what is insurance in blackjack

In blackjack, insurance is a side bet offered to the player if the dealers up-card is an ace, as insurance against the dealer's hand being 'blackjack'. The insurance bet is usually half the value of the player's initial bet and pays out at 2:1 odds if the dealer's hole card has a value of 10, making a two-card 21. The maximum bet allowed for insurance is generally half of the player's main bet. Players should only take insurance if they need the dealer to have a 10-value card as their hole card to win the insurance bet. However, insurance should generally be avoided in blackjack because the odds are not in the player's favor. Expert card counters can keep track of the cards that have already been dealt and ascertain when there are enough to make insurance the percentage call. As a more experienced player, it might pay off in the long run to avoid insurance and consider other options wisely.