Bet the set, also called “boxe” in French, is a betting strategy in blackjack that involves placing a bet on all cards being face up, or “set,” in the next hand. This bet is usually placed before the hand is started, and is always equal to the number of cards in the player’s hand.
The bet is not affected by any changes in dealer button (kicker) position.
The rationale behind betting on set is that it increases the chances of getting a “natural” or “straight” draw, where all five cards are of the same rank. This happens more often when the dealer has two cards showing (two tens or two face cards), as opposed to having one card showing (a ten or an ace).
The probability of getting a natural draw is about 1 in 21. Therefore, by betting on set, a player increases his chances of achieving a win by about 1%.
Some casinos allow players to double their bet on set if they are dealt an Ace-high hand (two Aces). Others only allow players to make this bet if they are dealt a natural-draw hand (a five-card hand with an Ace and two matching cards).
In either case, this action increases a player’s chance of winning by 2%.
Many experts believe that bet the set should only be used as a last resort, as it has little impact on the odds of winning and can be quite risky.
