Blackjack has always been one of my favorite card games, but I’ve never understood why some casinos allow the practice of counting cards while others don’t. Is this cheating or perfectly legal?
Most online blackjack sites allow players to count their cards after they have placed their wagers. The house edge on blackjack ranges from 0% to 2%. While card counting is considered illegal at some casinos, some territories may consider it legal under certain conditions.
Below, we try and find out if card counting is applicable when it comes to online blackjack.
What is Card Counting in Blackjack?
Card counting is a system that involves counting cards after you place your bets. It’s done for two reasons:
- To beat the dealer and earn even money or better than betting odds;
- To reduce variance so the casino can improve its game.
The reason card counting exists isn’t necessarily to cheat — gambling is an activity enjoyed by people all over the world. There are ways to play that limit the possibility of losing as much (or more!) money as you would if you were playing “fairly”.
One way to do this is to adjust your bet size based on how many hands you believe you will win versus lose. If you think you’ll win with a 7-card hand or less, then you should set yourself up for a smaller loss. If you think you’re likely to be dealt a hand where you have a chance to make a substantial profit, increase your stake size.
There’s also luck involved in any form of gambling. In other words, there’s no guarantee that you will win every time because randomness rules us all. With card counting, however, you can take advantage of the fact that the probability changes depending upon how many cards are left in decks being used.
For example, if only 8 cards are remaining in your deck, the chances of getting the next card are 1/8. After dealing 4 more cards, the odds remain about the same. As long as you know the number of decks being used, you can calculate what the odds are before you shuffle each new batch of cards into the pack. Then you can adjust your bet accordingly.
This is not an easy task! To begin with, it requires a lot of training, which doesn’t happen overnight. Most casinos frown on card counters because they can manipulate the percentages to ensure that more money ends up in their pockets rather than those of their competitors.
Because of this, many online casinos ban the use of card counting software. But does this mean that you can’t enjoy the thrill of playing blackjack online?
No, not really.
Does Card Counting Work with Online Blackjack?
Well, yes and no. Whether or not card counting works depends on whether the following four points apply:
Number of Decks Being Used
Does the online version of blackjack use the standard 52 card decks or some other variant? Some sites offer eight decks, 12 decks, 16 decks, and 36 decks. Each additional deck raises the odds of winning. However, because the house edge continues to go down, the player must put down a proportionally higher percentage of his total losses. Additionally, since the likelihood of success increases exponentially, deciding to play with multiple decks becomes difficult.
Number of Bets per Hand
This factor is self-explanatory. More bets equal greater potential earnings regardless of how good the strategy is. Low variance means lower risk, but potentially lower payouts.
Number of Hands Played/Session Length
It’s very important to consider the length of the session and possible distractions during gameplay. While some players might get bored after several hours of gaming, others will continue to play until they either exceed their $5 maximum or reach their desired goal. It may require several weeks to train at high stakes and earn enough cash to quit. This could be a significant problem when you need to work full-time and manage your budget carefully.
Number of Games Played per Session
In most situations, I suggest that someone who plans to play casino games online should opt for a low variance, short sessions. At least two hours seems to be a reasonable amount of time for most people to log in and start playing.
The ideal situation would probably be to play twice a week with different setups and strategies so you don’t get too bored. Even though you’ll be dealing with more hands and losing larger amounts of money, the payoff increases exponentially over a few months.
Conclusion
We advise that you sign up for one of the reputable casino sites that allow you to test drive the service before paying them anything. This way you can find out for yourself whether or not the site meets your standards. You can also look around for other information on what kind of sites have been successful in beating the house.
If you do decide to take the plunge and choose a particular site, ask questions about the pros and cons of the product you’re considering using. Ask any questions you want during the trial period, and if you aren’t satisfied then cancel immediately. Do thorough research and keep looking for alternatives.