Following the Ben Affleck blackjack card counting story that made headline news, he was spotted out in public for the first time in Los Angeles filling up his vintage car at the gas station laughing it off and taking it all in stride.
Card counting is not illegal, however Casinos reserve the right to ban any players caught doing it. Learning how to count cards in Blackjack is widely accessible through books written on the subject, videos and online articles.
One thing that players must be completely aware of who are attempting to count cards is it’s not as easy to do as you may think. If it was Blackjack would be eliminated from the tables at all Casinos.
For those players that have mastered it, they have reportedly made millions over a period of time before getting caught.
It takes three basic talents to become a master card counter:
f you do not have any of these important qualifications you’re best to play Blackjack like the majority of players.
Another important aspect worth mentioning is it takes patience. You’re not going to become a millionaire overnight. While winning results are possible right away, your bankroll will fluctuate faster than a runaway train in the short term.
Over a long period of time is where the results are rewarding requiring hundreds of hours of playtime.
The system behind card counting is knowing when you as a player are at an advantage and when the dealer is. A deck that is plentiful of smaller cards is ideal for the dealer, a deck that is full of tens and aces is ideal for the player and that is the time to strike and bet more.
The player must be able to keep track of what cards are already out and what cards are still left in the deck.
The strategy of betting when the odds are in your favor is knowing when it’s best to stand, double or split your hand.
Each card has a point value assigned to it from +1 through 6 and -1 for tens through aces. A note that should be considered is the number of aces and tens left in the deck. While aces offer a chance to get Blackjack, it’s the tens that have the most importance. Some card counters keep a separate count for aces.
At the beginning of the Blackjack hand your starting point is zero which is followed by a series of adding and subtracting as the deck of cards are dealt.
A good count for the player means the majority of cards dealt are small resulting in larger cards still in the deck. The next step is to establish the true count by dividing the cards played by the number of decks still not played.
Next is determining the best way to play your hand and the amount of bet to wager. If the true count means there is still a lot of high cards in the deck that’s the time to bet heavier.
This is the basics of card counting and barely scratches the surface for a professional card counter with many other strategic factors taken in account.
Perhaps the biggest challenge of all is not getting caught and avoiding suspicion from the dealer and pit boss every time you raise your bet size at the right time for a winning outcome.
In the event you are considered a card counter you may be escorted right out of the casino or the cards will be shuffled every time you increase your wager resulting in a disadvantage to the counter.