The Truth About Card Counting In Casinos

Pop culture has created a massive myth around the practice of counting cards at the blackjack table.


In truth, keeping track of the deck is an exhausting mathematical exercise that yields very small profit margins.

Is Card Counting Actually Illegal?

The biggest misconception is that you can be arrested or sent to jail for counting cards.


However, while it isn't illegal, casinos are private businesses and they strongly detest advantage players.

Using a physical device or a smartphone app to count cards is strictly illegal and will lead to arrestCasinos share databases of known counters, meaning getting banned at one property might get you banned everywhereSecurity teams use advanced software to analyze betting patterns to catch suspected counters
Understanding How Counters Keep Track

The most common system, the Hi-Lo, does not require photographic memory, just basic addition and subtraction.


When many low cards are dealt, the 'running count' goes up, indicating the deck is now rich in high cards.

Running CountMeaningAction to TakeHigh Positive (e.g., +5)Deck is rich in 10s and AcesIncrease your bet size significantlyNegative (e.g. If you have any kind of inquiries pertaining to where and how you can utilize casino, you could contact us at our own web site. , -3)Deck is full of low cardsBet the absolute table minimum

Counting cards is essentially a difficult, stressful, and highly volatile part-time job, not a get-rich-quick scheme.