It's not a lot by any means, but I litteraly live about 300 yards from a casino. I went in the other day and turned $40 into $157 in about 20 mins. Colored up and left, I know it's practically nothing but it was my first time even in a casino and I felt like a million bucks lol. Basic strat and hi low count all the way!
@@mikel4526 Yup, people get too caught up in the idea of making millions, and it's not realistic for most people. I would be content to win even a small amount of money consistently. Like you say, $40 a day would be great, it won't make one rich, but it can make a difference in one's life, changing it for the better.
Good job! That is how I always play, too! Only because I naturally can play blackjack and have a fast game and my mind automatically does the work and counting for me. The best method to remember is that when you play the way that you did, you will lose on some days! They can even be back to back! But, you should have more up days than down, or you are not playing with the right strategies! When you win again, you should have no problem getting back what you lost on your up days and more! But, don't over do it on your down days! Sometimes, it's just better to go home, clear your mind, and sleep on it for a while! Then, go back when you're happy! Through Colin Jones's teachings, the only thing I took from it that I needed to remember was in the song! Thanks to him, my profits have gone up and my losses have gone down! However, now, I play other games that I know I can increase my bet and win on at least once, then I quit and add the money to all of my winnings! You have the right idea; however, if you won that much, I would keep playing until your $40 bank roll is gone, or you keep winning more! Once it's gone, my strategy is to cut my losses and keep the rest! Good luck!
Getting backed off is actually a goal of mine, so I want it to happen instead of being nervous about it. If I get backed off, that means I’m doing something right, and especially it means that I’m beating the casino and they are scared of what I can do. That’s a win.
Colin talks about it in many videos you dont need to be winning to get backed off as long as they know your counting you can still get backed off winning or not
I was flat bet several times playing blackjack before I even learned to count. I was just playing correct basic strategy and varied my bets a few times. It seemed to happen when there weren't many players so the pit boss focused more on me and saw me not making basic strategy mistakes. Just playing the game correctly seemed to put me on their radars because so few people do. Ironically when I learned the big 18 deviations they saw it as mistakes and I distinctly remember the first time a pit boss was watching me and then turning away when I deviated from basic strategy because to him that was a mistake.
It's so funny to come back to this after being backed off for the first time. "all of the air has been let out of the tires" is the perfect way to describe it
I can't imagine myself sneaking into casinos that previously backed me off. The only reason I'd justify this is if I was willing to drastically change my appearance and face through plastic surgery, pay to change my legal name, address, and car I drive, and get a fresh ID plus alter my voice, and wait several years to do so, to make it almost impossible for casinos to find out I'm that same guy. Then the real challenge would be generating enough EV to justify doing so. The biggest giveaway for casinos, in this regard, would be my date of birth, which I can't change.
The only time I have ever had anxiety of a back off was when I was playing a store and 1) I needed the cash and 2) I knew it was coming. Other than that pretty fearless.
Yea, having realistic expectations for winning, losing, and getting backed off is the key. Don't let any of it become a surprise and you can managed it better mentally.
It would be interesting to see a comparison of regular job versus counting cards for a living. It almost seems like a regular job may be of more value. I have been playing blackjack for years at small stacks and think that I would have been better off focusing those efforts on something else but like you I continue to do it-and endure the pain of occasional soul-crushing losses!
Everyone needs to understand that no matter how good the count is, you can still lose a lot of hands (short run). Doesn't seem like that should happen but it does. Even with a dealer 6 up: I spread out 5 hands with splits and doubles....lost it all. Dealer had 10 down, then slow-rolled a 5. Ouch!
@@pranksterguy1 My bankroll was $150. My bread and butter was a 2 deck game at Casino Magic in Bay St. Louis, Ms. My betting range was table minimum $3 to $20. LOL. I lived off of it for about 8 months till I found employment at Hilton Hotel Riverside in New Orleans. Right across the street from Harrahs. LOL.
You guys are raising your bets too much on slight advantages. +4 isnt worth much more than 2x the minimum. You need to save your big-bets for the +10 or better situations. YES, you may have to wait for a few hours to get to that point, but its worth the wait.
I was a fairly heavy gambler at Blackjack for 15 years (1985-2000) and knew basic strategy. Overall, I broke even, having many more winning sessions but having bigger losing sessions, as I chased my money. I’m 65, winding down a career in the construction business (installing and finishing hardwood flooring will catch up to you in a 40 year period). If I got into card counting as a business, what do you think the upper age range is before you have to admit you no longer have the mental quickness to carry card counting off? Concerning this episode, I assume that most card counters make logs of their sessions, including time spent, money won or lost and name of casino and number of decks. Separately, I would guess that you would keep a list of casinos that you have been backed off from, and the management company that ran the casino, so as Collin said, you can try them out again if management changes. Finally, would my age be an advantage to being backed off, or do they back people off strictly by their play? Thanks!
Age doesn't matter, it's just another number, but you need to be honest with yourself and if you think you can do it, especially if your playing log shows that you've lost consistently, there could be a problem with your gameplay. As for getting backed off, I think your advanced age (see what I did there) would actually be a benefit because most card counters are relatively young, generally for the reason you mentioned. But, people will probably get "backed off" if they win enough, regardless of their age. If you think you can do it, I would say to go for it, but like I said, just make sure you're honest with yourself in the assessment after you've played, whether you won or lost; make sure you played correctly, that's the most important thing.
I feel like your mental acuity only matters when you get real old 80s and 90s unless u have mental issues before because counters over thousands of hours have that literal muscle or brain memory associating the numbers and card counts together
I’ve had a +15 TC, and managed to loose all my money. I splited 10’s against 6 on a +12 TC. Lost one of the two hands, pushed the other one. I lost everything I’ve had that day, very frustrating.
Variance sucks man. I had this shit happen to me the other night. It was so annoying. I had an easy +4 TC on 2 and a half decks remaining and lost money during the shoe in my favor. I left with $200 less than what I walked in with the other night. It happens!.
Have the abundance mentality... Each 'Back-off' is not only an affirmation of your skills but it also brings you closer to winning. Think of a 'back-off' in terms of odds. You are going to have X number of 'back-offs' in your AP career so each time it happens brings you one step closer to success. There are more casinos out there than you can get backed out of in a lifetime. It's part of the process so don't fear it or dread it just roll onto the next opportunity that awaits you.
Thanks Colin good video I'm a lone card counter and its frustrating because the risk of ruin factor is real but I love the game so much every time I get a few dollars I go to the casino knowing my chances of being successful with a small bankroll are in the favor of the casino I have played with a large bankroll before and know you can over come the down swings and be a profitable card counter. Thanks again look forward to more videos
I know it's a losing game, but I'll leave gambling as part of the fun in my life. I know I could kill it with counting, but that's just not the thing for me. As a dealer though I hope you guys clean my rack out! Good luck to you counters out there!
Thanks Colin...really, keep going to make good videos like this one... please ;) I hope you will do a video about where count cards in Europe! Thanks - Italian counter
My game plan is to win enough, to comp a room. After that . . . it takes real discipline, to either end/stop or continue playing . . . knowing I could lose it all. My most memorable was my comped Ceasars trip to their Reno property . . . after winning +$3000, I extended my stay at the hotel to play some more. I went home, with $5. Oouuch ! 💀 🎭 😱
@@sanfranciscobay when claridge in Atlantic City was open. I visited two times in 2 weeks. The first week I want about $4,000. The second week I was there I was playing and they asked me for my name and if I wanted to be rated. I told them I was not interested. When I was up about $1,500. I saw a large light flash from the ceiling. The phone rang and the pit boss looked at me with a smirk. He went on to the dealer and told her to shuffle right in the beginning of the shoe it just had started. So she shuffled and I stayed there. I won the bet a $200 bet. The pit boss went on again to tell the dealer to shuffle once more. Unfazed I sat through the shuffle and let her deal the cards to me again once more. This time I put a $500 bet up for spite. I won that bet as well. The pit boss told the deal at the shuffle one more time. I looked The pit boss in the eye I said you don't want me to play here do you and he smiled. I left the table and went to complain to the casino control commission. They informed me that the casino could do that. A supervisor came out a woman and said that I am able to play any other game in the house baccarat slots the wheel any other game. I just left pissed off I never had been backed off before that was my first time. I have not been a regular card counter but I found the Lodge at casinos usually don't bother with card counters too much. That is as long as you are not cleaning them out. In fact I think they like it when they see a lot of chips in front ofother up people are attracted to play at the same table so it brings customers to that table. I usually buy in for $30,000.so right away they see a lot of money in front of me and people think it was not my marker they think it was my winnings.since that time I only play on hundred-dollar tables and I like to play one two three hands I find by switching upthe number of hands I play I have an advantage maybe it's superstition but I have been doing very well thus far. I think the casino knows me as I get comps and rooms and I count cards.but so far they have not back me off because I do play other games like baccarat and sometimes I lose a lot I am not trying to make money I'm having fun. But they always encouraged me Bob are you going to play baccarat?? LOL. I tell them I'm not in the mood that night.usually when I play blackjack I come out on top whether it's a few hundred dollars are a couple thousand dollars.don't get me wrong I've had some big losses as well but I have one more times than not. I'll just make basic $100 bets until I get a high positive count. I usually fat anywhere from 1 to $500 on one two three spots on the table. So far no back off at Tropicana hard Rock Harrah's or caesars
Robert Lulek what would you say is a pattern and not just a gamblers luck? I did this a few years ago, lost a lot. Came back three years later, it’s my 8th day in a row doubling my money I came in with. I don’t want to get gamblers high and f it up. You think doubling 8 days in a row is luck or there’s some skill?
I'll tell you one time I don't like winning..... when the count goes super negative, and I'm betting the minimum, and I'm still winning, hand after hand after hand. Being at a slight disadvantage is no guarantee you're going to lose. The reason I don't like it is that it's disconcerting because it's a reminder, that I can JUST AS EASILY lose hand after hand after hand when the count is high and I'm betting a lot.... except then instead of winning 15 5-dollar hands, I'd be losing 15 100-dollar ones. Once, in a 6-deck game, the count got down to -30 at the lowest point. With 2 decks left. You read that right. -30. It was just astonishing. I didn't even CALCULATE what the deviations to basic strategy would be at that level so I wasn't even all that sure what I should be doing, my rule is I don't leave the table because of the count, I sit there and take my punishment because to do otherwise is to steal from the other players, and I'm not there to take the other player's money, I'm there to take the house money, so I kept going. And I was hitting on everything up to and including hard 17's, and I still won most of the hands. The other person at the table and the dealer were both astonished at me, I would be hitting on 16 against 4 and hitting 17 against ace, and then I'd get a 3 or a 4 and then I'd win the hand in the end. Imagine if the opposite had happened if the count got up to like >+20 and I was betting the maximum bet.
medexamtoolsdotcom wonging our is not stealing from other players, it’s mitigating your risk from personal loss from the casino. The other players are going to sit thru the shoe regardless if you play or not. They have no idea of the count.
Hey Colin do you think my bet spread is any good? For a 5000 dollar bankroll, I don't plan to wong out during bad counts until a True -3. I play with 8 decks at 75% penetration, 3-2BJ, Dealer hits S17, No resplitting aces, 4 splits max, no surrender. Base bet, negative counts,=$10 True count 1:(50/50 game)=$10 True count 2:(0.50% advantage)=$15 True Count 3:(1% advantage)=$25 True Count 4:(1.5% advantage)=$35 True Count 5:(2% advantage)=$50 True Count 6:(2.5% advantage)=$60 True Count 7:(3% advantage)=$75 Max Bet
Hey Robbie, I don't do free bankroll coaching. Nothing personal, I'd just be crunching numbers for people all day if I did. 2 things though: 1. DON'T play through all negatives. That'll kill your EV. 2. Check this out: www.blackjackapprenticeship.com/recommended-blackjack-bankroll/ Hope that helps!
I'll tell you the answer. Blackjack apprenticeship didn't even read your damn comment, since you SAID that you leave the table when truecount reaches -3 and he's acting as if you were planning on playing through all negative counts. Anyway, the optimal way of doing it, in general, if you want to minimize risk of ruin (maximize median performance) and not to maximize returns (maximize mean performance), is to bet the minimum bet plus some constant times the minimum bet times (the truecount minus the breakeven truecount). For a 2-deck game with a cutcard 1 deck before the end, that constant is about 2, and for a 6-deck game, with a cutcard about 70 cards before the end, that constant is about 3. It also varies a bit depending on the rules/conditions. This is if you want to minimize risk of ruin. HOWEVER, I WILL tell you that having a max bet of only 7.5 times the min bet means that the constant needs to be higher than this since you will not be betting as much as you otherwise would be when it becomes extremely advantageous. And 8 decks, 75% penetration, that is BAD. Frankly if that's the only game available to you, you need to be betting the 75 dollar max bet whenever you have ANY advantage. And even then it may not be enough. Also, when the truecount is 2, you do NOT have a .5% advantage in a 6 or 8 deck game, the breakeven count is more like 1.8. What you should be doing on this table, if you play it at all, is to bet 10 dollars if the truecount is 2.5 or less, and just bet 75 dollars when it's more than 2.5. Try to find a better game though. What you described is bad. JUST having 8 decks and 75% penetration means they're stopping 2 decks before the end. That's AWFUL. My idea of a good 6-deck game is when the cutcard is 1 deck before the end.
Years ago in Reno when I was in the Air Force , I had a woman dealer who apparently had had a bad day, as she was literally throwing the cards at me. Finally a card sailed off the table. She couldn't retrieve the card and I wouldn't. So we stared at each other for about fifteen seconds. Finally, a security guard who was watching everything from the wall, came over and retrieved the card. About 10 minutes later I picked up my money and left. As I left the floor, the security guard stopped me, and said, "I'm sorry. I saw that sealer throwing the cards at you. I don't blame you for not picking it up." Question- How many casino's know what you are doing and just let you play as long as it doesn't get ridiculous to draw in other players?
In my country i am pretty sure you have to sign in before you can enter. I only was in there once but i think you cant get in without a membership card. Isnt it impossible to get in there ever again once you got banned? Because it will get marked on your card with your ids
You would figure at a certain point, the casinos would like card counters to be at the table. They make it seem easy to win so others watch and get excited that they could win thinking the table is hot. I'm sure they can collect plenty of money off others watching and deciding that it must be hot.
As someone who weirdly loves a grind (nearly maxed ironman on oldschool runescape for example) and someone who really loves math. I feel like I can really exceed at this. I want to come back to this comment years later and see where I'm at.
When the Casinos are required by Law to allow card counters to play and vary their bets, that's when things will change for the better. As of now, once a Casino determines you are varying your bets when the odds are in the players advantage, they will tell you to either stop playing or bet the same throughout the deck, which eliminates any advantage by the card counter.
If that law ever got passed they would make the games unplayable for counters in other ways, like constantly shuffling up (or just using shuffle trackers) or having low table limits. Its actually better for counters that they can be backed off, they just go to another casino and start again.
Do you find that many card counters find card counting unfulfilling over time? With more traditional career paths people find their jobs fulfilling because they contribute time in service to help others or producing a product for employers, businesses or customers. In card counting your not providing a service or product to society. you're just serving your self-interest, which may or may not lead to feeling what your doing is unfulfilling.
Great question. Yeah, I think it depends on where you find your meaning. If you have something outside of money, casinos, and blackjack where you find meaning and purpose, then you're much less likely to get burned out than if you're only doing it for the $$$.
Maybe if you have a personal vendetta against the casino and you just want to take as much money as you can for them lol. I just do it because I'm a math geek and like figuring out the EV and then seeing it work.
That would be assuming that I don't hate the world and actually WANT to help others instead of just taking their money away from them and doing nothing of any value for them in return.
I have news for you, Eli. Most people's jobs are unfulfilling. And they have to answer to someone else as well. Who wouldn't want to be their own boss?
You could be a card counter and just use smaller bet spreads...just because it's a true 5 or 6 or whatever and it says you put the max bet out, doesn't mean you have to. I'm a bit more risk averse and you might cost yourself some money playing more conservatively, but I bet you lose a lot less this way too. In fact I bet the loss savings by playing with a smaller spread would be > the winnings increase with larger spreads.
It’s a shame because no casino (that I know of)let’s you stand behind a player at the BJ table. Because of COVID I just think that would be a great place to practice your counting skills before you go live.
this is totally fine at most small casinos if you just ask and people are OK with it, or if you go with a friend I don't know a single place that will mind
Dear Colin, maybe you can answer this question. Why not just wong out until the count is high then jump in strike and move on? Is this possible or will they notice this and back you off?
I am a retired CPA and am playing low level stakes at a local Indian casino just to develop my skills. My question is about taxes. I understand on the teams you did salaries and I assume you treated it as earned income and not gambling winnings. On winnings not from a team, just on your own, do you claim winnings as unearned gambling winnings and take losses as itemized deductions or do you declare yourself self-employed professional gamblers so you can deduct losses as business expenses and pay the self-employment taxes (Social Security and Medicare) on your net winnings? Also, the IRS says you should keep a diary of your travels and your winnings and losses each session and also include all comps as income. If you prefer not to answer here I can give you my email address where we can have privacy. Perhaps this is something you would want a person to buy a membership to your website before you’re willing to discuss? I understand the need for privacy and that your website and training is your business now. But a short answer would be appreciated.
Colin, realistically do you think the day is coming where most(not all) but most casinos nationwide tribal and non tribal will just go with CSM’s just so they can stop AP? I know they will lose play but since vast majority of players aren’t AP’s seems like they would? Thoughts?
Card counters do have some reasons to complain about wins, when they're getting casino heat, or in a casino that they've been trespassed at and have to cash out less than $2,000 at a time (the number varies from place to place) to avoid getting robbed by a casino playing dirty or avoid alerting the pit or security to their cash out amount.
If you're talking about the burn card and you don't see it, you don't count it. There is a video on the burn card by the way. But simply put, Card Counting is about assigning value to things/information you know, in particular, the cards you see and what you can infer from them, if you don't know what the card is you cannot possibly count it with any degree of confidence or accuracy, it would be a complete guess.
You can't prevent the Casinos from stopping you from playing. They have that right and will use it once they notice you varying your bets according to the odds.
I've worked in service industries all my life, and I can't live with myself by not tipping if things are going well. Yeah, I realize it cuts into your money, but money is about 5th or 7th on my important things in life.
Colin, re @1:40. You said, "True 5, you'll win 52% of the time [by which you meant hands]." You might want to correct this point when you train people. First, a True 5 is a 2% margin, but that's equivalent of winning 51% (not 52%) of the time (because 51% win - 49% loss = 2% margin). Second, going bust before the dealer's turn is a significant disadvantage, making us win way less than 50% of the hands. Thank goodness some of the winning hands play 3:2 or double, because they lift our expected dollar earnings up over 50%.
You cash out and leave. Or if they won't cash you out without ID, you decide if you want to cash out later, or have a friend cash you out, or just give ID so you can get your $$$ and leave.
Anybody that doesn’t tip a decent dealer is a chump in my opinion. If you’re swiping $1k or more profit off the table, you could drop one or two green chips for the dealer - it’s decent, and it may help with cover (a happy player vs a grumpy counter miserly tracking his EV).
When the count is good , the dealer can still get those sweet cards. Im still trying to weigh the validity of counting as opposed to a well crafted system that wins IF you have a large enough bankroll.You also need a huge bankroll if you count, and you can still lose. Can someone please explain?
The edge in card counting is tiny, but it is real. Just like the House Edge for the casino. The difference is that the casino gets all the high and low swings evened out very quickly due to the huge number of hands being played on their premises whilst a card counter might have to sit through weeks or months of losing due to variance, even though their long term expectation is positive.
You’re right - counting requires a huge bankroll with no guarantee of payoff and when the count is favorable the dealer often makes their hands and the dealer doesn’t. A good system can be profitable with the right bankroll and good money management and the proper mental space. It also takes the ability to play full time, not just weekends or one day a week.
Is coming in as a RN (refuse name ) a better option for a counter or should you just get the card and get the comps? Also at the point of going over 10k in a 24 hour gaming day a bad thing seeing they will asked for for photo identification at that point or Should.you try limit your buy in to under 10k and come back the following gaming day so that situation does not occur ? Thanks great vids by the way.
If you don't have Card Counting down to a perfect science, Don't expect to Win...These guys have taken years to hone their skills and are Pros..The amateur will always most certainly lose !! IMHO..Just don't gamble for a living !
@@mikel4526 Where's this ? That's Illegal my friend ! So let's take out 2 Queens, 1 Jack and an Ace out of the shoe and not tell anybody ? That Casino would be shut down, fined & sued in a New York Minute !! If you know of a Casino doing this, please disclose the info so we can get a lawsuit underway ! That's like playing craps with the numbers 1 & 5 REMOVED from the dice !! ILLEGAL !!Lol
@@MrLew1965 I just assumed that casinos would do scumbag shit like that to through off card counters. I didn't know there was a law that required casinos to use full decks. IMO, they shouldn't even be allowed to use multiple decks.
@@mikel4526 Mike, think about it ? It's Illegal to use "short" decks, marked decks or rigged decks of playing cards in a legal casino ! AGAIN, If a legal casino was caught cheating and activities such as rigging decks, loaded dice or marked decks came to fruition , that casino would be shut down, heavily fined and would be facing multiple civil law suits from the casinos general patronage !! It would be business Suicide to say the least !! End of story ! Even professional card counters lose Mike !!!
From my opinion based upon my interpretation of federal laws...Civil rights laws have little weight on private properties. However, federal consumer protection laws were specifically designed to regulate private businesses & entities. Deceptive & unfair practices are probably the key topics & points here relating to how casinos treat their patrons/consumers. Players must understand that casinos are private businesses which cater to the general public. Also, when casinos offer the game of blackjack to the general public then they are most likely offering a game of chance to the general public knowing full well that the game of chance they are offering to the general public has card counting vulnerabilities. I feel that it is important to note that casinos do not have special protections or immunities from federal consumer protections laws. For example, is it unfair & deceptive for a casino patron to have the trespass act applied by the casinos when the only thing the patron was doing was gambling or attempting to gamble at a gambling establishment? Furthermore, is it a deceptive and unfair act by the casino to flat bet one casino patron and not another without informing the general public through the use of signs either at the table or any place else on the casino floor about a casino policy that is in place. While the casinos have every right to make & set policies on how to regulate their games they also have the obligation to inform the general public about their policies. The key question here is weather any of their policies violate provisions of the "Federal Trade Commission Act" such as deceptive or unfair practices statutes. If any of the policies conflict with provisions of the "Federal Trade Commission Act" then that is where the legal questions start to arise in my opinion. Basically, it all comes down to weather a casino is using deceptive or unfair practices to try & attempt to fleece money from the general public? What do you all think?
How much money can you win before they notice you for a back off. Is it 1K, 5K, 20K? It would be nice to have a ballpark so you can leave before that is likely to happen.
colin still dont understand why stay in the game when losing thousands of dollars ? you have to make that back ! pit bosses are not dumb when they then see you starting to win they will back you off you demonstrated that in your back off video the pit boss did not let you get back to even before being backed off. it just seems that you entice a pit boss to back you off by that type of betting
Why don't you count the low cards as negative and the high cards as positive? This seems like it would be more intuitive. This way, you just flip the script as to when the count is in your favor. If it's big to the negative, the count is in your favor. Is there some reason to not count cards this way?
@@natebate2769 your edge is the DIFFERENCE in win:loss. winning 52% means you win 4% more often than you lose (48%), thus, a 52% win rate = 4% edge. Likewise, a 2% edge means you're still losing 49% of hands, but with a 2% advantage over the loser, you win 51% of the time.
@@natebate2769 and actually, if we want to get super-technical, in blackjack you're actually losing a higher percentage of hands than you're winning. but if you're playing and betting correctly, you will win more UNITS than you lose. so the edge is actually a percentage based on average betting unit, not so much "time".
Oh, I almost forgot, the awful, awful ignorant people who you are forced to be around. Smoking, drinking, condemning your play, "What do I do now? Oops I needs more money..." You just wanna scream.
Here is something most card counters fail to do, change their play according to the count. When there are more tens in the deck hitting becomes more risky. Less tens and hitting becomes less risky. By risky I mean busting. They all forget that part, they think betting changes and nothing else. Ha.
I just don't think making this a full time source of income is possible in today's day and age. I have lost literal thousands doing this the past three months. I can't think of anything else to do to cut losses and maximize positive EV. - Don't play shoes with more than a -1 TC (wong in and out) - Bet table minimum on counts 0 or larger into the negative - Optimize bet spread such that as your advantage increases, you increase your average bet size with each +1 to the TC - Ask for comps, bonuses, etc. for playing rated - Don't tip the dealer (or keep tipping to a minimum - Use cover, disguises, etc. to throw off surveillance - Don't play any other games in the casino where the edge is not in your favor!
The downside to card counting: How about making an amazing comeback, deciding on doing one more shoe when it was just you and the dealer...and then some fucktard comes, plays recklessly, ignoring all standard playing, and causes you to lose all your profit plus about $800 more of your own money. That happened this past weekend. I've got no one else to blame. I went on tilt thanks to this idiot and I should have just walked away. And they are correct in this video. I had a true count of 6 and I lost brutally. I won a lot more when the running count was either in the single digits regardless of true count, or VERY negative. Weird.
It's not a lot by any means, but I litteraly live about 300 yards from a casino. I went in the other day and turned $40 into $157 in about 20 mins. Colored up and left, I know it's practically nothing but it was my first time even in a casino and I felt like a million bucks lol. Basic strat and hi low count all the way!
I would be cool with $40 a day and an occasional free meal or room.
@@mikel4526 Yup, people get too caught up in the idea of making millions, and it's not realistic for most people. I would be content to win even a small amount of money consistently. Like you say, $40 a day would be great, it won't make one rich, but it can make a difference in one's life, changing it for the better.
@@mydogskips2 indeed.
Good job! That is how I always play, too! Only because I naturally can play blackjack and have a fast game and my mind automatically does the work and counting for me. The best method to remember is that when you play the way that you did, you will lose on some days! They can even be back to back! But, you should have more up days than down, or you are not playing with the right strategies!
When you win again, you should have no problem getting back what you lost on your up days and more! But, don't over do it on your down days! Sometimes, it's just better to go home, clear your mind, and sleep on it for a while! Then, go back when you're happy!
Through Colin Jones's teachings, the only thing I took from it that I needed to remember was in the song! Thanks to him, my profits have gone up and my losses have gone down! However, now, I play other games that I know I can increase my bet and win on at least once, then I quit and add the money to all of my winnings! You have the right idea; however, if you won that much, I would keep playing until your $40 bank roll is gone, or you keep winning more! Once it's gone, my strategy is to cut my losses and keep the rest! Good luck!
If you have a good time and break even you won. 😊
Getting backed off is actually a goal of mine, so I want it to happen instead of being nervous about it. If I get backed off, that means I’m doing something right, and especially it means that I’m beating the casino and they are scared of what I can do. That’s a win.
Lowkey when I go to the Casino with my buds and I tell them I can't play Blackjack here because I was backed off it feels pretty good haha.
Colin talks about it in many videos you dont need to be winning to get backed off as long as they know your counting you can still get backed off winning or not
I was flat bet several times playing blackjack before I even learned to count. I was just playing correct basic strategy and varied my bets a few times. It seemed to happen when there weren't many players so the pit boss focused more on me and saw me not making basic strategy mistakes. Just playing the game correctly seemed to put me on their radars because so few people do. Ironically when I learned the big 18 deviations they saw it as mistakes and I distinctly remember the first time a pit boss was watching me and then turning away when I deviated from basic strategy because to him that was a mistake.
maybe good idea to throw in deviations when the pit boss is watching and sacrifice a little ev
As a newbie, I think I like Pinkchip's view on backoffs. Yeah, they suck, but they're also like a confirmation that you're hard work is paying off.
"Ever make mistakes in life. Let's make them birds. Yeah, they're birds now." - David
It's so funny to come back to this after being backed off for the first time. "all of the air has been let out of the tires" is the perfect way to describe it
I can't imagine myself sneaking into casinos that previously backed me off. The only reason I'd justify this is if I was willing to drastically change my appearance and face through plastic surgery, pay to change my legal name, address, and car I drive, and get a fresh ID plus alter my voice, and wait several years to do so, to make it almost impossible for casinos to find out I'm that same guy. Then the real challenge would be generating enough EV to justify doing so. The biggest giveaway for casinos, in this regard, would be my date of birth, which I can't change.
The only time I have ever had anxiety of a back off was when I was playing a store and 1) I needed the cash and 2) I knew it was coming. Other than that pretty fearless.
That would be correct alot of people dont know you can still lose if the counts in your favor and if they dont have a bankroll it's over
Yea, having realistic expectations for winning, losing, and getting backed off is the key. Don't let any of it become a surprise and you can managed it better mentally.
It would be interesting to see a comparison of regular job versus counting cards for a living. It almost seems like a regular job may be of more value. I have been playing blackjack for years at small stacks and think that I would have been better off focusing those efforts on something else but like you I continue to do it-and endure the pain of occasional soul-crushing losses!
The worst thing is a back off just after a huge losing streak.
Everyone needs to understand that no matter how good the count is, you can still lose a lot of hands (short run). Doesn't seem like that should happen but it does. Even with a dealer 6 up: I spread out 5 hands with splits and doubles....lost it all. Dealer had 10 down, then slow-rolled a 5. Ouch!
Another great video. You are all inspiring me to keep training. Thanks.
Thanks, David! Appreciate it.
I was making a living as a low roller counter years ago. After a while its a grind like any other job.
Alan-What was your BR and how much did you play for? How long were you making a living as a low roller? Thanks!
@@pranksterguy1 My bankroll was $150. My bread and butter was a 2 deck game at Casino Magic in Bay St. Louis, Ms. My betting range was table minimum $3 to $20. LOL. I lived off of it for about 8 months till I found employment at Hilton Hotel Riverside in New Orleans. Right across the street from Harrahs. LOL.
@@alanjackson4104 that is fantastic
Just felt this pain on a +4 true count, took a nice gut punch
Sheldon Cooper Never Split 10s
You guys are raising your bets too much on slight advantages. +4 isnt worth much more than 2x the minimum. You need to save your big-bets for the +10 or better situations. YES, you may have to wait for a few hours to get to that point, but its worth the wait.
Exactly gary
I was a fairly heavy gambler at Blackjack for 15 years (1985-2000) and knew basic strategy. Overall, I broke even, having many more winning sessions but having bigger losing sessions, as I chased my money. I’m 65, winding down a career in the construction business (installing and finishing hardwood flooring will catch up to you in a 40 year period). If I got into card counting as a business, what do you think the upper age range is before you have to admit you no longer have the mental quickness to carry card counting off? Concerning this episode, I assume that most card counters make logs of their sessions, including time spent, money won or lost and name of casino and number of decks. Separately, I would guess that you would keep a list of casinos that you have been backed off from, and the management company that ran the casino, so as Collin said, you can try them out again if management changes. Finally, would my age be an advantage to being backed off, or do they back people off strictly by their play? Thanks!
Age doesn't matter, it's just another number, but you need to be honest with yourself and if you think you can do it, especially if your playing log shows that you've lost consistently, there could be a problem with your gameplay.
As for getting backed off, I think your advanced age (see what I did there) would actually be a benefit because most card counters are relatively young, generally for the reason you mentioned. But, people will probably get "backed off" if they win enough, regardless of their age.
If you think you can do it, I would say to go for it, but like I said, just make sure you're honest with yourself in the assessment after you've played, whether you won or lost; make sure you played correctly, that's the most important thing.
I have older friends doing it.
I feel like your mental acuity only matters when you get real old 80s and 90s unless u have mental issues before because counters over thousands of hours have that literal muscle or brain memory associating the numbers and card counts together
I’ve had a +15 TC, and managed to loose all my money. I splited 10’s against 6 on a +12 TC. Lost one of the two hands, pushed the other one. I lost everything I’ve had that day, very frustrating.
Variance sucks man. I had this shit happen to me the other night. It was so annoying. I had an easy +4 TC on 2 and a half decks remaining and lost money during the shoe in my favor. I left with $200 less than what I walked in with the other night. It happens!.
Sorry but TC of +12 seems highly unlikely…
@@jamesc2545 Where I play they cut 1 deck so it happens often, not every day but yeah you will see it more often than you think
Have the abundance mentality... Each 'Back-off' is not only an affirmation of your skills but it also brings you closer to winning. Think of a 'back-off' in terms of odds. You are going to have X number of 'back-offs' in your AP career so each time it happens brings you one step closer to success. There are more casinos out there than you can get backed out of in a lifetime. It's part of the process so don't fear it or dread it just roll onto the next opportunity that awaits you.
Thanks Colin good video I'm a lone card counter and its frustrating because the risk of ruin factor is real but I love the game so much every time I get a few dollars I go to the casino knowing my chances of being successful with a small bankroll are in the favor of the casino I have played with a large bankroll before and know you can over come the down swings and be a profitable card counter. Thanks again look forward to more videos
Our pleasure!
what kind of hours do you need to be profitable in the end
To get to the "long run" you need a few hundred hours. Sometimes more, but typically within a hundred hours or so you are well in the positive.
@@Blackjackapprenticeship after a few hundred hours with 15,000 can you expect to make 30,000?
Another amazing, very informative video! Keep up the good work Colin.
Thanks man!
Had too much college education, can I call you Professor Colin ?
I know it's a losing game, but I'll leave gambling as part of the fun in my life. I know I could kill it with counting, but that's just not the thing for me. As a dealer though I hope you guys clean my rack out! Good luck to you counters out there!
Thanks Colin...really, keep going to make good videos like this one... please ;)
I hope you will do a video about where count cards in Europe! Thanks
- Italian counter
Thank you for this content!! Such good insights for a beginner
Thanks for the feedback!
What’s a great amount to start with ??
Embrace "The Suck". Developing an edge IS a grind. That's the reality.
Would love to join a club and learn how to count cards Belleville Michigan .
At what positive # is it safe to enter a game???
Depends on the rules, but typically around a true 1.5
My game plan is to win enough, to comp a room. After that . . . it takes real discipline, to either end/stop or continue playing . . . knowing I could lose it all. My most memorable was my comped Ceasars trip to their Reno property . . . after winning +$3000, I extended my stay at the hotel to play some more. I went home, with $5. Oouuch ! 💀 🎭 😱
THANKS AGAIN!! GREAT VIDEO!! MADE MY NIGHT!
Thanks man!
When you get backed off, do they ever refuse to let you cash your chips in or try to take them from you?
they cant do that. they have to let you cash them
Card counting is legal but the Casino can tell you that you may must bet the same amount through the entire deck. Taking your money would be illegal.
Heard of that happening plenty of times
@@sanfranciscobay when claridge in Atlantic City was open. I visited two times in 2 weeks. The first week I want about $4,000. The second week I was there I was playing and they asked me for my name and if I wanted to be rated. I told them I was not interested. When I was up about $1,500. I saw a large light flash from the ceiling. The phone rang and the pit boss looked at me with a smirk. He went on to the dealer and told her to shuffle right in the beginning of the shoe it just had started. So she shuffled and I stayed there. I won the bet a $200 bet. The pit boss went on again to tell the dealer to shuffle once more. Unfazed I sat through the shuffle and let her deal the cards to me again once more. This time I put a $500 bet up for spite. I won that bet as well. The pit boss told the deal at the shuffle one more time. I looked The pit boss in the eye I said you don't want me to play here do you and he smiled. I left the table and went to complain to the casino
control commission. They informed me that the casino could do that. A supervisor came out a woman and said that I am able to play any other game in the house baccarat slots the wheel any other game. I just left pissed off I never had been backed off before that was my first time. I have not been a regular card counter but I found the Lodge at casinos usually don't bother with card counters too much. That is as long as you are not cleaning them out. In fact I think they like it when they see a lot of chips in front ofother up people are attracted to play at the same table so it brings customers to that table. I usually buy in for $30,000.so right away they see a lot of money in front of me and people think it was not my marker they think it was my winnings.since that time I only play on hundred-dollar tables and I like to play one two three hands I find by switching upthe number of hands I play I have an advantage maybe it's superstition but I have been doing very well thus far. I think the casino knows me as I get comps and rooms and I count cards.but so far they have not back me off because I do play other games like baccarat and sometimes I lose a lot I am not trying to make money I'm having fun. But they always encouraged me Bob are you going to play baccarat?? LOL. I tell them I'm not in the mood that night.usually when I play blackjack I come out on top whether it's a few hundred dollars are a couple thousand dollars.don't get me wrong I've had some big losses as well but I have one more times than not. I'll just make basic $100 bets until I get a high positive count. I usually fat anywhere from 1 to $500 on one two three spots on the table. So far no back off at Tropicana hard Rock Harrah's or caesars
Robert Lulek what would you say is a pattern and not just a gamblers luck? I did this a few years ago, lost a lot. Came back three years later, it’s my 8th day in a row doubling my money I came in with. I don’t want to get gamblers high and f it up. You think doubling 8 days in a row is luck or there’s some skill?
I'll tell you one time I don't like winning..... when the count goes super negative, and I'm betting the minimum, and I'm still winning, hand after hand after hand. Being at a slight disadvantage is no guarantee you're going to lose. The reason I don't like it is that it's disconcerting because it's a reminder, that I can JUST AS EASILY lose hand after hand after hand when the count is high and I'm betting a lot.... except then instead of winning 15 5-dollar hands, I'd be losing 15 100-dollar ones. Once, in a 6-deck game, the count got down to -30 at the lowest point. With 2 decks left. You read that right. -30. It was just astonishing. I didn't even CALCULATE what the deviations to basic strategy would be at that level so I wasn't even all that sure what I should be doing, my rule is I don't leave the table because of the count, I sit there and take my punishment because to do otherwise is to steal from the other players, and I'm not there to take the other player's money, I'm there to take the house money, so I kept going. And I was hitting on everything up to and including hard 17's, and I still won most of the hands. The other person at the table and the dealer were both astonished at me, I would be hitting on 16 against 4 and hitting 17 against ace, and then I'd get a 3 or a 4 and then I'd win the hand in the end. Imagine if the opposite had happened if the count got up to like >+20 and I was betting the maximum bet.
medexamtoolsdotcom wonging our is not stealing from other players, it’s mitigating your risk from personal loss from the casino. The other players are going to sit thru the shoe regardless if you play or not. They have no idea of the count.
How much of a bankroll do you need to go full time? How much of a bankroll did you have when you quit your job?
The Casinos are on to card counters and they won't allow you to play.
@@sanfranciscobay not true
@@sanfranciscobay They've been onto card counters for decades. Still works. For every legit CC, there are 99 playing an imperfect game and losing.
Hey Colin do you think my bet spread is any good? For a 5000 dollar bankroll, I don't plan to wong out during bad counts until a True -3. I play with 8 decks at 75% penetration, 3-2BJ, Dealer hits S17, No resplitting aces, 4 splits max, no surrender.
Base bet, negative counts,=$10
True count 1:(50/50 game)=$10
True count 2:(0.50% advantage)=$15
True Count 3:(1% advantage)=$25
True Count 4:(1.5% advantage)=$35
True Count 5:(2% advantage)=$50
True Count 6:(2.5% advantage)=$60
True Count 7:(3% advantage)=$75 Max Bet
Hey Robbie, I don't do free bankroll coaching. Nothing personal, I'd just be crunching numbers for people all day if I did.
2 things though:
1. DON'T play through all negatives. That'll kill your EV.
2. Check this out: www.blackjackapprenticeship.com/recommended-blackjack-bankroll/
Hope that helps!
What do you bet on a 0 count?
$10
I'll tell you the answer. Blackjack apprenticeship didn't even read your damn comment, since you SAID that you leave the table when truecount reaches -3 and he's acting as if you were planning on playing through all negative counts. Anyway, the optimal way of doing it, in general, if you want to minimize risk of ruin (maximize median performance) and not to maximize returns (maximize mean performance), is to bet the minimum bet plus some constant times the minimum bet times (the truecount minus the breakeven truecount). For a 2-deck game with a cutcard 1 deck before the end, that constant is about 2, and for a 6-deck game, with a cutcard about 70 cards before the end, that constant is about 3. It also varies a bit depending on the rules/conditions. This is if you want to minimize risk of ruin. HOWEVER, I WILL tell you that having a max bet of only 7.5 times the min bet means that the constant needs to be higher than this since you will not be betting as much as you otherwise would be when it becomes extremely advantageous. And 8 decks, 75% penetration, that is BAD. Frankly if that's the only game available to you, you need to be betting the 75 dollar max bet whenever you have ANY advantage. And even then it may not be enough. Also, when the truecount is 2, you do NOT have a .5% advantage in a 6 or 8 deck game, the breakeven count is more like 1.8. What you should be doing on this table, if you play it at all, is to bet 10 dollars if the truecount is 2.5 or less, and just bet 75 dollars when it's more than 2.5. Try to find a better game though. What you described is bad. JUST having 8 decks and 75% penetration means they're stopping 2 decks before the end. That's AWFUL. My idea of a good 6-deck game is when the cutcard is 1 deck before the end.
@@Blackjackapprenticeship frauds
These two were in it to win it!
How many decks is it best to play?
@Ivory Leyva single deck is usually insta shuffle
Years ago in Reno when I was in the Air Force , I had a woman dealer who apparently had had a bad day, as she was literally throwing the cards at me. Finally a card sailed off the table. She couldn't retrieve the card and I wouldn't. So we stared at each other for about fifteen seconds. Finally, a security guard who was watching everything from the wall, came over and retrieved the card. About 10 minutes later I picked up my money and left. As I left the floor, the security guard stopped me, and said, "I'm sorry. I saw that sealer throwing the cards at you. I don't blame you for not picking it up."
Question- How many casino's know what you are doing and just let you play as long as it doesn't get ridiculous to draw in other players?
What type of casino have you guys been backed off in more often? Was it a big name casino or some small hole in the wall type?
I’ve seen a player make a huge bet just after a small bet that resulted in a 20-20 tie with 4 face cards against a single deck and get backed off.
That's ridiculous.
I just found the channel. I am just getting started.
In my country i am pretty sure you have to sign in before you can enter. I only was in there once but i think you cant get in without a membership card. Isnt it impossible to get in there ever again once you got banned? Because it will get marked on your card with your ids
You would figure at a certain point, the casinos would like card counters to be at the table. They make it seem easy to win so others watch and get excited that they could win thinking the table is hot. I'm sure they can collect plenty of money off others watching and deciding that it must be hot.
Wait! Did you say you don't like being BACKED off, like with a B??? OHH, I get it now!!
Hahahahahahahahahaha!
Bro which app do you prefer to practice counting and blackjavk
Ayan Rai blackjack apprenticeship! Pay the $4.99. Worth it
Also, question about "EV" - it's just a concept right? You can focus on it all day but EV doesn't pay the bills if you're losing tens of thousands
As someone who weirdly loves a grind (nearly maxed ironman on oldschool runescape for example) and someone who really loves math. I feel like I can really exceed at this. I want to come back to this comment years later and see where I'm at.
If you love a grind and have the mentality to weather the emotion storms variance can cause it might be right down your ally
in the phillipines they burn cards every deal.. impossible to keep a count.. do you agree??
When the Casinos are required by Law to allow card counters to play and vary their bets, that's when things will change for the better. As of now, once a Casino determines you are varying your bets when the odds are in the players advantage, they will tell you to either stop playing or bet the same throughout the deck, which eliminates any advantage by the card counter.
If that law ever got passed they would make the games unplayable for counters in other ways, like constantly shuffling up (or just using shuffle trackers) or having low table limits. Its actually better for counters that they can be backed off, they just go to another casino and start again.
Breathing SMOKEY casino air (yes, it's a real hazard).
Must have been hard when they put the gun to your head and made you go in.
smoking has been banned inside casinos and buisness that doesnt have a designated smoking idea, are you 80 years old?
@@MrTigershark888 yes.
Peaches has doubled-down on dumb here.
@@mikel4526 ok boomer
Do you find that many card counters find card counting unfulfilling over time? With more traditional career paths people find their jobs fulfilling because they contribute time in service to help others or producing a product for employers, businesses or customers. In card counting your not providing a service or product to society. you're just serving your self-interest, which may or may not lead to feeling what your doing is unfulfilling.
Great question. Yeah, I think it depends on where you find your meaning. If you have something outside of money, casinos, and blackjack where you find meaning and purpose, then you're much less likely to get burned out than if you're only doing it for the $$$.
Maybe if you have a personal vendetta against the casino and you just want to take as much money as you can for them lol. I just do it because I'm a math geek and like figuring out the EV and then seeing it work.
That would be assuming that I don't hate the world and actually WANT to help others instead of just taking their money away from them and doing nothing of any value for them in return.
Working is only a means. Happiness and fulfillment is the end. Volunteer, spend time with family, due charity work etc...
I have news for you, Eli. Most people's jobs are unfulfilling. And they have to answer to someone else as well. Who wouldn't want to be their own boss?
You could be a card counter and just use smaller bet spreads...just because it's a true 5 or 6 or whatever and it says you put the max bet out, doesn't mean you have to. I'm a bit more risk averse and you might cost yourself some money playing more conservatively, but I bet you lose a lot less this way too. In fact I bet the loss savings by playing with a smaller spread would be > the winnings increase with larger spreads.
Hey Colin. Do you have to pay taxes on your casino winnings? If so, how do taxes come into play?
Always wondered, myself !
Yes, of course...but underreporting is par for the course...it’s all about your records
Pay your taxes. You're not a professional if you're a criminal.
It’s a shame because no casino (that I know of)let’s you stand behind a player at the BJ table. Because of COVID I just think that would be a great place to practice your counting skills before you go live.
this is totally fine at most small casinos if you just ask and people are OK with it, or if you go with a friend I don't know a single place that will mind
moral of the story, there is no downsides.
Dear Colin, maybe you can answer this question. Why not just wong out until the count is high then jump in strike and move on? Is this possible or will they notice this and back you off?
I am a retired CPA and am playing low level stakes at a local Indian casino just to develop my skills. My question is about taxes. I understand on the teams you did salaries and I assume you treated it as earned income and not gambling winnings. On winnings not from a team, just on your own, do you claim winnings as unearned gambling winnings and take losses as itemized deductions or do you declare yourself self-employed professional gamblers so you can deduct losses as business expenses and pay the self-employment taxes (Social Security and Medicare) on your net winnings? Also, the IRS says you should keep a diary of your travels and your winnings and losses each session and also include all comps as income. If you prefer not to answer here I can give you my email address where we can have privacy. Perhaps this is something you would want a person to buy a membership to your website before you’re willing to discuss? I understand the need for privacy and that your website and training is your business now. But a short answer would be appreciated.
Not an accountant, yada yada yada, but we paid our taxes. =)
You can email me if you want more info, but it depended on the team setup. We even got audited the year we won $1.6M and passed with flying colors.
@@Blackjackapprenticeship these frauds wouldn't pay tax
Colin, realistically do you think the day is coming where most(not all) but most casinos nationwide tribal and non tribal will just go with CSM’s just so they can stop AP? I know they will lose play but since vast majority of players aren’t AP’s seems like they would? Thoughts?
It's possible. I don't have a crystal ball. But it hasn't happened yet in 50 years since "Beat the Dealer" came out.
been backed off 3 times never once been looked at on a cruise ship. count on
Card counters do have some reasons to complain about wins, when they're getting casino heat, or in a casino that they've been trespassed at and have to cash out less than $2,000 at a time (the number varies from place to place) to avoid getting robbed by a casino playing dirty or avoid alerting the pit or security to their cash out amount.
I have resting frowny face 🙁
How do you count the first card taken out in a new shoe? 0 or -1?
If you're talking about the burn card and you don't see it, you don't count it.
There is a video on the burn card by the way.
But simply put, Card Counting is about assigning value to things/information you know, in particular, the cards you see and what you can infer from them, if you don't know what the card is you cannot possibly count it with any degree of confidence or accuracy, it would be a complete guess.
Hi Colin how do you keep from getting kicked out of the casino or get banned from playing blackjack?
You can't prevent the Casinos from stopping you from playing. They have that right and will use it once they notice you varying your bets according to the odds.
52%-48% Is a 4% advantage. 2% Advantage you are going to win 51% of the time and loose 49%.
I've worked in service industries all my life, and I can't live with myself by not tipping if things are going well. Yeah, I realize it cuts into your money, but money is about 5th or 7th on my important things in life.
Colin, re @1:40. You said, "True 5, you'll win 52% of the time [by which you meant hands]." You might want to correct this point when you train people.
First, a True 5 is a 2% margin, but that's equivalent of winning 51% (not 52%) of the time (because 51% win - 49% loss = 2% margin).
Second, going bust before the dealer's turn is a significant disadvantage, making us win way less than 50% of the hands. Thank goodness some of the winning hands play 3:2 or double, because they lift our expected dollar earnings up over 50%.
Yeah, shouldn't have said 52% of the time, but that you have a 2% edge at true 5. Thanks for pointing that out... it just came out wrong.
These guys are sharks in the land of the jackals
If that makes any sense
On the subject of being backed off and or banned. If you don't give you're name or ID hows that work
You cash out and leave. Or if they won't cash you out without ID, you decide if you want to cash out later, or have a friend cash you out, or just give ID so you can get your $$$ and leave.
How can they ban you if they don't know who you are?
@@2316207 facial recognition
@@2316207 They are watching you at the table playing, varying bets and winning. They will tell you to stop playing or to keep your bets constant.
@@sanfranciscobay yes but they still dont have your name
Isn't it counter productive to reveal your identities as card counters? We have technology for facial recognition these days
We don't care at this point... none of us are playing full-time right now.
awesome, sounds like you guys had fun. You should pull an Ed Thorp and move on into the financial markets ;)
Can you make money flat betting but using the top 25 - 40 playing deviations??
Which casinos don't have shuffling machines?
I really think I just blow at this game. Like how am I this bad in the red over and over kek
What is the reason behind not tipping the dealer?
You get their hopes up lol
If you tip $1 on a $1.5k win, they take it as disrespectful
Anybody that doesn’t tip a decent dealer is a chump in my opinion. If you’re swiping $1k or more profit off the table, you could drop one or two green chips for the dealer - it’s decent, and it may help with cover (a happy player vs a grumpy counter miserly tracking his EV).
When the count is good , the dealer can still get those sweet cards. Im still trying to weigh the validity of counting as opposed to a well crafted system that wins IF you have a large enough bankroll.You also need a huge bankroll if you count, and you can still lose. Can someone please explain?
The edge in card counting is tiny, but it is real. Just like the House Edge for the casino. The difference is that the casino gets all the high and low swings evened out very quickly due to the huge number of hands being played on their premises whilst a card counter might have to sit through weeks or months of losing due to variance, even though their long term expectation is positive.
You’re right - counting requires a huge bankroll with no guarantee of payoff and when the count is favorable the dealer often makes their hands and the dealer doesn’t.
A good system can be profitable with the right bankroll and good money management and the proper mental space. It also takes the ability to play full time, not just weekends or one day a week.
15:32
There should be Extreme Anti-Card Counter Propaganda. Why? It makes card counters seem impossible and hard to fool casino
Is coming in as a RN (refuse name ) a better option for a counter or should you just get the card and get the comps? Also at the point of going over 10k in a 24 hour gaming day a bad thing seeing they will asked for for photo identification at that point or
Should.you try limit your buy in to under 10k and come back the following gaming day so that situation does not occur ? Thanks great vids by the way.
Only if want rewards u card
Does this rejection get digital com'ed amongat other casinos ?
13:26 that was random lol
If you don't have Card Counting down to a perfect science, Don't expect to Win...These guys have taken years to hone their skills and are Pros..The amateur will always most certainly lose !! IMHO..Just don't gamble for a living !
To throw off the count, some casinos may not use full decks.
@@mikel4526 Where's this ? That's Illegal my friend ! So let's take out 2 Queens, 1 Jack and an Ace out of the shoe and not tell anybody ? That Casino would be shut down, fined & sued in a New York Minute !! If you know of a Casino doing this, please disclose the info so we can get a lawsuit underway ! That's like playing craps with the numbers 1 & 5 REMOVED from the dice !! ILLEGAL !!Lol
@@MrLew1965 I just assumed that casinos would do scumbag shit like that to through off card counters. I didn't know there was a law that required casinos to use full decks. IMO, they shouldn't even be allowed to use multiple decks.
@@mikel4526 Mike, think about it ? It's Illegal to use "short" decks, marked decks or rigged decks of playing cards in a legal casino ! AGAIN, If a legal casino was caught cheating and activities such as rigging decks, loaded dice or marked decks came to fruition , that casino would be shut down, heavily fined and would be facing multiple civil law suits from the casinos general patronage !! It would be business Suicide to say the least !! End of story ! Even professional card counters lose Mike !!!
@@MrLew1965 Cool. I was concerned that they would do some shit like that. Do you currently play?
From my opinion based upon my interpretation of federal laws...Civil rights laws have little weight on private properties. However, federal consumer protection laws were specifically designed to regulate private businesses & entities. Deceptive & unfair practices are probably the key topics & points here relating to how casinos treat their patrons/consumers. Players must understand that casinos are private businesses which cater to the general public. Also, when casinos offer the game of blackjack to the general public then they are most likely offering a game of chance to the general public knowing full well that the game of chance they are offering to the general public has card counting vulnerabilities. I feel that it is important to note that casinos do not have special protections or immunities from federal consumer protections laws. For example, is it unfair & deceptive for a casino patron to have the trespass act applied by the casinos when the only thing the patron was doing was gambling or attempting to gamble at a gambling establishment? Furthermore, is it a deceptive and unfair act by the casino to flat bet one casino patron and not another without informing the general public through the use of signs either at the table or any place else on the casino floor about a casino policy that is in place. While the casinos have every right to make & set policies on how to regulate their games they also have the obligation to inform the general public about their policies. The key question here is weather any of their policies violate provisions of the "Federal Trade Commission Act" such as deceptive or unfair practices statutes. If any of the policies conflict with provisions of the "Federal Trade Commission Act" then that is where the legal questions start to arise in my opinion. Basically, it all comes down to weather a casino is using deceptive or unfair practices to try & attempt to fleece money from the general public? What do you all think?
How much money can you win before they notice you for a back off. Is it 1K, 5K, 20K? It would be nice to have a ballpark so you can leave before that is likely to happen.
Colin, isn't a 2% advantage 51 to 49?
Mondo LeStraka you have to factor in pushes/draws.
True but the "net" is 2%, 52% to 48% is also 100%.
can I count cards in casinos in America if I am only 19?
sava a You have to be 21 unless you’re in Tunica
@@aman62592 in all 50 states or some have different rules?
There may be a few casinos you can play, but I'd recommend waiting until you're 21.
Nope 21 2 enter in tennessee anyways
No you have to be 21 to gamble
colin still dont understand why stay in the game when losing thousands of dollars ? you have to make that back ! pit bosses are not dumb when they then see you starting to win they will back you off you demonstrated that in your back off video the pit boss did not let you get back to even before being backed off. it just seems that you entice a pit boss to back you off by that type of betting
Why don't you count the low cards as negative and the high cards as positive? This seems like it would be more intuitive. This way, you just flip the script as to when the count is in your favor. If it's big to the negative, the count is in your favor. Is there some reason to not count cards this way?
It's 15 dollar an hour
This is how you keep budding card counters at bay
why are they taking hidden cameras? creepy
There is an easier way to count.........
That is??
Card counting is too much trouble for only just a slight edge.
Slight edge with large bets equals nice EV
Where do you find one deck casinos? Not any? yeah.
2% edge means you win 51% of the time and lose 49% of the time. Come on, man!! :)
Nope, out of 100 hands with a 2% edge you win 52% of the time and lose 48%. In order for you to win the 2 hands the dealer has to lose 2 as well!
@@natebate2769 your edge is the DIFFERENCE in win:loss. winning 52% means you win 4% more often than you lose (48%), thus, a 52% win rate = 4% edge. Likewise, a 2% edge means you're still losing 49% of hands, but with a 2% advantage over the loser, you win 51% of the time.
@@natebate2769 and actually, if we want to get super-technical, in blackjack you're actually losing a higher percentage of hands than you're winning. but if you're playing and betting correctly, you will win more UNITS than you lose. so the edge is actually a percentage based on average betting unit, not so much "time".
Oh, I almost forgot, the awful, awful ignorant people who you are forced to be around. Smoking, drinking, condemning your play, "What do I do now? Oops I needs more money..." You just wanna scream.
Here is something most card counters fail to do, change their play according to the count. When there are more tens in the deck hitting becomes more risky. Less tens and hitting becomes less risky. By risky I mean busting. They all forget that part, they think betting changes and nothing else. Ha.
make money by simply jumping in the game when the dealer is in BUST MODE ! leave the game when the cards change to the dealers advantage agree ?
People will see what you're doing.
I just don't think making this a full time source of income is possible in today's day and age. I have lost literal thousands doing this the past three months. I can't think of anything else to do to cut losses and maximize positive EV.
- Don't play shoes with more than
a -1 TC (wong in and out)
- Bet table minimum on counts 0 or larger into the negative
- Optimize bet spread such that as your advantage increases, you increase your average bet size with each +1 to the TC
- Ask for comps, bonuses, etc. for playing rated
- Don't tip the dealer (or keep tipping to a minimum
- Use cover, disguises, etc. to throw off surveillance
- Don't play any other games in the casino where the edge is not in your favor!
Then your game is off. Numbers dont lie
The downside to card counting: How about making an amazing comeback, deciding on doing one more shoe when it was just you and the dealer...and then some fucktard comes, plays recklessly, ignoring all standard playing, and causes you to lose all your profit plus about $800 more of your own money. That happened this past weekend. I've got no one else to blame. I went on tilt thanks to this idiot and I should have just walked away. And they are correct in this video. I had a true count of 6 and I lost brutally. I won a lot more when the running count was either in the single digits regardless of true count, or VERY negative. Weird.