Hi Opt Card Counting? Trust The Answer

Suppose you read my post on how to make money playing blackjack and you decided to become a card counter. You found the section describing the Hi-Lo count interesting, but you’re not interested in being average. You want to know what the best blackjack card counting method is so that you can use it instead of the Hi-Lo system. This post provides enough background information about casino games, blackjack, and how card counting works so that you don’t need to read this other post. Understanding this introductory material is essential to understanding how to choose the best card counting method. I go on to explain how the pros view the different card counting methods and how you can use these measurements (like bet correlation and game efficiency) to choose the card counting strategy for your goals.

Card counting cannot be used in most casino games

Obviously, card counting is an advantage strategy that you will use in a casino game, but it doesn’t work in a game that doesn’t use cards. For example, you cannot count cards at roulette or at the craps table. There is no equivalent strategy for either game. This is agonizingly obvious, but it’s important to the discussion because in craps or roulette, each bet is placed on a specific event. These independent events do not affect the probability of subsequent events. For example, there are 38 numbers on a standard roulette wheel. Regardless of which number was hit on the previous spin, the odds of winning a single number bet on the next spin are still 1/38. But what if you eliminate a number after it’s hit? That would change the probability to 1/37 on the next spin. This is basically what goes on in blackjack. The composition of the deck changes. Instead of having a 52-card deck, there are only 48 (or fewer) cards left after the first hand (assuming a single-deck game). This changes the probabilities remaining in the deck after each hand. And that’s why card counting can be used in blackjack, but not in other casino games. The deck of cards used in blackjack has a memory of previous events in the form of altered probabilities. This memory is cleared when the deck is reshuffled. No other casino game offers you this special opportunity.

Basic strategy comes first

But the composition of the deck doesn’t matter unless you’ve mastered basic strategy first. Basic strategy is the mathematically optimal way to play each hand in a blackjack game. This means that a basic strategy player will take the highest expected value action in any situation. Sometimes this means choosing from multiple options, each with a negative expectation. But a basic strategy player chooses the action with the lowest negative expectancy. When you see websites or books that state a specific house edge for a variant of blackjack, that number assumes you’re using perfect basic strategy. If you don’t use basic strategy, you will be faced with a house edge that is 2% (or more) higher than this number. No amount of card counting or method will overcome this type of advantage. So before you even start thinking about which card counting method to use, you should master the basic strategy.

Deal cards and remaining cards

The reason card counting works in blackjack is because the cards dealt and the cards remaining change the odds of the game as you play. One way to count cards would be to keep track of which cards were dealt so you know exactly what cards are left in the deck. Most people speak of this idea as something only a Superman could achieve, but it’s possible to memorize a deck of cards. In fact, it’s probably easier than you might think. But most card counters use a simpler structure that doesn’t require much memorization to gain an advantage.

High cards versus low cards are key to any card counting strategy

The trick with most card counting methods is to categorize the cards into two types. High cards

Low Cards The reason card counting works – or at least most of it works – is the increased chance of getting a blackjack when the deck has a lot of high cards compared to low cards. The 10s and aces are considered high cards for this purpose. These are the only two cards in the deck that can create such a two-card hand. Blackjack pays 3 to 2 on most blackjack games at most casinos. You will find some casinos that offer 6 to 5 payouts, but these games are best avoided. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that 6 to 5 is better than 3 to 2 because 6 is greater than 3. A 6 to 5 payout on a $100 bet is only $120. With a payout of 3 to 2, the same bet pays out at $150, which is a lot better. In most card counting strategies, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are considered low cards. The high card to low card ratio is what almost all card counters use to alter their bet sizes and playing strategies to gain an edge over the casino.

Tens and Aces

I can’t stress enough how important the aces and tens are to this mindset. It might seem obvious why a deck with a higher proportion of these cards would favor the player, but I always like to use a simple example in the opposite direction to illustrate the point. Imagine a deck of cards where all four aces were dealt in the first hand (we’ll assume a single-deck game for this example). What is the probability of getting a blackjack from the remaining stack? Without aces, the probability has dropped to 0%. It’s impossible to get a blackjack without an Ace and a 10 in your hand. Each ace that is dealt reduces your chance of being dealt a blackjack. In fact, aces are more important than 10s, which is why some games use a side count of aces to inform their strategy. 10s are also important, but arguably less important since there are so many of them in the deck. There are four actual 10s in the deck, but there are also four Jacks, four Queens, and four Kings in the deck. You will find some card counting strategies that also count a 9 as a high card, but in such systems the 10s and aces are usually given more weight.

The number of decks affects which system works best

The general rule you need to learn first is that card counting methods almost always work best compared to a single-deck game. This is a hand-deal game from a 52-card deck. Casinos know this, however, so they will often deal games with two decks, four decks, or eight decks. The more decks you have in play, the smaller the effect of removing each card from the deck. That should make sense too, but let’s look at an example. Remember how we talked about how after seeing four aces from a single deck, the probability of getting an ace goes down to 0%? Suppose you have eight decks and you see four aces come out in the first hand. You still have 28 aces in the stack, which isn’t as many as when you started, but it’s still a better than 0% probability. You are looking at 28 cards out of 412 that represent an ace. That’s about a 6.8% probability, which is far better than a 0% probability. Various card counting methods work better with large numbers of decks, while other methods work better with fewer decks. The fewer decks the better.

Betting correlation and game efficiency as aspects of a counting method

About 80% of a card counter’s advantage over the casino in counting cards comes from simply increasing the size of their bets when the deck has a higher high-to-low ratio than usual. Card counters who also deviate from basic strategy because of the count also benefit, but that’s only 20% of their edge. When the pros and experts compare card counting methods, they look at two measures of how effective these systems are. betting correlation

Play Efficiency Betting correlation is just a measure of how well a particular card counting method estimates how you should be measuring your bets. The higher a method scores on this scale, the better. If you’re the type of card counter who just counts on increasing your bet sizes, this is the only factor to consider when comparing systems. Playing efficiency, on the other hand, measures how well a card counting method informs your deviations from basic strategy. This is more important for experienced card counters than for beginners. But if you’re at a point where you’re trying to decide between systems, it’s worth considering. The third factor, of course, is ease of use. When a card counting method is too difficult to use, a slight increase in betting correlation or game efficiency isn’t worth the extra effort.

What about shuffle tracking?

Many card counters don’t even bother with shuffle tracking, but the pros who add it to their repertoire are confident that it will greatly increase their advantage over the casino. The idea behind shuffle tracking is based on the fact that certain groups of cards tend to stay together during shuffling even though a random shuffle occurs. Once you’ve counted cards and found a certain “pack” of cards that have more aces and tens than the rest of the deck, if you can follow it through the shuffle and know when those cards show up, you can raise your bets accordingly . This technique works best in multi-deck games. It doesn’t really matter which system you use; Shuffle tracking appears to be agnostic to the card counting method.

So which system is best and what should you use?

If you’re just starting out, I recommend using the ace-five count. It is the simplest counting method and only keeps track of two cards. Aces count as -1

5’s count as +1 In order for the ace-five counter to work, you need to use a large betting spread. Basically, whenever the count is positive, you double the size of your previous bet as the count increases. Rather than having a 1 to 6 unit betting range, you are more likely to have a 1 to 16 or 1 to 32 unit betting range. In terms of playing efficiency, you don’t see a huge gain from using the ace-five count. In terms of betting correlation, it’s accurate enough to give you a small edge. However, they will probably draw the casino’s attention because they hate card counters. But the ace-five count is perfect for getting your feet wet. The method you switch to after that is the Hi-Lo count. In this count, use the following card counting rubric. Aces and tens count as -1

2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 counts as +1 As you can see, you are chasing a lot more cards. This system has as good betting correlation as you’re likely to find, but the game efficiency isn’t as great. Still, most players can use the Hi-Lo Count for years and make a lot of money. I know card counters who don’t use any other system at all. In addition, you will find many advocates of various card counting systems. The authors who write books about such systems list in their books the reasons why their systems are better than the competition. I have no opinions on these other systems, but you might want to look into some of the points below. The K-O System This is a system best used for games with multiple decks and counters that don’t want to convert the running count to a true count. It’s so called because you count the red 7s but not the black ones. The Omega II System You can read more about this in Bryce Carlson’s book Blackjack for Blood. It requires a side count of aces, and you count 10s and 9s as part of your main count. It’s also a 2-level system, meaning the 9’s have a value of -1 while the 10’s have a value of -2. Half of the low cards are worth +1 while the other half are worth +2

Conclusion

Free Hi-Lo – Practice with our Free Demo Hi-Lo is a popular card game with the simplest of rules. Will the next card dealt be higher or lower? That’s the decision you make, with payouts for making the right choice. The best way to get a feel for what the game has to offer is to play it. That’s why we’ve included a Hi-Lo game demo that you can play for free right here: Play for Real Money Today: Top Offer Mansion Casino Bonus Package up to £500 + 10% Cashback Visit the Website! View All Hi-Lo Site Offers Full T&Cs apply. Only for new customers. 5% cashback on days 1-7 after the 1st charge, 10% on days 8-14. Max £1000 p/w. Minimum purchase £20. 1st deposit bonus is 100% up to £200, 2nd deposit bonus is 50% up to £300. 40x bet. Valid for 30 days. Casino only. Game weighting, payment restrictions, betting limits and T&Cs apply.

How to Play Hi-Lo – Your First Steps Hi-Lo, also known as High Low, offers incredibly simple and straightforward rules. The object of the game is to guess whether the next card dealt will be higher or lower. Guess right and you win, guess wrong and you lose, it’s that simple. As such, it’s a great option for casino beginners. However, the fast-paced gameplay and decision-making element also attracts a loyal following of experienced players. In the following paragraphs we will look at the high-low game rules, odds and payouts. Starting with the basics, the Hi-Lo table looks like this: We will now explain the basic rules for playing a classic high-low game. The player places a bet on the table and the dealer deals a face up card. The player must decide whether the next card dealt will be higher or lower in value than the up card. If you guess correctly, you win the displayed payout. If you lose, your bet is lost. Then the next game round begins. The game does not have a stable payout and therefore there is no preset paytable for Hi-Lo. Payouts vary by base card. The greater the probability that the next card will be higher or lower, the lower the chances of a payout. In the next few paragraphs you will learn more about the payouts and odds. We should also point out that these are the most basic rules of the game. Some online Hi-Lo game variants offer improved betting options and payouts, but they still follow the same general principles. High Low Card Game Rules – Learn to Play Like a Pro Before jumping into some Hi-Lo gameplay, we recommend following our step-by-step guide and learning to play like a pro. Step 1 Find a Safe Hi-Lo Site In order to play some Hi-Lo games, you must first register an account with a trusted online operator. Step 2 Choose a Hi-Lo Game After creating an account you need to go to the online casino games and choose your favorite Hi-Lo variant. Step 3 Make a Deposit Before you can start playing Hi-Lo for real money, you must first make a deposit. Therefore, go to the operator’s checkout and follow the procedure. Step 4 Play the game First place a bet and look at the dealt card. Second, you must decide whether the next card will be higher or lower in value. Step 5 Check for Rewards If you guess correctly, you win the displayed payout. Once your gaming session is over, you can withdraw your winnings from the Cashier page. Odds and Payouts As mentioned in the previous paragraph, High Low does not offer fixed payouts. The payout for correctly guessing whether the next card will be higher or lower could vary in each game round. This is because the odds change depending on the value of the base card. The higher the probability, the lower the payout. For example, if the base card is a 3, there is a high probability that the next card will be higher. Therefore, the payout for a higher card result will be much smaller than for a lower one. In general, the odds would be 50/50. However, considering that most Hi-Lo games have a 2.5% house edge, the odds drop to around 47.5%. As with all casino games, the house always has an edge. House Edge and RTP We’ve touched on the house edge of the card game, but let’s take a moment to go into the details in a little more detail. The house edge is included in all games to ensure the casino always has an advantage over the player. Thanks to the house edge, the casino can expect a profit over the long term. Return to Player (RTP) is another way of expressing a game’s house edge. The RTP is the percentage of the total money wagered by players that is returned as winnings over the long term. The higher the RTP, the lower the house edge. The theoretical RTP of Hi-Lo could vary between 96% and 98%. High Low Card Games – Top Online Variations When it comes to playing the Hi Lo table game online, there are several RNG and live dealer variations to choose from. In addition to classic versions of the game, you can find some interesting variants. For example, Hi-Lo Switch gives you the ability to switch basemaps. Another interesting variant is the live game by Playtech. This version is played with a real dealer and offers different types of betting options and payouts. Hi-Lo Premium also offers similar bet types. We have listed the main advantages of high-low online play: Convenient access to real money games 24/7

Selection of classic and innovative game variations

Play with real dealers from the comfort of your own home

Get extra playing time with bonus offers

Play the game on your phone or tablet

Wide range of betting limits for both low and high stakes players The game is available at most online casinos. To help you decide where to play, we’ve tested and reviewed casino sites to find the best options. In the following section we will reveal the best Hi-Lo casinos. We will also explain how we have rated operators and what makes them a good choice for card play.

Best Hi-Lo Casinos for 2022 While many online casinos offer Hi-Lo, including the best New Jersey gambling sites, not all are created equal. Therefore, you need to carefully choose where to play. We used a range of criteria, with security being our main priority, to compare and rank operators to give you the best of the bunch. Only reputable, licensed casinos with solid security and player protection standards get our recommendation. We also evaluated the game selection considering the Hi-Lo variants on offer as well as the diversity of the overall game portfolio. Other factors include bonus opportunities, mobile compatibility and payouts. Here are the Best Hi-Lo Sites for 2022: Hi-Lo Site Welcome Bonus Pros and Cons Test Score Trusted Link Conditions Mansion £500 Live High Low Games Playtech Software Less Mobile Games 4.9/5 www.mansion.com Full T&Cs apply. Only for new customers. 5% cashback on days 1-7 after the 1st charge, 10% on days 8-14. Max £1000 p/w. Minimum purchase £20. 1st deposit bonus is 100% up to £200, 2nd deposit bonus is 50% up to £300. 40x bet. Valid for 30 days. Casino only. Game weighting, payment restrictions, betting limits and T&Cs apply. William Hill Get £50 Live & RNG Hi Lo , PayPal Accepted , Bonus Excluded Hi-Lo 4.8/5 www.williamhill.com Full T&Cs apply. 18+ Play safe. New UK customers only. Registration required. 1x per customer. Minimum bet of £10. Max £50 bonus. 40x wagering requirement. Bonus expires 72 hours after issue. Selected slots only. Eligibility rules, location, currency restrictions, stake contributions and terms and conditions apply. Casino.com £100 Real Dealer Hi-Lo, lots of promotions, PayPal not accepted 4.6/5 www.casino.com Full T&Cs apply. New customers. Spins: 20 upon registration, 180 after deposit. Winnings are issued as bonus funds. 20x bet. Spins and bonus wagering on Age of the Gods games only. welcome bonus; £20min deposit. Max bonus £100, 40x wagering. Game weights apply. Wagering Limits – Slots: £5. All other games: 10% of the bonus amount. Betfair £100 Play Hi-Lo Premium , reputable operator , bonus excludes Live Hi Lo 4.5/5 www.betfair.com Full T&Cs apply. Minimum deposit £10, 45x stake, Roulette and Blackjack 50% weighting. Bonus valid for 7 days. Not available for customers using Moneybookers/Skrill or Neteller as payment method. A lot of verification is required to ensure you are playing at the best casinos. You can save yourself the hard work of evaluating operators by choosing one of our recommended casino sites listed above. All of our top websites are licensed, safe and reliable. They offer great games with good options for high-low players. As a new player you can also claim a bonus at any of these sites. In short, they are the best casino sites to play Hi-Lo games online. Play Hi Lo with a Bonus – Best Promotions A highlight of playing at casino sites is the opportunity to benefit from a bonus. Most online casinos offer bonuses to attract new players. However, the selection of Hi-Lo bonuses might be limited. Therefore, you need to delve into the details of the new player bonus offers to verify that the game is included. We’ve listed the best offers below: Casino Bonus* Wagering Requirement Hi Lo Contribution Minimum Deposit Top Payment Method T&Cs Mansion £500 40x Bonus within 30 days 25% £20 Boku Full T&Cs apply. Only for new customers. 5% cashback on days 1-7 after the 1st charge, 10% on days 8-14. Max £1000 p/w. Minimum purchase £20. 1st deposit bonus is 100% up to £200, 2nd deposit bonus is 50% up to £300. 40x bet. Valid for 30 days. Casino only. Game weighting, payment restrictions, betting limits and T&Cs apply. Casino.com £100 40x Bonus within 30 days 25% £20 Visa Full Terms apply. New customers. Spins: 20 upon registration, 180 after deposit. Winnings are issued as bonus funds. 20x bet. Spins and bonus wagering on Age of the Gods games only. welcome bonus; £20min deposit. Max bonus £100, 40x wagering. Game weights apply. Wagering Limits – Slots: £5. All other games: 10% of the bonus amount. * 18+, new customers only There are a few things to consider when choosing a bonus. It is important to read the Terms and Conditions. There you will find the wagering requirements and game weighting. If Hi-Lo is excluded from the bonus game, this will be detailed in the bonus terms and conditions. You should also consider the minimum deposit required to claim the bonus and how long you need to complete the playthrough before the bonus expires. Our Recommended Real Money App You can’t beat the convenience of playing real money or social casino games online, and mobile casino apps make playing even easier. All reputable operators give you the opportunity to play on the go. To find the best mobile apps for playing Hi-Lo, you need to check out the game selection. The best apps offer games optimized for mobile play. The mobile platform should be stable, easy to navigate and intuitive. You can also take advantage of bonus offers and promotions when playing on a mobile device. All in all here is the best Hi Lo app: Best Mobile App William Hill Deposit £10 £50 Bonus Offer Play on Mobile! Full T&Cs apply. 18+ Play safe. New UK customers only. Registration required. 1x per customer. Minimum bet of £10. Max £50 bonus. 40x wagering requirement. Bonus expires 72 hours after issue. Selected slots only. Eligibility rules, location, currency restrictions, stake contributions and terms and conditions apply. You can play at a casino directly in your mobile browser without having to download an app. Some operators also offer download apps for iOS and Android, which are available in the respective app stores. Whichever way you play, the experience will be very similar to playing on a desktop PC. The main difference is that the mobile casino layout is optimized for touch screen play. The overall game selection may also be slightly smaller on mobile. However, the operators try to keep the differences as small as possible. Special Tips – How to Succeed at Hi Lo While High Low may seem like an easy game, there is no easy way to win. Card counting isn’t really an option, especially when you’re playing online. You have to make logical decisions to play the game well. There are also a few tips that we share with you so that you can play the game successfully. Here are our top tips: Learn the rules – high-low game rules are simple. But you need to understand them to play the game well. Read the rules before playing.

– High-low game rules are simple. But you need to understand them to play the game well. Read the rules before playing. Free Hi Lo Practice – Before you play for real money, play for free. It is a good way to get acquainted with the betting style and gameplay without any financial risk.

– Before playing with real money, play for free. It is a good way to get acquainted with the betting style and gameplay without any financial risk. Plan your budget and gamble with a bonus – Gamble responsibly by setting a budget and sticking to it. If you want to get more playing time for your money you can accept a bonus offer.

– Gamble responsibly by setting a budget and sticking to it. If you want to get more playing time for your money you can accept a bonus offer. Keep in mind that payouts can vary – Hi-Lo payouts can vary from one round to the next. So check the payout odds on offer every time you decide to bet higher or lower on the next card.

– Hi-Lo payouts may vary from round to round. So check the payout odds on offer every time you decide to bet higher or lower on the next card. Choose the best online casino – You should play at a safe casino with a good selection of games and bonus offers. You can find recommended operators in our list of the best Hi-Lo casinos. The tips we have listed will ensure that you get the best gaming experience. Savvy casino players are always looking for strategies to improve their chances of winning. You could try playing Hi Lo with a strategy. We will look at game strategies and systems in the following section. Play Hi-Lo with a Strategy Due to the simplicity of the game, there aren’t many Hi-Lo strategies available. To play optimally, you always have to make logical decisions. While high payout percentages are tempting, you have a higher probability of winning bets with lower payout percentages. So choose wisely and bet higher or lower depending on the most likely outcome. Card counting is another strategy that could slightly improve your chances of winning. Although it is of no use when playing online due to the automatic shuffling. You can also try using a popular gambling strategy like Martingale. Martingale is a progressive betting strategy that can be applied to even money bets. It’s a well-known strategy for playing online roulette, but you can apply the same principles to playing Hi-Lo. Here’s what the strategy consists of: Your first bet should be the lowest possible stake

Place the same bet every time until you lose

Double your bet after a loss

If you have consecutive losses, you should keep doubling your bet every round

If you win, you’ll make up for previous losses and potentially make a small profit

You can then start over with your original bet and follow the same steps. You should keep in mind that no betting strategy can guarantee success. A result is never guaranteed and you could hit the maximum betting limits before breaking even. So you should always keep your budget in mind. Playing Hi-Lo with the Martingale strategy could quickly deplete your bankroll if you’re on a losing streak. So you should always keep your budget in mind.

Final Overview – Our Top Pick for Online Hi Lo The high-low card game is simple and fun. If you want to play the game online, there are numerous safe casino sites to choose from. You can choose one of our recommended operators to be sure you are playing at the best Hi-Lo casino sites. Our top ranked casinos offer top games, bonus offers and mobile compatibility. If you’d rather make the decision-making process even easier, then check out our top picks for online high low: Top Offer Mansion Casino Bonus Package up to £500 + 10% Cashback Grab a bonus! Full T&Cs apply. Only for new customers. 5% cashback on days 1-7 after the 1st charge, 10% on days 8-14. Max £1000 p/w. Minimum purchase £20. 1st deposit bonus is 100% up to £200, 2nd deposit bonus is 50% up to £300. 40x bet. Valid for 30 days. Casino only. Game weighting, payment restrictions, betting limits and T&Cs apply. If Hi-Lo is too easy for you, why not try Blackjack? The popular card game gives you the opportunity to use your skills. You can use various strategies and systems to reduce the house edge to an absolute minimum. Would you like to know more? We have created a complete guide to playing blackjack. You can find the rules and try the free game demo. We also list the best blackjack casino sites where you can play online for real money.

If you own a casino, one of your worst nightmares is a woman named Miss Brown. And you treat her like that. For the past 10 years, she has been kicked out of gambling dens, attacked by security guards, charged with trespassing, handcuffed in back rooms, relentlessly interrogated, arrested and stripped of her hard-earned income. She doesn’t cheat, but she plays in a way that casinos despise: She uses more advanced, so-called advantage play techniques, which have netted her about $3 million since 2006. Raised largely in Nevada by a casino dealer mother and father, Brown, now 38, reportedly dabbled in bookies and started playing slots and video poker with her aunt when she was 15. She played guitar in casino lounge funk bands and had too many wasted nights on ecstasy, so she decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a dealer. When Mom suggested her daughter might do better as a card counter, Miss Brown ignored the suggestion. It wasn’t until a few years later, in 2003, after a fellow dealer announced he was quitting blackjack card counting and playing poker, that Miss Brown remembered her mother’s advice. She figured if he could do it, so could she. She stocked up on textbooks, taught herself how to beat casinos, and got to work. It was going well – at least before it got out of hand. Here she is in her own words:

It feels amazing to beat casino games. As well as the money you make, there is an emotional reward and a physical rush that comes from it. Nobody else at the table knows what you’re doing. They all play on the pitch. They don’t count the big and small cards being dealt, they don’t chase aces or sneak spikes into the dealer’s hole card. They’re jerks and you’re pooping the house. When I first started hitting the house I was manic and that just fitted in perfectly. Because of my mental state and the fact that I was one of the only girls to win the games, I was one of the luckiest people you would ever meet. That has changed over time, but back when I was 30 in 2008, when I was regularly killing games, living and playing and traveling with people just like me, life seemed pretty ideal. Early on I made good money working at a Southern California casino, but beating casinos was a lot more fun. Initially, I traded all week and spent the weekends counting cards in Las Vegas. With my insane energy I would be at the tables for 32 hours over the course of two days and then drive back to California for work on Monday. I made an average of $800 to $1,000 per weekend. On one of those Vegas trips, a professional player I met online showed me my first hole card game. Card counting allows you to play with a 2% advantage, which leaves room for a lot of unexpected losses, but is still pretty good. For example, if your average bet is $500 and you play 100 hands per hour, you can win $1,000. It’s sweet, but hole carding can give you a 12% return with lower volatility. You get it by finding sloppy dealers who accidentally show you all or part of their cards. It’s not always perfect and you need quick eyes. My first time was at a casino in downtown Vegas called Binion’s Horseshoe. The merchant’s name was Jaio. From the middle seat, which had sunk low, I saw that she had a black nine in the hole. It was a complete revelation. Think about how Tiger Woods felt when he got his first really good drive. That’s how I felt. It changed my life. The reality is that you might have had to look at 200 dealers to find one that gave up, but once you found that dealer, every day was Christmas. You went and gambled until the casino kicked you out, or fixed the dealer, or fired you. Shortly after discovering Jaio’s hole card, I had my first serious encounter with casino security. A partner and I played at a low stakes joint called Ellis Island. We counted cards and looked for hole card games. We had already walked up and down the Vegas Strip, played at different casinos together, sat at the table and pretended to be cousins ​​or boyfriend and girlfriend. At Ellis Island we felt heat – meaning a casino manager seemed to be watching us very closely – so we left. A couple of casino security guards followed us out. One threw me into the parking lot. The other grabbed my partner. The guy had one of my arms, but with my free hand I managed to grab my phone and call 911. “Help,” I said. “I’m kidnapped by Ellis Island casino security.” They handcuffed us, took us to a back room, held us there, and didn’t allow us to use the bathroom. The ridiculous thing is that we were just counting cards, betting about $30 per hand and losing $200. But apparently someone had a big problem with us. Eventually police officers came and stood on the side of the casino. One of them told us that we wouldn’t do well in prison – even though we hadn’t done anything illegal. Finally, hours later, we were released from the casino. The next morning we called Bob Nersesian, the attorney of choice for gamblers who have been abused by casinos. We told him what happened and he was floored. He loved it. He said we should sue. But we were afraid to make a big deal out of it and settled for just $40,000. Bob took his third and my partner and I split the rest. It was stupid to settle down but we were scared. In hindsight, maybe we could have brought Ellis Island down altogether. What they did was completely inappropriate – complete nonsense. It was such a good case. Bob still teases me about it. Over time, this experience made me feel like a complete criminal. It was awful. But not terrible enough to make me stop playing.

Thrillist TV History of The History of Tailgating

Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

In 2004 I was 26 years old and had a bankroll of $60,000. I had become part of a loosely knit group called the Las Vegas Hole-Card Mafia. We exchanged information about good games with weak dealers. There were so many opportunities out there that I quit my job as a trader in California. They were really nice and told me I could always work there again. To celebrate quitting, I spent the night punching a game at a nearby casino and got caught doing it. My ex-employer found out and sent me a letter saying I was no longer welcome at his casino. I felt bad – they had been really good to me – but not that bad. Already living in Las Vegas, I divided my time between my mother’s house and a compensated room at the Flamingo. But there were problems. My father had just died and on his deathbed he told me to be careful with mom. He said she was a degenerate player. He was right. I had to sleep with my bankroll. Otherwise, she would grab $100 bills and blow them on slot machines. Now that I was playing full time, my money was slowly growing. But when smart players win, it doesn’t translate into better lifestyles – fancy cars and all. It allows you to play bigger games that lead to bigger wins. That was my case. This guy, Joe and I, started dating and playing together. We found a great game up in Reno at a casino called Horizon, ironically a place where my mom used to work. We holed there and made $50,000 over six months, betting $200 a hand. At a place called Cache Creek, this guy named Mark and I discovered a “full information” game – meaning the dealer showed the entire card. It’s pretty amazing when you can play blackjack and know exactly what the dealer has. Our first night there we were incredibly unlucky and lost $30,000. We saw the cards but we just ran so badly. It represented a decent chunk of our bankroll and we needed more money. So Mark called a buddy of his in the next town and went there to borrow chips. We played and played and ended up winning $90,000. It was my biggest single session win up to that point. We raked in $60,000 total: $30,000 per person. We could have gone on but I didn’t want to draw heat and mess things up up there.

Oren Aks/Thrillist

I played all the time, made good money and learned new moves. But I had no social life outside of the casinos. My friends were all blackjack or poker players. They were brilliant and accomplished and adventurous. One taught me how to play Texas Hold’em – while gambling the $25,000 I loaned him. A really smart mentor and friend helped me learn a move called “playing the turn.” It involves secretly turning cards to denote 10s, faces and aces. It was a lot of work but anything outside of gambling seemed so boring. And the money could be sensational. In one year I made $600,000. I owe much of that income to an Atlantic City dealer named Craig. My then-boyfriend Tyler, who later became a top poker player, found him. We raked in $100,000 in one session against Craig. He surrendered blackjack at Caesars and surrendered the entire shoe. He dealt the cards very quickly, never said anything about the weird plays I made – like if you have 13, if the dealer shows a 10 up and you know he has a 6 down, you would stand stay even though it looks ridiculous to stay at 13 against a dealer’s 10 – and hasn’t bothered with tips. It was the best situation one could hope for. However, within a few months, Craig was no longer our secret. After getting fired and going to showboat, he ended up back at Caesars. Everyone knew. One night before Craig started his shift, the casino was swarming with teams of hole carders playing with the advantage. But not only the players were there, we all had civilians with us. They were on board to reserve important seats at various tables as no one knew where Craig would be acting from. There was a metagame going on, a sit-down war that only the advantage players knew about. We had six people who reserved seats for us and we paid them $1,500 each just to fill seats hoping Craig would come to one of our tables. But we lost the sit-down war that night. Another team got Craig’s table. I was tired and went to bed; They won over $100,000. But there was so much activity and scuffle at Craig’s table that the casino knew something was wrong. It was the last night we ever saw him deal. We accidentally fired him. Other times, however, things went much smoother. At MGM, there was a superstar dealer named Jin. The team I played on had several points taken from her totaling $100,000. This was one of those situations where everyone knew about her and everyone wanted to play on her shift. But we had an advantage. A friend of mine worked as a butler for high rollers at MGM. Every morning she saw a sheet showing which table each dealer was assigned to. I got the timetable from her, we would occupy the table, and Jin came to us. The other teams couldn’t figure out how we knew where to be. But she worked a lot and we couldn’t play her all the time. It would have looked silly. Other teams played against her and they played too aggressively – maybe they hit 18 when they knew she had a 19. We didn’t want MGM to find out what’s going on and mark us as hole carders. The game got too much action. So it was agreed that we would do something unprecedented: kill our own game. We hired a Chinese woman to talk to Jin and tell her to turn cards. Jin went to her bosses and claimed that she sustained a repeat stress injury playing blackjack. So they put her on a game where she dealt from a different position. That decision generated heat from other teams, but it was the right thing to do. It’s earned us longevity at MGM.

Oren Aks/Thrillist

All of this got me extremely hot and was easily spotted by casino security and surveillance staff. When I insisted on playing without an ID or player card—which most people would like to use so their play can be monitored and they get comps—that served as a red flag. Almost everyone likes to be judged. So I started doing something desperate: using fake IDs made by a very good guy in Las Vegas. It’s frowned upon to travel with fake IDs but they bought me time at casinos. They almost got me into big trouble too. Tyler and I had been driving from Atlantic City to Puerto Rico and were stopped by security guards on our way back to the United States. We had won a six-figure sum on the trip. They found $35,000 of our money on me and thought I was a drug dealer or something. They let us get on the plane but we were worried we would get in trouble in Las Vegas. So I called Bob Nersesian and he agreed to meet us at the gate in Vegas. Then we had a damn layover in Atlanta. A player friend of ours met us there and took our fake IDs, but minutes later a DEA agent called my name, ran over and pulled us aside. He found $100,000 on me and confiscated the cash. The good news is I didn’t have the IDs. So getting caught in an airport after 9/11? It would have been an absolute nightmare. We sued for eight months and eventually got our money back. It was a big fight though. Little did I know it was pretty much the start of a stretch where everything was going to be a big battle for me.

Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

I started playing poker seriously and it did pretty well. During the World Series of Poker there are always a lot of bad players in town. They populate cash games where I have great advantages. I managed to win $100,000 in just a few months. I was so good at poker that I felt ready to take things to the next level. I was sitting in one of the biggest games in Vegas. It takes place in a private room at ARIA Casino. It’s called the Ivey Room, named after the great poker player Phil Ivey. The stakes, $200/$400, no limit, were huge; Players would win or lose by six figures in one night. I found people to do half of my promotion and got into a terrible losing streak. I lost $500,000 over the course of a year. Half of it was my own money and the other half belonged to people who had my back. I played well but ran badly. Financially I was in over my head. I didn’t get rolled properly for such a big game. I was totally depressed again. I wasn’t thinking straight and came up with a crazy plan: I would go to Berlin. There was a poker tournament going on there and the idea was that I would play cash games. I wasn’t able to play, but I did anyway. I played twice and lost $13,000. The trip ended up costing me 20 grand. I flew home, got new meds, and dropped another $50,000 to support a two-person blackjack team I managed and played. I bought in for more poker and lost. Somehow I managed to have a boyfriend through all of this. He was a very disciplined poker grinder. He was playing at exactly the cash level he should have been playing. He put in a lot of hours and didn’t stand a chance of going broke. While he was living this very careful, rational life, I bled money. I lost $70,000 on a poker app I was trying to develop. Then I was arrested at a casino game at Planet Hollywood and they found my wallet full of fake IDs. I knew better than bringing multiple IDs into a casino. But I guess I didn’t care. This resulted in me being taken to back rooms, handcuffed and arrested. I spent about 10 hours in jail and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it. It was 2014 and going into 15, I was completely broken. I had no team, no people to play with. My boyfriend and I were always fighting over money. Every casino in Vegas knew what I looked like. My brain was fried. *** Then the unexpected happened: I became pregnant. That turned out to be the best. It was a wake up call for my friend and I. He liked the idea of ​​being a father and wanted to pay the bills. I took a break from gambling and stopped spending. Gambling as a pregnant woman looks ridiculous. Also, I didn’t want to expose the baby to casinos and smoking. We now have a son and I waited until three months after his birth to start playing again. But I don’t play like I used to. I want to be home for him. So I’m making one trip a month – since I can’t play anywhere in Las Vegas – and I’ve gotten rid of all the fake IDs. I don’t make as much money as I used to, but I don’t spend as much money either. Blackjack, poker, and sports betting – I have a source for good information on games – will make me over $100,000 a year. Along with what my boyfriend earns, and considering we live in Las Vegas, which is pretty cheap, it’s enough for a nice life. Above all, it is enough for a good, fulfilling life. I feel like it’s what I’m living for the first time in so many years. I don’t regret most of my decisions. I regret being manic and losing tons of money. But do I regret playing? Not at all. It’s what I’ve always loved – even in the worst of times – and I still do. Sign up for our daily Thrillist email here and get the best in food/drink/fun.

Introduction to high-low card counting strategy

introduction

The Hi-Lo Count is the most common and in my opinion the most used card counting strategy. The high-low was first introduced in 1963 by Harvey Dubner1. It has since been discussed by almost every major blackjack author. In my opinion the best introduction to Professional Blackjack is by Stanford Wong and the most detailed coverage is in Blackjack Attack by Don Schlesinger.

How it works

Below is a brief explanation of how to use the Hi-Lo.

Step 1: Assign a point value to each rank as follows.

High-Low Scores Rank Value 2 +1 3 +1 4 +1 5 +1 6 +1 7 0 8 0 9 0 10 -1 J -1 Q -1 K -1 A -1

Step 2: Start with a running count of zero at the beginning of the deck/shoe. As cards are revealed, add or subtract the running count according to the scoring system in Step 1. For example, if the first ten cards drawn from the shoe were 3, 5, K, 7, Q, A, 8, 5 , 4, 2, then the running count would be 1 +1 -1 +0 -1 -1 +0 +1 +1 +1 = +2.

Step 3: Divide the running count by the number of decks remaining to get the so-called “true count”. That’s the part that counteracts the hatred. You don’t have to be exact. I think a rough estimate is enough. Let’s look at an example. The running count is +7 and there are about 4 decks left. The true count would be 7/4 = 1.75. Round that up to 2 to keep it simple. The more you play, the better you’ll keep track of this adjustment without making any real split in your mind. Correct play is usually obvious. You only need to do this true count conversion in borderline cases.

Step 4: The larger the True Count, the more you should bet. This is where card counting becomes more art than science. Some blackjack books give strict rules on how this should be done. However, casino managers have also read these books, and the patterns recommended in previous books are now raising red flags. How you do this should depend on your own style and how much heat you are getting. It helps avoid heat to keep the maximum bet to minimum bet ratio to a limit known as the “bet spread”. Raising bets only after a win, lowering only after a loss, and staying the same after a push makes the game look more natural, but at the expense of profitability.

Step 5: On some hands, you play by true count and a table of “index numbers” rather than basic strategy. The larger the number, the more likely you are to stand, double, split, take insurance, and surrender. For example, the index number for a player is 15 against a dealer 10 +4. This means that the player should stand if the true count is +4 or higher, otherwise hit.

The following charts are known as the Illustrious 18 and Fab 4, respectively.2 They appear in Don Schlesinger’s Blackjack Attack and are republished here with permission. These are the most important index numbers to remember. Knowing only these gives the counter 80% to 85% of the value of knowing each index number, based on a six-deck game. The difference is more in single and double deck games. The lists are ordered by value. If you can’t remember them all, start at the top and work your way down.

Illustrious 18 Order Play Index 1 Insurance +3 2 16 vs 10 +0 3 15 vs 10 +4 4 10,10 vs 5 +5 5 10,10 vs 6 +4 6 10 vs 10 +4 7 12 Vs 3 +2 8 12 Vs 2 +3 9 11 vs A +1 10 9 Vs 2 +1 11 10 Vs A +4 12 9 Vs 7 +3 13 16 Vs 9 +5 14 13 Vs 2 -1 15 12 vs. 4 0 16 12 vs. 5 -2 17 12 vs. 6 -1 18 13 vs. 3-2

The player should stand/double/split if the true count is equal to or greater than the index number, otherwise hit. The player should take out insurance if the true count is +3 or higher.

Fab 4 Surrenders Order Play Index 1 14 vs 10 +3 2 15 vs 10 +0 3 15 vs 9 +2 4 15 vs A +1

The player should fold if the true count is equal to or greater than the index number.

For a complete table of all index numbers, see Chapter 3 and Appendix A of Stanford Wong’s Professional Blackjack.

The next table shows some statistics with the high-low. The blackjack rules on which this table is based are liberal Vegas shoes, as follows:

Six decks

The dealer stands on soft 17

Surrender allowed

Double allowed after split

The player can redistribute to four hands including aces

To avoid raising red flags, the sim only increased the bet after a win, decreased it only after a loss, and always stayed the same after a push, except that it reset to a minimum bet after a shuffle. The simulation rounded up the remaining decks to the nearest half-deck, otherwise played perfectly.

High-low statistic Spread Penetration Index

numbers player

adult hours

Developer Average use 1 to 5 4 I18+F4 0.157% 1.50 1.35 1 to 10 4 I18+F4 0.368% 2.04 1.57 1 to 15 4 I18+F4 0.578% 2.67 1.73 1 to 5 4.5 I18+F4 0.300% 1.1 1.4 1.60 4.5 E18+F4 0.587% 2.27 1.68 1 to 15 4.5 E18+F4 0.834% 3.06 1.90 1 up to 5 5 E18+F4 0.469% 1.70 1.47 1 to 10 5 E18+F4 0.837% 2.52 1.80 5 1 to 15 3.49 2.10 1 to 5 4.5 all 0.313% 1, 61 1.41 1 to 10 4.5 every 0.608% 2.29 1.68 1 to 15 4.5 every 0.862% 3.10 1.91 1 to 5 5 5 0.494% 1.71 1.47 1 to 10 5 every 0.857% 2.55 1.81 1 to 15 15 to 15 to 15 to 15 to 15 to 151 1.47 1 to 10 5 5 to 5 to 5 5 5 5 to 15 to 15 to 15 to 151.71 1 to 10 5.10 1 to 15 1 to 15 to 15 to 15.71 1 to 15). 5 All 1.182% 3.54 2.11

Explanation of the columns

Spread: This is the ratio of the player’s minimum bet to the maximum bet. The larger the range, the greater the player advantage and bankroll volatility. A wide betting range also triggers a red flag. In a six-deck game, I think a spread of 1 to 15 is the most aggressive a player should aim for. The simulation only played one bet.

Penetration: How many decks were played before the cut card was reached. In a six deck shoe, 4.5 is the norm.

Index numbers: I have already explained index numbers above. Simulations were run with both Illustrious 18 and Fab 4 (I18+F4) above and with the full table. The difference isn’t huge, showing that knowing the top 22 gives the most benefit when knowing them all.

Player Advantage: This is the ratio of the player’s net winnings to the total initial bets. For example, the player on the last row could expect to win 1.182% of their total initial bets.

Standard Deviation: This is a term for the volatility per initial bet.

Average Bet: The average last bet per hand compared to the lowest bet. Example: If the player’s minimum bet on the last row is $100, their average bet is $211. This includes additional money bets due to doubles and splits.

This table was created with Casino Vérité’s CVCX Blackjack Analyzer. This software creates hundreds of different statistics for almost every rule, betting strategy and game strategy. For the player who wants to do these tests, I think this software is the best out there.

footnotes

Professional Blackjack by Stanford Wong, page 31, 1994 ed. Blackjack Attack by Don Schlesinger, page 62, 2004 ed.

thanks

Don Schlesinger: For his permission to reprint the Illustrious 18 and Fab 4 tables from his book Blackjack Attack.

Norman Wattenberger: For his free use of Casino Vérité’s CVCX Blackjack Analyzer.

Work out

Practice your card counting skills with our trainer.

Continue reading

Written by Michael Shackleford

Markus Pilarsky

Specially for the Detroit Free Press

QUESTION: Why is blackjack card counting considered cheating? I see it as a case of someone who is very good at the game. From my perspective, it’s no different than a poker player who is adept at bluffing and reading the body language and facial expressions of others at the table. — Gary P

ANSWER: When it comes to card counting, you don’t need to be a math genius. All that card counting does is determine mathematically to what extent the undealt deck favors the dealer or the player. Counters do this by tracking the changing imbalance of big and small cards in a decreasing deck.

Card counters theoretically have a 0.5% to 1.5% advantage over the casino. A deck with lots of high cards (10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace) favors the player, while an abundance of low cards (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) favors the dealer. If that ratio favors the scoring player, he or she bets more money; If it favors the dealer, the counter bets less.

Your implicit assertion, Gary, that card counting is considered a form of cheating is incorrect. Card counting is NOT illegal under federal, state and local law in the United States unless players use an external card counter or people to assist them in counting cards.

In their effort to identify card counters, casinos can ban players who are assumed to be counters – so to speak. It depends on where you play.

In Atlantic City, for example, casinos let you try card counting—again, sort of. The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that players should not be discriminated against based on their playing skill (counting), even if spotted.

Mark Pilarski: Craps games are weird in California

As a result, Jersey Shore casinos are employing countermeasures to hinder card counters. They attempt to hinder a card-counting blackjack player by using eight-deck shoes, shuffling at will to prevent bet variance, and instructing the dealers to move the cut card near the top of the shoe.

Before you sit down at a blackjack table in Nevada, you’re expected to check your brain at the door. There, the laws allow casinos to operate like a private club, so plan that you’ll be asked to leave the casino to use your brain.

Although counting is not technically illegal, Nevada casinos prevent bar counters from playing blackjack by discouraging them from playing. Counters can expect a pit boss to come up to them and unsympathetically say, “We appreciate your business, but we’re going to ask you to stop playing blackjack here.” Feel free to play any of the other table games we offer.” Translated, this means play any other game that has a much higher house edge.

Mark Pilarski is a contributing editor for numerous gaming publications. Email questions to [email protected].

The Poker Rules

This list is currently divided into several parts:

The Basics How Hands Are Scored Descriptions of Hand Ranks at Betting An example of a 5-card draw hand

The basics

Some games have wild cards that can be any color and rank their owner desires. Sometimes jokers are used as jokers, sometimes the game specifies which cards are wild (dueces, one-eyed jacks, or whatever).

How the hands are classified

Descriptions of hand ranks

bets

Call When you call, you bet as much as you have wagered since your last bet (for example, if you bet a cent last time and someone else bet a quarter, you would owe fifteen cents). Raise When you raise, you first bet enough to equal the bet since the last bet (like calling), then you ‘raise’ the bet another amount (up to you, but there’s usually a limit). The example above, if you bet one cent, the other person raised you fifteen cents (up to a quarter), you could raise a quarter (up to fifty cents). Since you owe the pot 15 cents for the call and 25 cents for your raise, you would put 40 cents into the pot. Fold If you fold, you fold from the current hand (lose any chance of winning the pot), but you don’t have to put any money into the pot.

Some standard betting rules

An example of a five card draw hand.

You’re giving yourself a pretty good hand Ks-Kd-Jd-5c-3d. A pair of kings isn’t bad (not great, but not bad). Then the betting begins…

Alex ‘Checks’ (Checking is basically a call when you don’t owe the pot).

Brad bets a dime.

Charley calls (putting a dime into the pot).

Dennis raises one cent (putting twenty cents in the pot).

Well, it’s your turn. Twenty cents for you. You can fold, call or raise. Like I said, a pair of kings isn’t bad, it’s not good, it’s not bad. You call and put twenty cents into the pot.

Back to Alex, who grumbles and tosses his cards to the middle of the table and folds. (Note, if you fold, never show your cards to anyone).

Brad calls. The total bet is twenty cents, but he had already bet one cent, so he owes one cent, which he throws into the pot.

Charley is in the same position as Brad and throws a dime into the pot.

What do you think the others tried? Well, Brad kept two cards, so he probably had a pair (just like you), but they probably weren’t aces, so even if Brad has three of a kind, you’re probably going to beat him. Charley was holding four cards, so he was probably attempting a straight or flush. (If Charley had had four of a kind he might have bet a lot harder). The big problem is Dennis. He raised earlier and only drew two cards. He could be bluffing, but he could have had three of a kind from the deal… In either case, the second round of betting begins (with dealers remaining).

Brad bets a nickel.

Charley folds (I guess he didn’t get his straight or flush).

Dennis raises twenty cents (totaling a quarter).

You call.

Brad looks at his cards and then calls (and bets twenty cents).

Again, everyone called Dennis’ raise, so the betting round is over.

You had Ks-Kd-Kc-4c-8h.

Brad had Jh-Jd-3c-3s-Ah.

Dennis had Qh-Qs-Qd-As-7s.

Conclusion

Find out if you can be caught counting cards at blackjack and if casino security officers and the police can officially arrest you.

Blackjack players, once they have mastered basic blackjack strategy, try to learn how to count cards and eventually improve their chances of winning at a casino. However, there is always a question about the legality of card counting, which is covered in detail here.

Legality of card counting in blackjack

Before we get into the legality of card counting, it’s important to understand that blackjack card counting is a technique that gives players a theoretical edge of anywhere from 0.5% to 1.5% over the casino, and sometimes even more offers. Card counters typically assign values ​​to decks and then keep a running count and a true count to estimate how many cards are left in the deck and how many have been dealt.

Card counting is not a form of cheating. It is not illegal under US federal, state and local law unless players are using some sort of external card counting device or people are helping them count cards. Because it’s not illegal, a card counter, even if caught, can never end up in jail.

Aside from that, casinos can certainly employ means to prevent card counters from gaining an advantage over the casino. Some of these possibilities include using eight decks of cards or continuous shuffling machines and so on. Some casinos may also ban consistently winning card counters, but cannot arrest them as such.

Why do casinos discourage counting cards in blackjack?

The technique of card counting actually increases the blackjack odds in players’ favour.

When using card counting systems, players assign values ​​to decks of cards and keep a running count as the game progresses and the cards are dealt. Well, this method, when done correctly, gives the players a complete idea of ​​the cards that are still in the deck. They can adjust their bet sizes and amounts accordingly. For example, if the count is positive, bet more and if the count is negative, bet less. This significantly reduces the casino advantage.

How Casinos Stop Blackjack Card Counting?

Casinos try their best to stop blackjack card counting in the following ways:

Continuous mixing machines

Continuous shuffling machines or CSMs allow dealers to return the dealt cards to the shuffling machines for reshuffling. This shuffling of cards greatly minimizes deck penetration and makes it virtually impossible for players to count cards. There is no pause or break in the game, so players can become completely confused and unfocused trying to assign values ​​to cards and somehow keep a running count.

RFID chips

RFID technology is used by casinos to determine exactly what a player is wagering. The RFID technology is built into the chips that are linked by sensors under each table. The RFID chips allow the casino to accurately determine the average bet score. This real-time betting data gives a clear idea of ​​players’ betting patterns. If these patterns turn out to be suspicious because they are well calculated and identical, the casino can identify the card counters.

security monitoring

Numerous surveillance cameras are installed throughout the casino. They are placed in more places than players are even aware of. These cameras help casinos keep a close eye on players and spot any cheating or manipulation activity that is taking place. Similarly, card counters can also be detected by these surveillance cameras based on their body language, betting patterns, etc.

Actual Risks for Blackjack Card Counters

While there’s no way blackjack card counters can end up in jail, there are certain risks they must take when attempting to count cards in a casino. Casinos may, at their discretion, ban players for counting cards. This is mainly because casinos are privately owned and deal with entertainment and not gambling to be precise. They offer the entertainment of gambling to the players because they have an advantage in such games from which they can make profits. Card counters can disrupt this balancing mechanism and leave them vulnerable enough to be banned from a casino.

So card counting is not illegal and cannot arrest a card counter. But given the strict measures casinos take to prevent card counters from winning, executing the technique in a casino is getting harder by the day.

Markus Pilarsky

Specially for the Detroit Free Press

QUESTION: Why is blackjack card counting considered cheating? I see it as a case of someone who is very good at the game. From my perspective, it’s no different than a poker player who is adept at bluffing and reading the body language and facial expressions of others at the table. — Gary P

ANSWER: When it comes to card counting, you don’t need to be a math genius. All that card counting does is determine mathematically to what extent the undealt deck favors the dealer or the player. Counters do this by tracking the changing imbalance of big and small cards in a decreasing deck.

Card counters theoretically have a 0.5% to 1.5% advantage over the casino. A deck with lots of high cards (10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace) favors the player, while an abundance of low cards (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) favors the dealer. If that ratio favors the scoring player, he or she bets more money; If it favors the dealer, the counter bets less.

Your implicit assertion, Gary, that card counting is considered a form of cheating is incorrect. Card counting is NOT illegal under federal, state and local law in the United States unless players use an external card counter or people to assist them in counting cards.

In their effort to identify card counters, casinos can ban players who are assumed to be counters – so to speak. It depends on where you play.

In Atlantic City, for example, casinos let you try card counting—again, sort of. The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that players should not be discriminated against based on their playing skill (counting), even if spotted.

Mark Pilarski: Craps games are weird in California

As a result, Jersey Shore casinos are employing countermeasures to hinder card counters. They attempt to hinder a card-counting blackjack player by using eight-deck shoes, shuffling at will to prevent bet variance, and instructing the dealers to move the cut card near the top of the shoe.

Before you sit down at a blackjack table in Nevada, you’re expected to check your brain at the door. There, the laws allow casinos to operate like a private club, so plan that you’ll be asked to leave the casino to use your brain.

Although counting is not technically illegal, Nevada casinos prevent bar counters from playing blackjack by discouraging them from playing. Counters can expect a pit boss to come up to them and unsympathetically say, “We appreciate your business, but we’re going to ask you to stop playing blackjack here.” Feel free to play any of the other table games we offer.” Translated, this means play any other game that has a much higher house edge.

Mark Pilarski is a contributing editor for numerous gaming publications. Email questions to [email protected].