The Real Deal

By Carl Van Eton

Image courtesy of Big Game Blackjack

Sadly, most people's opinion of card counting comes from watching Hollywood blockbusters.  In
these dramatized acconts, the wily card counters, who are either portrayed as MIT grad students or autistic savants, are out to walk away with millions of dollars in profits.  Along the way, they are forced to contend with pit bosses who are only too happy to drag these threats to the casino's bottom line into the back room where they can be taught a painful lesson.  The movies, while entertaining, have taken so many liberties with card counting that I thought I would devote a blog to busting some myths.


Myth #1: It Takes a Genius to Count Cards

Having played blackjack professionally for more than 20 years, I can tell you that the movies have it completely wrong.  In the first place, it doesn't take a math whiz to master card counting.  I have taught everyone from little old ladies to auto mechanics how to count cards.  All it takes is a system that is simple enough to be practical in the noisy environment of a casino and lots of practice.

Myth #2: Card Counters Hurt the Bottom Line

Having played for tens of thousands of hours in casinos from coast to coast, as well as a fair number of offshore gambling halls, I can count on the fingers of both hands how many times I have detected other card counters.  Being a counter means you can spot fellow travelers all too easily.  If a player bets the table minimum when the count is minus and significantly increases his or her bet when the count is plus, then they are counting cards.

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Far from being a threat to the casino bottom line, counters like myself actually bolster casino profits. That's because when we start betting and winning, it isn't long before other players at the table follow suit.  While this sounds like a bad deal for the casino, let me point out one other fact: A card counter knows when to back off or even leave the table.  The average player does not.

Another problem for card counters is that just because the count favors the player, that doesn't mean they are going to win every time.  Far from it.  With an average advantage of 1%, a card counter will typically win 60% of the time.  This means that same card counter will lose 40% of the time.  Many neophyte card counters have dropped a bankroll by overbetting or underbetting when they have the edge. Some card counters are also underbanked.  This can also result in the loss of their entire playing bank.

Another thing the movies take for granted are bankroll requirements. In the movie "21,"  college students were betting tens of thousands of dollars per hand.  Since a bankroll requires 100 units to cover any mathematical swings, this would necessitate raising one million dollars to place bets of $10,000.  How many college kids do you know that can come up with that kind of money?

Myth #3: Card Counters Risk Being Dragged into the Back Room

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Maybe in the days when the mob ran the casinos,  a card counter ran the risk of being roughed up by casino management.  Those days are long gone.  While it is true that casinos can and will discourage players who can attain a mathematical advantage over the house in blackjack, the worst thing that can happen is that the card counter will be barred from playing.  What that amounts to is that he or she will be read the "Flagrant Tresspass Act" by a pit boss before being escorted to the cage and then being ejected from the casino.

That being said,  having played for more than 2 decades on a full-time professional basis, I have never been asked to leave, much less gotten barred.  That's because I make sure I don't rile casino management.  More card counters shoot themselves in the foot by telegraphing the fact that they can count.  The most typical way that occurs is by wildly varying their wagers.  In other words, the counter gets greedy and goes from nickel and dime bet to black action ($100) or more per hand when the count is plus.  As soon as you bet more than $100, the dealer is required to holler "Black in action!"  This is sure to draw attention to the player.  The way to get around this is to keep your bets below $100.    If you are playing at a $5 table, and spreading from 1-10 units in favorable situations, this will rarely draw any unwarranted attention.
In both our card counting courses, we show our players how to play like a card counter while looking like a progression player.  A progression player is one who increases the bet after a win and decreases the bet after a loss.  While this is the worst way to play a negative expectation game where the house has the edge, when applied to card counting when the player has the edge, this not only helps a player get away with big bet spreads, it also protects them from large bankroll swings.  (If you want to see a demonstration of my Blackjack Express card counting system, watch the video below, then fill out the form at right and I will send you my free "Winner in Training" eBook.)

The bottom line is that Hollywood has perpetrated a great disservice to the playing public by tarnishing the reputation of what is one of the best opportunities on the casino floor.  If you enjoy casino gaming and are sick and tired of playing right into the casino's hands, I urge you to check out the free information available at my Big Game Blackjack website.  Want to know what the real deal is when it comes to casinos?  The more you learn, the more you earn.  While you aren't going to be able to make millions by card counting, take it from me that you can make a nice living by learning how to play the one game in the house that sometimes favors the player.

Want to learn more?  Carl Van Eton has more than 20 years of professional playing experience.  If you want to stop visiting your money every time you go to the casinos, check out his website at http://biggameblackjack.com