So, for example, if you play at a table with a $5 minimum and alternate your bets between $5 and $50 (when the count is right), and there are 50 hands dealt per hour, you might bet a total of $700 per hour, for an expected profit of just $7 per hour (with a 1% edge).Ĭlearly, to make some serious money you have to be good and bet more.īy the way, having the odds in your favor doesn’t eliminate the ups and downs.
The edge from good card counting is only 0.5% to 1.0%.
They probably figured that having a few winners encouraged the less-disciplined players to keep trying. Where I worked management tolerated small-time card counters. Keep in mind that casinos can ask you to leave, even though card counting isn’t illegal. You can learn card counting in a few hours, but to be proficient while playing at a busy blackjack table takes many more hours of practice. To know when this situation has developed you can track the cards using a simple plus-or-minus count, and then bet more when the count is right. Specifically, you have an advantage when the remaining cards include more aces and face cards than normal. However, at times the game is in your favor as a player. Regular blackjack gives the “house” (the casino) an edge of about 0.5% to 3.0% depending on the rules and how well you play.
