of hands that combined make two superb hands then you are already on to double as much cash if it comes through. At the same time, if both are bad even with switch, then it is also double trouble and you can of course lose twice. Regardless, it still remains a safer option as you aren't just stuck with the hand you are dealt and can manipulate the hands to insure you get at least least something out of the game.

Blackjack Insurance in Summary

Although Blackjack Insurance may be tempting to some players, overall, it cannot be recommended for the most part. There is simply too many negatives for it to be recommended as an alternative to just playing your cards as they are dealt.

That is not to say that every now and then it can't be used, but as alternative to generic Blackjack or as a way to effectively minimize loses, it simply is ineffective. If you are a fully aware of a lot of 10's in the deck, then this is the only time it can really be used well and it is never a sure thing.

Don't feel downtrodden if you were looking for a new way to play and was hoping to spice it up or outsmart the dealer in a new way, there is plenty of options out there to spice up your gameplay and get more thrilling experiences and bigger wins!

However, for the most part, although we wouldn't say it is always a 'bad bet', Blackjack Insurance may not be the smartest move and certainly, not an efficient way to cash in.

Blackjack Insurance: Is it a Sucker Bet?

  1. But insurance has a higher house edge than in a normal game of blackjack, making insurance a bad bet. Insurance is paid out at 2 to 1, implying there is a 1 in 3 chance of the dealer getting a blackjack from a face-up ace. But in reality, there are 4 cards out of 13 which could complete that hand, giving odds of 9 to 4 – or 30.8%.
  2. Insurance is a side bet, and has nothing to do with the results of your blackjack hand.You are simply betting that the dealer has a ten in the hole. If he does, you win 2-to-1. It is not a 'push' for your hand. For example, you have a $100 bet on the table.

Insurance in a blackjack game means placing a side wager outside of the primary bet. The value of the side bet is usually equal to half of the amount of the main wager. Essentially, a player is wagering on the probability that the dealer has a natural blackjack. Blackjack Insurance If the dealer's face up card is an Ace, and you don't hold a blackjack, then you will be offered to place insurance bet, which can be worth up to half of your original bet. Then, if the dealer reveals a blackjack, you lose your original bet, but paid 2 to 1 on the side bet.

By Arnold Snyder
(From Casino Player, May 1997)
© Arnold Snyder1997

Question from a Player: My problem is that I have this feeling that I'm taking insurance far too often. I lose this bet a lot, even though I only take insurance when my true count is +3 or more. (I'm playing mostly in six-deck games in Mississippi and Louisiana.)
On my last trip, I put in 19 hours at the tables over a three day period. I kept track of all my insurance bets. I took insurance 14 times, won 5 times and lost 9 times. I realize this is a very short test from the statistical point of view (I've been reading your column for years!), but my experience on all of my trips is similar to this. I lose the insurance bet way more than I win it. This is just the one trip where I kept track of my results.
What's worse, when I win the bet, I don't really win anything, I just break even on my hand. Winning is actually more like pushing. When I lose the insurance bet, however, I not only lose the insurance, but I still have to play the hand against a dealer ace, which also often loses. I'm starting to think this insurance bet is just a sucker bet for card counters.

Blackjack Insurance: A Side Bet, Nothing More

Answer: Many players are confused about the way insurance works because, in casino jargon, you are 'insuring your hand.' Insurance is a side bet, and has nothing to do with the results of your blackjack hand.You are simply betting that the dealer has a ten in the hole. If he does, you win 2-to-1. It is not a 'push' for your hand.
For example, you have a $100 bet on the table. You have a 16 vs. a dealer ace. Let's say the insurance bet does not exist. The dealer peeks at his hole card, flips over a ten, and you lose your $100.
Now, assume insurance is offered. You have a true count of +5, so you put out $50 for insurance. Now, when the dealer flips over his ten, he pays your $50 insurance bet at 2-to-1 ($100), but you still lose your hand, so you break even.
Since, without the insurance bet, you would have been minus $100, this $50 bet gained you $100.
The actual result on your blackjack hand will be exactly the same regardless of whether or not you take insurance. If, for example, the dealer has a blackjack, you lose; if not, then you have to play out your hand vs. whatever he does have.
Also, your analysis of your blackjack insurance results indicates that you did pretty close to what you would expect as a card counter. For the sake of simplicity, let's say all of your insurance bets were $50 each. Since you lost 9 times, this is a $450 loss; since you won 5 times (at 2-to-1), this is a $500 win. So, you're $50 ahead of where you would have been had you never taken insurance.

Technically, your fourteen $50 insurance bets would total $700 in action. A $50 win total on $700 action would mean that insurance has paid you at the rate of 6.67% — which is more likely a positive fluctuation in your favor than a negative one.
Remember, if you win your insurance bet just half as often as you lose it, you break even. So, it will always seem like you lose this bet more than you win it, even when you are making money on it. ♠

Poker term flip. For more card counting and blackjack analysis, see the Professional Gambling Library.
Return to Blackjack Forum Home

Have you run into a blackjack term that you haven't seen before? While blackjack is a fairly easy game to play, there's a lot of lingo that can seem almost foreign to a new player. We've put together a list of common blackjack terms and definitions that should get you up to speed.

What Does Insure Bet Mean In Blackjack Betting

Basic Strategy: A collection of the mathematically best plays in every situation given the rules being used in a blackjack game. A basic strategy chart will tell the player what to do, given his hand and the dealer's up card. However, it will not consider other cards seen or the current composition of the shoe, as done when card counting.

What Does It Mean To Insure In Blackjack Poker

What Does Insure The Bet Mean In Blackjack

Betting Spread: A common technique used by card counters to change their bet size without drawing attention from casinos.

Blackjack: Along with being the name of the game, a blackjack is also the name given to a hand consisting of an ace and a ten-point card. It is the best possible starting hand, and normally automatically wins for the player at odds of 3-2, though some casinos may offer lesser odds. If the dealer has a blackjack, all player hands immediately lose, except for blackjacks, which push.

Bust: A hand is said to bust when it reaches a point total of 22 or more. If a player busts by going over 21, he immediately loses all bets on that hand. If the dealer busts, all players still in the hand automatically win.

Card Counting: This is a process in which a player takes into account the cards that have already been removed from the shoe when determining their strategy. The most common adjustment made is to bet more money when the shoe is rich in cards that are good for the player, and bet less (or stop playing) when the remaining cards tilt the odds in favor of the house. However, card counters may also make adjustments to when they take insurance, when they surrender, or even to basic strategy plays based on the remaining cards in the shoe. These adjustments can leave the player with an advantage over the house.

Card counting is not illegal, but casinos may refuse to allow known card counters from playing blackjack. Card counting cannot be used in games that continuously shuffle the cards after each hand, such as in most online blackjack games.

Composition-dependent Strategies – Teaches players to deviate from basic blackjack strategy in certain blackjack circumstances.

Double Down: This option allows the player to make a second bet in exchange for one more card, after which they must stand. This is typically only allowed on the first two cards a player receives. This allows the player to wager more money in advantageous situations, such as when holding an 11-point hand against a lower dealer up card.

Hard: A hard hand is one in which there is not an ace, or where the ace is only worth one point. Contrast to a soft hand.

Hit: Taking an additional card for your hand is called hitting. This is one of the two main options a player can use when playing their hand; the other is standing. Typically, dealers must hit with hands of 16 or less.

Hole Card: The dealer card which the players cannot see until it is revealed at the end of the hand. In many casinos, the dealer will peak at the hole card at the beginning of the hand in order to check for a blackjack if the dealer up card is an ace or a ten.

House Advantage: The advantage or edge is what the casino holds over the players, expressed as a percentage of each initial bet the player makes. Usually, the house edge is given based on the optimal basic strategy; player mistakes can significantly increase the house edge. However, it also doesn't consider card counting or other techniques that may tilt the odds in the player's favor. Rule changes can also have a significant impact on the house edge.

Insurance: If the dealer has an ace as their up card, each player will be offered insurance for half the price of their initial bet. If the dealer has a blackjack, the insurance bets pay off at 2-1 odds, meaning that players who have made the insurance bets will break even (since they still lose their initial bet). This is also offered to players who have a blackjack, who can get even money on their blackjacks instead of 3-2; mathematically, this is exactly the same as the insurance bet offered to other players.

What Does It Mean To Insure In Blackjack Machine

Push: If the dealer and the player have hands of the same value, the player's bet neither wins or loses; instead, it is considered a push. In other words, the player keeps their bet, but doesn't win any additional money.

Side Bets: Blackjack tables often times have additional games that can be played along side the blackjack game. It often costs an additional ante and the result is independent of the blackjack hand result.

Shoe: The device which holds the cards from which the blackjack game is dealt. In live casinos, shoes are typically made up of anywhere from 1-8 decks. In online blackjack, casinos may even have shoes made up of an infinite number of decks, meaning that removing a card from the shoe has no impact on which card is dealt next.

Conor McGregor The highly anticipated return of Conor McGregor is set to take place on January 23 when the former two-division champion meets an old rival in Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 at Fight. Conor McGregor has all but confirmed his next fight will be a trilogy showdown with Dustin Poirier – and he is buzzing for it. The Notorious suffered a brutal second-round defeat to the American. Upcoming conor mcgregor fight. Tenshin Nasuakawa. It's safe to say that McGregor likes money - and Floyd Mayweather has led the. Conor McGregor returns to the UFC octagon on Saturday when he takes on Dustin Poirier for the second time in his career. UFC 257 will be hosted on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.

Soft: A hand that includes an ace that still counts as 11 points. Soft hands cannot bust by taking an additional card, since the ace can revert to counting as just one point if necessary. Contrast to hard hands.

Split: Players may split their hands if the first two cards they receive are of the same rank. If they do, the player makes a second bet, and the two cards are played as separate hands. Each hand is now dealt a second card, after which the hands may usually be played as normal.

Stand: The decision to stop taking more cards is known as standing. This ends the player's ability to play their hand. In most casinos, dealers must stand with a hand of 17 or higher.

What Does Insure Bet Mean In Blackjack Terms

Surrender: In some casinos, players will have the option to surrender, giving up their hand and losing only half of their initial bet. This option is normally invoked in situations where the player has almost no hope of winning the hand. There are two versions of this rule: early surrender, where the player may surrender before the dealer checks for blackjack, and late surrender, where the dealer checks for blackjack before the player has the surrender option.

Blackjack Tournaments: Tournaments offer players the chance to compete against other players instead of against the house.

Up Card: The dealer's exposed card is known as the up card. The rank of the up card is the only information the player has about the dealer's hand, and is therefore an important factor in determining player strategy.

What Does It Mean To Insure In Blackjack Winnings

Video Blackjack: Similar to a video poker machine, it is a virtual game played without cards or a dealer and is similar to online blackjack. Video blackjack machines can be found at casinos and bars.

What Does It Mean To Insure In Blackjack Without

Translations: Begriffe





broken image