The Truth About Card Counting In Casinos

Thanks to Hollywood movies and popular media, card counting is the most misunderstood strategy in the gambling world.


Far from being a cinematic superpower, it is a highly tedious grind that most people simply do not have the patience for.

Is Card Counting Actually Illegal?

You cannot be criminally charged simply for being good at math and paying attention to the game.


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

Rather than memorizing the deck, players assign a +1, 0, or -1 value to cards as they leave the shoe.


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

Card DealtAssigned ValueEffect on Deck10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace-1Bad for player when these are removedLow Cards (2-6)+1Increases the likelihood of dealer busting

This tiny edge means you still experience massive losing streaks and need a huge bankroll to survive the variance.


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