The concept of card counting popped out back in the 1950s, but still today, casinos and card counting have been at odds. Casinos treat this practice as a big red flag, and its reason is pretty simple. Card counting gives the players a better chance to turn the tables and win table game sessions, which the casinos surely don't like. Since the 1950s, casinos have done everything they can to keep their edge intact, with card counters attempting to turn the tables.
That's the reason, several top-rated casinos like those named by Hideous Slots under the best under 1 hour withdrawal casino in the UK, treat card counting as an illegal activity, and if found guilty, you can get a lifetime ban at these casinos. But the question is this: is card counting really a sin, and what's its status in the modern gambling world? Let us unwrap everything we know about this amazing practice.
How does card counting come into the picture?
The practice of card counting is not super new in the market. It entered back in the 1950s, when famous mathematician Edward Thorp dropped his influential book, Beat the Dealer. Thorp's strategy was a piece of cake: keep an eye on the cards being dealt in order to estimate the likelihood that a particular card would be dealt next. Sounds simple, right? This easy trick might help you alter all your wagers to gain an edge over the house. Typically, a proficient card counter may get a realistic edge of 0.5% to 1.5% using this technique.
How does card counting work?
Contrary to popular belief, card counting involves more than just recalling which cards have been pulled from the deck. It is unnecessary to keep an exact record of how many 3s and 4s there have been in previous rounds. Rather, all you need to know is how much value is still in the deck. This allows you to change the stake amounts and the playing strategy as necessary.
A super popular game in which card counting is a hot practice is none other than blackjack. This game offers the opportunity to use additional strategies even when it already has advantageous odds in the casino. You can influence the outcome since these games have to make a decision with every hand.
Casino’s Response to Card Counting
As we told you earlier, casinos hate card counting games, and it's pretty obvious why they would like something that squeezes profits from their court. That's why casinos have put in place a number of measures to protect their gains against card counting. To counter this practice, a widely used method most casinos use is shuffling a number of cards—typically six to eight decks mixed. This makes it super difficult to keep track of the cards being used, making card counting less effective. A ton of casinos have invested in automatic shuffling devices that combine the cards all the time, making it impossible for you to count efficiently. On top of that, some casinos go a step beyond that and monitor you with advanced surveillance equipment to look for any signs of card counting.
Does card counting still exist?
Long story short, yes, people still use card counting while playing table games. However, it's not so wildly popular nowadays. Casinos' strict restrictions and tough scrutiny protocols have cut off the roots of conventional card-counting techniques.
On the other hand, card counting is still popular when it comes to live dealer games. A chunk of players could still attempt to count cards in live dealer games when a human dealer deals with the cards in real-time. But remember, the casinos are super strict on this, and they remain watchful, often using multiple decks and shuffle tracking to put off potential counters.
The legal aspect of card counting
The way casinos have marketed card counting, you may easily feel that it's one of the most unethical acts to do when playing table games. But you will be surprised to know that card counting is absolutely legal. There are no government laws or terms set by the regulatory bodies that make card counting illegal. However, casinos clearly don't like it, and they reserve the right to ban you if you are found guilty of card counting.
Conclusion
If you are here, I hope you now know everything about card counting. While it's an ethical practice, casinos are getting more strict about it. Players often try to use this method but believe us, the risk surely outweighs the rewards. So, have you ever tried it to win a game?
