How Does Blackjack's Insurance Bet Work?

5 September 2010

By Frank Scoblete

Hi Frank,

I was playing Las Vegas Strip BJ on the computer for fun money. Three times this happened with buying insurance. One time I bought insurance with a Jack and an eight while the house had an A and J, I won the bet. How can that be? The house had BJ. I don't get it. Shouldn't have the casino won? I understand the game but not that bit with buying insurance.

Thanks,
Jaggy

Dear Jaggy:

The insurance bet is a separate bet that the dealer has a blackjack. You put up half the amount of money of your regular bet and if you win you are paid 2-to-1. So you win your insurance bet but you also lose your regular bet to the dealer's blackjack. Thus, in that round you break even. You win, yes, and you lose.

The insurance bet is a bad bet.

All the best in and out of the casinos!

Frank Scoblete

Frank Scoblete is the #1 best-selling gaming author in America and executive director of Golden Touch - which teaches classes in advantage methods for beating craps, blackjack, Pai Gow poker, video poker and some select slot machines.

His newest books are Casino Craps: Shoot to Win! (which comes with a DVD of unedited controlled dice throws) and Beat Blackjack Now: The Easiest Way to Get the Edge! both published by Triumph Books, a division of Random House. Another recent book is The Virgin Kiss. His new DVD is Golden Touch: Beat Craps by Controlling the Dice shows 200 unedited controlled dice throws. Frank's books and DVD are available at Amazon.com, in bookstores or by mail order. For a free brochure or to order by phone, call 1-800-944-0406 or write to: Frank Scoblete Enterprises, P.O. Box 446, Malverne, NY 11565.

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