How to Take Even Money

Questions & Answers

Q: “I don’t get the Even Money thing, can you explain it please?”

A: Even Money can only occur if the player has a blackjack and the dealer has an ace up card. Only after the dealer askes for insurance is the player allowed to request Even Money. Taking Even Money is exactly the same thing as taking Insurance. With Insurance, you have to forfeit half of your bet to protect yourself in case the dealer has a blackjack. With Even Money, you forfeit half of your winnings in order to get paid immediately, which results in getting paid 1 to 1 or even money.

So, if the dealer has an ace up card and the player has a blackjack, then the dealer will first open up insurance and then ask the player with the blackjack if they would like Even Money. If the player says “Yes” then the dealer will pay them 1 to 1 and lock up the cards in the discard rack. If the player says “No”, then the dealer will close Insurance and check to see if they have a blackjack or not. If the dealer does have a blackjack then he would push with the player who refused Even Money. If the dealer does not have a blackjack, then the player would get paid 1 ½ times their bet, or 3 to 2 for their blackjack.

Even Money is not normally offered on blackjack tables with 6 to 5, but if you’re on a 6 to 5 table, then the only advice I have for you is to run, very far away, like a monster is chasing you…