Cover play too costly?

I once read in a blackjack book (the name of which I've forgotten) that the author often made his top bet right off the top of the shoe as a cover. If you spread $25 to $250 and you bet $250 on the first hand dealt, by my calculations figuring a one and one half percent disadvantage one play costs him $1.25 in the long run. If he stays in a casino for 4 hours and does it 8 times his long run cost is $10.00. It seems like a good idea to me. Not too pricey for a guy who should be making more than $50 per hour. Agree or Disagree?