Card counting is a strategy used by skilled blackjack players to gain an advantage over the house. By keeping track of the cards that have been played, card counters can adjust their bets accordingly. Although card counting is not illegal, casinos dislike it and have implemented various measures to identify and prevent card counters from winning large sums of money.

Identifying Card Counters

Casinos use various databases and programs to manage card counters and other advantage players. These databases contain information such as pictures, known associates, and aliases, which are shared among casinos that subscribe to the databases. Casinos also use facial recognition software to identify known card counters before they even make it to a table.

Dealers are trained to alert the casino floor to large bet spreads, which is one way casinos identify card counters. Players who start off betting a small amount and suddenly increase their bet significantly draw attention. Teams of players have come up with ingenious methods to disguise their bet spreads, but they are still constrained by the math that makes card counting work.

Team Play and Adaptation

Working in teams can slow down a casino’s efforts to identify card counters. However, they are still constrained by the need to place large bets only when the count is high. The money will always tell the story, and casinos use databases to uncover relationships that might not have been visible to the human eye.

Asymmetrical team play can be effective, but don’t overuse the same players at any one property. Look for players with long histories with casinos, especially losing histories, and recruit them. Wealthy business owners or tech executives can also be recruited as they can withstand a quick background check.

Other Advantage Plays

Pay close attention to other advantage plays such as excess free play on electronic table games, badly designed promotions, tournaments, and giveaways. Expected value can be gained in many different ways to help offset lower betting spreads.

Don Johnson is one of the most successful blackjack players of all time, winning millions in Atlantic City and Vegas. He used card counting, confusion, and poorly designed casino cashback to beat the casinos.

Caution and Situational Awareness

One mistake or slip-up can be disastrous in today’s world of advanced surveillance and data analysis. Players must be cautious, measured, and smart. Situational awareness is crucial.

Card counting is not as simple and fun as it used to be. Technology will probably bring about its demise in the next five or 10 years. However, there will always be hustlers and dreamers who want to take their shot at bringing down the house.

Conclusion

In conclusion, card counting is a strategy that can give players an advantage over the casino in blackjack. While it is not illegal, casinos do not like it and will take steps to prevent it. Successful card counting requires caution, measuredness, and situational awareness. As technology advances, card counting may become even more difficult, but there will always be those who try to beat the system.