Is it a good proposition to take even money with blackjack with a dealer A up? Some casino's offer it, but don't advertise it, which would make me think that it's good for the player. Thoughts?
"Is it a good proposition to take even money with blackjack with a dealer A up?"
Not if you're not counting.
"Some casino's [casinos] offer it,"
ALL casinos offer it; it's insurance!
"but don't advertise it,"
Not true. In big letters, on the felt, it says, "Insurance pays 2 to 1."
"which would make me think that it's good for the player. Thoughts?"
See above. Bad bet, unless you're counting.
Don
Don Schlesinger,
Last time I was at the Cal-Neva in Reno, they had some 3:2 SD tables at which insurance was not offered. Also, Barton's Club 93 in Jackpot, NV does not offer it. In fact, CBJN lists about eight casinos with the "ni" notation, but most of those games have reduced BJ payouts. I believe casinos in the UK offer insurance only to players with naturals.
However, "no insurance" is indeed an odd rule over here!
Dog Hand
I'm not talking about insurance bets. I'm talking about not having to risk an insurance bet and getting paid even money on a bj when the dealer has an ace up. say you bet 50, you can say " i want even money" and they give it to you without putting out the 25 insurance bet. With insurance, you do get even money if the dealer has a bj, but only if he has bj. (bet 50 is a push, and 50 for the 25 Ins bet = even money. if he doesn't have a bj with a 50 bet, you lose the 25 ins. bet and get paid 3-2 on the blackjack. so you bet 50 win 75 and lose 25 if i'm not mistaken. for a profit of 50. OK, nevermind, either way your making even money. I just answered my own question. So here's another one. Why not only offer even money instead of going through the whole insurance process? It's retarded. It's the same.
If you're not counting it's never a good deal to take even money. The house offers it as even money because people know insurance is a bad bet and don't realize that taking even money is the same thing as buying insurance.
Whoever started using the phrase "even money" was probably a gambler in Asia. It was being used over there before LV & AC. It gradually became a common term being used simultaneously with the announcement of "Insurance" or "Insurance anybody, even money?". The casinos allow that phrase now seeing it short cuts the insurance transaction (as BP said) and it misnames the Insurance bet giving more edge to the casino by confusing the players. The best rule regarding Insurance is to think of Insurance as a side bet. The player can place a side bet that pays odds of 2:1. This side bet can be made of any even amount up to a maximum of 1/2 of the player's wager. When you place that bet you are betting that the dealer has a 10 value card under the top exposed card. The bet is favorable when the ratio of ten value cards to non ten value cards are greater than 2:1 in counting game. If you are not counting or have no other information then the Insurance bet is a bad bet. Don't take it even if you've got a hunch or if you think the dealer is due. Just remember that "even money" is a short cut term for Insurance and that the Insurance bet is a side bet and has nothing to do with your hand. The dealer should be saying " hey! anyone here wanna bet I've got blackjack? If I do I'll pay you double. Put your bet right here son." Think: side bet. You will never get confused.
