Does Card Counting Really Create Higher Profits?
When most people think of counting cards, they picture Rain Man doing brilliant math in his head quickly, an achievement the rest of us can only dream of. However, card counting does not require a mathematically brilliant mind. While being a mathematical genius certainly wouldn't hurt, it's not a necessity.
Instead, what card counting really takes is practice. And to answer the question in the title of the article: Yes. Big time. Counting cards really can increase your profits.
How to Become a Card Counter
Grab a deck from home. It can be a single deck, no need to combine multiple decks to match the casinos multiple decks, because the purpose here is simply to practice.
The cards 2 through 6 are valued at +1, 7 through 9 at 0, and 10 through Ace at -1. Deal out one card at a time and keep a count going. For example, the first card could be 5, which is +1; the second could be 3, which is +1; the third could be 8, which is 0; and the fourth could be an Ace, which is -1. Going in order, the count would be 1, 2, 2, 1. When the count is a positive number, the advantage is the player's, and when the count is a negative number, the advantage is the casino's.
It will be slow to start, but the more you practice, the faster you will be able to keep the running count going. Once you can deal them out one after the other quickly and keep the count going, you're ready to start practicing at a land-based casino. There, all the cards on the table and all previous cards since the decks were last shuffled apply to the count.
The idea behind card counting is that the higher the concentration of high cards in a deck, the better the player's chances of beating the dealer.
It is also important to note that basic strategy as laid out on a Blackjack chart will still apply, so you would still stay on an 18 and double down on an 11. Instead, it is about how much you are betting. The more in your favour the count, the higher your bets should be, and the lower your bets should be if its in the casinos favour.
A standard count is all thats needed for a single deck, but when you are at the casino, you wll be dealing with multiple decks. This makes it necessary to calculate what is known as a True Count, which is where it can get a bit more difficult depending on the numbers. To determine the true count, you divide your standard count by the number of decks remaining, which will show you the concentration of high cards remaining. For example, if the standard count is at 5 and there are five decks remaining, the true count would be 1. If the count is at -6 and there are two decks remaining, the true count would be -3.
Where to try for real without being caught
We advise you to try this in an online casino in stead of a casino in your town. You can play a advanced game of blackjack for free with any online casino as they don't know who you are. When you are starting to play with real money make sure you always choose a trusted online blackjack site that is allowed in your region.
How Does It Create Higher Profits?
By knowing that there is a higher concentration of high cards than low cards, you know to raise your bets. The higher your bets, the higher your wins, and in combination with basic strategy, you will win more often than you lose more often than not. Do note that you could still have a bad luck streak and lose even when the count is in your favour. Never gamble with more than you can afford to lose, even if you are a master card counter.
Another thing you should consider is that card counting may get you banned from the casino. It may not be illegal, but the casino has the right to throw you out and not let you back in. If you love going to the casino (who doesn't?), card counting might make it tough to continue that enjoyment.
It is also important to note that card counting cannot be done at online casinos, because they shuffle all the decks together after every single hand. While you can find awesome online casinos where you can garner some nice winnings using basic blackjack strategy thanks to expert review sites that focus particularly on the best places for the Australia online casino community, counting cards is not a possibility.