The art of card counting has been there for a long time and it holds a special place in movies and TV shows. It is primarily used in blackjack to determine whether the dealer or the player has an advantage on the next hand. To beat the casino house edge, card counters try to keep a running count of high and low valued playing piece.
While card counting is not illegal, some operators strongly reject it as it can impact their profit margins. As a result, players who use this strategy are immediately ejected. These operators use various methods to catch cheaters such as strict surveillance and employing professional dealers.
This blog will explore how gambling establishments deter this technique among players and the countermeasures used to achieve this. For gamblers who love a thrilling online gaming experience, games like Aviator Ghana offer a chance at https://aviator-gh.com/ or on the Aviator mobile app.
What is card counting?
Card counting is simply a strategy used by gamblers to keep track of high-and low-value cards dealt by the dealer when playing blackjack. It helps in determining if the player or dealer will have the advantage in the next hand. Once the player has known the remaining deck value, they can change the game style and adjust their bet accordingly.
In order to win in blackjack, you must have more decks with 10 or 11. Therefore, by counting them, you can keep a record of the ratio between high and low decks still remaining.
How to count cards
The following are steps for using this technique:
- Assign a value to all the playing pieces
- Record a running count based off of the value of the hand dealt.
- Use this information to calculate the count per deck to get the “true count.”
- Change your wagers as the true count rises
You must have a certain level of skill and concentration plus the ability to avoid detection by surveillance team.
Why do casinos ban edge seekers?
The main goal of a casino operator is to make profit and this is achieved via the house edge. However, this strategy employed by skilled players can tilt the advantage in their favour thus reducing the casino’s edge.
The strategy also enables gamblers to predict the likelihood of landing favourable decks which always leads to massive winnings. To safeguard their profit, operators actively discourage and ban such players.
How casinos detect cheaters
In order to monitor the bahaviour of all players, operators usually rely on the services of the pit bosses and the surveillance team. This helps in spotting unusual behaviours from participants. The following are the common things related to the technique that could alert pit bosses:
- Large buy-ins
- Playing on only a small number of hands during a shoe
- Unnecessary bet variation like larger wagers being placed only at the end of a shoe
- Some gamers may refuse to play rated
- Playing more than one hand
- Table hopping
- Lifetime winnings
Countermeasures used by casinos
There are various measures that have been developed to deter this gambling strategy to prevent participants from profiting at blackjack, i.e.,
| Countermeasure | Description |
| Decreasing penetration | Entails reducing the number of decks dealt before a shuffle to reduce the advantage of card counting. |
| Banning advantage players | Prohibiting known skilled players from entering the premises or playing blackjack. |
| Shuffling | Shuffling playing pieces when the operator feels the remaining hands favour the player. |
| Changing rules | Changing rules regarding splitting, double down, and playing multiple decks |
| No mid-shoe entry | Prohibiting entry into a game before a shuffle occurs. |
| Flat betting | Catching a participant off guard making it difficult to change the amount they wager during a shoe. |
Legal status
Card counting is not illegal per se despite various gambling establishments actively discouraging it. Legally, the technique is not considered cheating since there are no tools, hidden devices or external help involved. This implies that players are allowed to use it while playing blackjack.
Conversely, casinos have the right to implement their rules as they operate on private property. As such, they are within their right to ask gamblers to players to leave or ban them.
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