Even money and blackjack!

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Cardcounter

Well-Known Member
I read that 90% of players take even money but I do not think this stat is true I think the number of players who take even money on blackjack is less than 4 out of 10 or less than 40%. I think this because I'm a dealer and although I do see people take even money I don't see 90% of players doing it at my table I see 40% of the players doing it at most. I ask the players for insurance or even money but I don't really pressure the players into buying it. If the ask me what insurance is I tell them if I have an ace as my upcard you can bet I have a 10 in the whole giving me a blackjack and you can take the bet no matter what your two cards are.
 
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21forme

Well-Known Member
Most people don't understand taking even money is the same as an insurance bet, and many that will never take insurance will take even money.
 
EasyRhino

EasyRhino

Well-Known Member
I see more people take it than take insurance, but I'd still estimate 40% or so.

I've also noticed that some dealers "push" the insurance and even money more. Including a two-pass approach, first offering even money, then offering insurance to everyone else.

... say, has anyone ever placed a dealer toke as an insurance bet? That would seem creative, but kind of weird.
 
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SystemsTrader

Well-Known Member
SecurityRisk said:
Where I play, at least 90% of people take even money.
Click to expand...
I agree, I'm finding that even money is almost becoming automatic in most casinos now. I'm actually surprised when someone doesn't take it!
 
ihate17

ihate17

Well-Known Member
dealers

The vast majority of dealers have learned their "blackjack strategy" from the players that they deal too. Procedure makes them offer even money separately from insurance I believe to prevent confusion on the part of a player.
I got away with this once years ago and might try it in a new place someday.
Of course, I generally will only take even money when it is warranted but in this case it was not warranted and not offered. The dealer did offer insurance which I passed on, and then turned a blackjack. I asked her why she did not offer me even money and she replied that she forgot, got the pit and the pit paid me even money and did not even give me a lesson that the two things are the same thing in the case of a natural.
So you actually do have two chances to insure a blackjack.

Though dealers would be giving good advice to players by letting them know that even money is a bad bet, dealers do not know this. Dealers, want tokes and if you land up pushing a guys blackjack it feels bad for the player and reduces the toke rate.

Overall, the feeling amongst the vast majority of players and dealers is that anytime the player gets paid it is a good thing, even if you have to take a discount to get it. The fact that the discount is too large is missed by them, but I do not think the offering or even pushing of it is knowingly devious by the dealers.

ihate17----defender of dealer ignorance!
 
C

Cardcounter

Well-Known Member
Insurance procedures!

As the dealer you are required to ask for both insurance and even money. The house wants to sell insurance to a person that has blackjack and they are more likely to do that with even money. One time a customer asked me if he was giving anything up if he takes even money with his $10 bet I said yes you are giving up your right to make $15 on the hand! I tell him his options are to take $10 now or gamble and try to win $15 later! The reason why the bet is called insurance instead of betting on the dealers blackjack is so more people will insure when they have good hands when the house has the highest advantage instead of when they have bad hands when the house has a lower or no advantage on the bet and this sicology works. When players ask if we have any side bets I say yah we have insurance we are one of only a few casinos that don't have side bets like royal match. People sometimes that other people are stupid for insuring their 13 and think people are smart for insuring their blackjack I know it is the other way around sometimes. When I see somebody insuring a 13 I start to evaluate their play and think is this person really smart or really dumb.
 
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p8ntballsk8r

Well-Known Member
i had a guy at my table who had a $5 bet in 1 circle, and a $7.50 in his other circle... he wanted to insure for $5, and when he was told he wasn't aloud to, he insured $3 on his 20, and nothing on his 13, i tried hard not to laugh
 
weavin42

weavin42

Well-Known Member
I think the strategy for pseudo-bs players is to take any money they can get since they are likely loosing. Very few people realize insurance and even money are the same thing. One of the first fellow counters I discovered at a table was because he didn't take even money on his natural (then I watched his play a little closer).

Josh
 
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