How insurance works
When the dealer's upcard is an Ace, many blackjack tables offer insurance before players act. Insurance is a separate side bet that the dealer has blackjack. The usual maximum insurance bet is half of your original wager, and it pays 2:1 if the dealer's hole card is a 10-value card.
If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance bet wins. If the dealer does not have blackjack, the insurance bet loses and the hand continues normally.
Why insurance is usually not good for beginners
The name makes insurance sound safe, but it is not protection on your hand. It is a separate wager on one specific event: whether the dealer's hidden card is worth 10. Without extra information about the remaining cards, that side bet usually carries an unfavorable house edge.
That is why basic strategy usually says: do not take insurance. This is true even if your hand looks strong. A good hand does not make the dealer more likely to have a 10 in the hole.
| Situation | Beginner-friendly answer |
|---|---|
| Dealer shows Ace | Expect insurance offer, but usually decline. |
| You have 20 | Still usually decline. Your hand total does not fix the side bet odds. |
| You have blackjack | Even money may be offered, but it is mathematically similar to insurance. |
| You are card counting | Advanced players may consider insurance only when the count indicates many 10-value cards remain. |
What is even money?
If you have blackjack and the dealer shows an Ace, the table may offer even money. Taking it means you accept a guaranteed 1:1 payout instead of risking a push if the dealer also has blackjack. In practical terms, even money is closely related to taking insurance on your blackjack.
It feels comfortable because it locks in a win, but basic strategy players usually avoid it for the same reason they avoid insurance: the long-term math is usually not in your favor.
When would anyone take insurance?
The usual exception is a skilled card counter who has tracked the deck composition and knows there is an unusually high concentration of 10-value cards left. That is an advanced concept and does not apply to shuffled online practice games or casual play.