6/5 Blackjack

So I am a dealer in Las Vegas. Most of our tables are 8 deck 6/5 blackjack payouts with NO even money. But i dont wanna talk about that lol.


If a player has a Blackjack, and I get an Ace is it wrong to suggest to the player to take insurance? In my head it makes sense...you have a $20 bet, you put the $10 down for insurance. I have BJ, their BJ pushes and they get 2-1 on the insurance...if i do not have the BJ, i take their $10 and they will still come out $14 ahead.

Also, when it comes to 6/5 Bj..what about doubling down a BJ?

Insurance is basically just a side bet as to whether or not dealer has a ten under. 4/13's of the cards in the deck are a T.

With insurance, the value is: 4/13 * $20 + 9/13 * $14 = $15.84.
Without insurance, the value is: 4/13 * $0 + 9/13 * $24 = $16.61.

On average, without insurance, you earn $0.77 more than if you take insurance.



Doubling down on a blackjack is never correct in 6:5 BJ, unless the count is astronomical. I don't remember how unlikely it is, but suffice it to say -- if someone doubles their BJ, they're almost certainly wrong. It's not correct in basic strategy.

Quote: RS

Insurance is basically just a side bet as to whether or not dealer has a ten under. 4/13's of the cards in the deck are a T.

With insurance, the value is: 4/13 * $20 + 9/13 * $14 = $15.84.
Without insurance, the value is: 4/13 * $0 + 9/13 * $24 = $16.61.

On average, without insurance, you earn $0.77 more than if you take insurance.



Doubling down on a blackjack is never correct in 6:5 BJ, unless the count is astronomical. I don't remember how unlikely it is, but suffice it to say -- if someone doubles their BJ, they're almost certainly wrong. It's not correct in basic strategy.

Makes sense. Thanks

Even if it's mathematically inferior, I wouldn't say it's wrong to bring it up; some people are willing to take the hit for reduced variance. I would never phrase it as a recommendation, though.

If I get asked what to do as a player, I tend to respond with "How's your day been?" It avoids me having to give a direct answer and makes them think about their risk preference themselves. I think most competent players realize that insurance is a losing proposition ("The casino wouldn't offer it if it actually helped you."), despite the emotional response.

Quote: GlenG

So I am a dealer in Las Vegas.
If a player has a Blackjack, and I get an Ace is it wrong to suggest to the player to take insurance?

"to suggest to the player to take insurance?"
I think it might wrong.

1st, do not you have to follow rules in your procedure handbook,
I have been told this before that a Dealer can not tell a player how to play their hand but can offer things like basic strategy, etc. when asked.

Other players are real good at giving unsolicited advice to others.
Can or should a Dealer do that too?

Can you tell a player how to play their hand even by making a suggestion?

I would think if the player asked you 1st what they should do, you could give them their options
of how to play their hand.

Sally

Speaking as a former dealer, I know the answer. You always have to ask if people want insurance, and offer even money for player BJ. You do it verbally and motion for the eye in the sky. It's simply procedure, nothing more.

All of dealing is about procedure.

Quote: Lucca3927

All of dealing is about procedure.

Yes, The Floor and the Eye in the Sky don't much care what you say but they do care about what you do with your hands. Eons ago the guy to my left kept asking the BJ dealer for another card, dealer would not give it to him and finally told him 'You have 21". I've no idea what the official procedure is in such a situation. I have had dealers make disparaging verbal comments about insurance but never in the first person, its always attributed to 'most players' but even those dealers still go thru the hand motion of drawing their hand across the insurance box and pausing slightly as they bad mouth the insurance bet and none of the players at the table are making them.

Most players seem to feel its wrong to buy insurance but very few of them can say why that is so.

Bring it up (I presume house rules involve mentioning it), but don't recommend it. Similar to how the stick lets everyone know that the horn and hard ways exist, but rarely encourages them.