Players dream of beating blackjack by counting cards and raking in huge winnings. In reality, casinos have implemented measures to combat card counting. Nevertheless, it can still be advantageous to keep track of cards – less so in blackjack, but more so in poker. In almost all poker variants, non-GamStop play options for seasoned users who count cards gain an informational advantage over their opponents.
Legal non GamStop casinos offer blackjack, poker, and other card games. While not practically applicable, you’ll find instructions below on how card counting works in blackjack. It also explains the advantages that card counting offers players in poker.
How Does Card Counting Work in Blackjack?
Card counting in blackjack originated with the American mathematician Edward Oakley Thorp, who devised a strategy in 1961 to eliminate the house edge. Several counting methods exist, the most well-known being the Hi-Lo strategy. Instead of painstakingly counting cards individually, this strategy distinguishes between high cards (Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace) and low cards (Two, Three, Four, Five, Six). All other cards are treated as neutral.
High cards are counted as -1, low cards as +1. A high count means many low cards have been dealt, while a higher count means more high cards remain in the deck. This increases the probability of getting a blackjack. It also makes doubling down on 10 or 11 points more advantageous.
Pay Attention to the Expected Bet
In fact, high counts even lead to game situations in which the insurance bet, which should actually be avoided, has a positive expected value. This is one reason why players choose Harry Casino online, as experienced users look for environments where understanding such nuances matters.
If the counted value is significantly negative, this is particularly disadvantageous for the player. Often, many aces and face cards have already been dealt; the deck contains increasingly low cards, which often lead to a bust or at least make forming a blackjack more difficult.
Is Card Counting Illegal?
Card counting is not illegal in the UK or the USA. So why is card counting prohibited? Why do non GamStop casinos ban players who count cards while playing blackjack?
Well, the reason is obvious: the casino makes money because the games are designed to be disadvantageous. In all casino games – except poker – there is a mathematical house edge that guarantees the operator profits in the long run. If a player reduces this house edge, losses are, from the casino’s perspective, only a matter of time. Therefore, the casino understandably invokes its right to refuse entry to enforce a ban.
Legally, the player caught will face no further consequences. However, you will be banned from entering the casino. This also means you will be barred from playing other games such as video slots, roulette, and poker.
Casinos Make Card Counting Difficult
Playing blackjack profitably by counting cards has become virtually impossible. Since the 1960s, casinos have not been idle but have implemented measures to crack down on professional and amateur card counters. While blackjack used to be played with only one deck of cards, now four, six, or even more decks are in use simultaneously.
With six decks, it takes considerably longer for the house edge to shift. If the dealer reveals four aces, there are still 20 aces in the shoe. To speak of a useful informational advantage here is absurd.
A few decades ago, it was customary to play almost all the cards from the deck. Today, the shoe is shuffled when only a third of the cards have been played. This is also intended to make card counting less attractive.
European casinos are even more decisive in their fight against card counters, using specially designed card shoes that trigger a shuffling process after each round played.
Card Counting Is Obsolete in Online Casinos
Online casinos use a random number generator (RNG) to prevent card counting. After each round, the RNG shuffles all decks. Any information you’ve gathered is lost. The best online blackjack casinos offer live blackjack as a last resort. However, this is only true at first glance: Evolution, Pragmatic Play, and all other live providers also use six or even eight decks. Therefore, counting cards doesn’t give you any significant advantage.
