Counting Cards in Casino

Card counting is a mathematical betting strategy used by blackjack players to determine when the remaining cards in the shoe favor the player over the dealer. Skilled card counters can turn the inherent casino edge around to give themselves an advantage over the house. By adjusting their bets based on the changing odds as cards come out of the shoe and are revealed at the blackjack table, advantage players aim to come out ahead in the long run.

This guide will explain what card counting is, how counters track the cards and calculate “the count” to determine favorable betting situations while playing at live tables at Sky Crown, why the practice upsets casinos and the countermeasures establishments employ to try to shut it down.

How Card Counting Works

In blackjack, the player wins by having a higher card total than the dealer without going over 21. Mathematically speaking, the house has an inherent edge because the player has to act first without knowing the dealer’s “hole” card underneath.

Card counting tracks this ratio through a “running count” that increases and decreases based on card values. Positive counts indicate more high cards left, favoring the player. Negative running counts mean more low cards remain, swinging advantage to the dealer. By converting the running count to a “true count” based on cards remaining, the player can determine when and how much to bet.

Basic Card Counting Strategies

There are various card counting systems, but the basics are the same. Counting cards assign a value, generally +1, 0, or -1 value to cards. For example:

• +1 for low cards like 2-6
• 0 for mid cards like 7-9
• -1 for high cards like face cards and aces

As each card comes out, the counter adds or subtracts its assigned value to get the running count. They then consider the running count based on cards remaining to get the all-important true count, dictating betting spreads.

Converting Running Count to True Count

Let’s walk through an example hand with a simple card counting system:

Running Count

• Start of shoe: 0
• First card: 7 (-1 Running Count)
• Second card: 5 (+1 Running Count), so 0
• Third card: Jack (-1 Running Count), so -1
• Fourth card: Ace (-1 Running Count), so -2

Now let’s say approximately 2 decks remain out of 5 total. To determine the true count:

True Count Formula

True Count = Running Count / Decks Remaining

Here the true count would be:

-2 Running Count / 2 Decks Remaining = -1 True Count

The -1 true count means more low cards remain, signaling the player to lower their bets. As you can see, card counters don’t need to track every card, just maintain a count. While simplistic in concept, executing accurate card counting takes immense skill, concentration and practice.

Why Casinos Dislike Card Counters

If card counters spread their bets properly during positive counts and minimize losses on negative counts, they threaten to eliminate the mathematical house edge. Advantage players even gain a 0.5 to 1.5% edge over the house in the long run.

This costs casinos money, as professional card counters often target blackjack for its relatively low house edge compared to games like slots. Even occasional wins by amateur counters add up over thousands of hands in play daily.

Beyond direct financial losses, advantage players disrupt casino operations in several ways:

• Takes up table space for extended periods: To accurately determine true counts, card counters occupy seats for far longer than typical gamblers. This prevents other players from sitting down and limits dealer productivity.
• Dramatically different bet spreads: Sudden large bet spikes when the count goes positive draws unwanted attention. Casinos watch for irregular betting patterns as a sign of card counting.
• Creates volatility for the house: Though card counters gain just a slight mathematical edge overall, short-term positive swings cut into casino profits.

For these reasons, casino personnel carefully watch for card counters and take harsh countermeasures when discovered. However, skilled card counters use several tactics to avoid detection, like spreading bets slowly, working as a team, or only occasionally playing hands when the count soars.

Casino Countermeasures Against Card Counters

Casinos can’t legally ban card counting itself. However, they aggressively employ countermeasures to discourage advantage play:

• Ask card counters to leave: Private businesses can refuse service to anyone, including suspected card counters. Security may directly or discreetly ask advantage players to leave.
• Shuffling prematurely: Instead of playing out an entire shoe, dealers shuffle the cards frequently to disrupt running counts. Automatic card shufflers speed up this process.
• Cutting off the last cards: Before backcounting can signal extremely positive counts, dealers cut off undealt cards to prevent large bets right at the end.
• Banning mid-shoe entry: Players can’t enter hands mid-shoe, preventing them from betting big only during rare positive count situations after other players busted many low cards.
• Multi-deck shoes: Having 6-8 card decks in rotation makes accurate counts far more difficult to maintain.
• Penetration limits: Casinos cut off players from the last 15-25% of card shoes to prevent very favorable situations.

In addition to these measures directly at the tables, casino surveillance departments closely monitor known card counters. Large betting swings, hand signals, chips stacking and odd requests are all tracked to build evidence for barring notorious advantage players.

Facial recognition software even flags card counters as they simply walk on casino floors to allow security to escort them off the premises. And notorious teams who conspire together see their photos permanently posted at casino entrances.

Is Card Counting Illegal?

While aggressive, advantage players don’t actually cheat or mark cards. In fact, in the US courts ruled that mathematically tracking cards does not constitute illegal cheating under state gaming regulations.

However, casinos can still legally ban skilled card counters as private establishments protecting their financial interests. Getting caught not just gets you kicked out, but lands you on the infamous “black book” that shares known advantage players between properties.

So while card counting requires great mathematical and memory skills, those who dare to take on casinos face interrogation, intimidation, harassment and permanent bans once discovered. That’s why composers maintain cover stories and call casinos ahead to avoid detection.