@@estar8204 what are u implying? He should invest more and lose more than his wife? Theres gambling and investing. This guy is investing his time to gamble gtfo
If I lost 40k at the table, the wife would would walk up behind me and put 2 in the back of my head. I love the honesty, but you guys are big timers and are able to take a big loss. I remember losing $200 one night and felt really bad.
@Luna EB I guess your bankroll should be made up of money you don't need elsewise. Just like money you would invest in the stock market. As I understand, if you're an expert card counter, your EV is probably much higher than "gambling" on the stock market though.
Dude.. no worse feeling than sitting there, knowing you’re making the correct decisions, making the correct plays.. and still getting your teeth kicked in.. I’ve had nights where a dealer could hit their hard 20 and pull an ace... I think it was tommy hyland or Ken Uston who said “ah.. the swings”
There are 3 reasons pros move on from card counting: the swings, the backoffs, and getting bored of it. Swings are definitely up there for the #1 reason.
Working with a retiree down here on some adv ap stuff. I asked him why he stopped.. said after 13 years the variance was getting to him. He had enough, and made enough money to retire comfortably on Miami Beach 😅
LMFAOOOOO yea we all tell ourselves this is gonna be the last buy in then we pull out more out of our pocket hoping to ride a damn wave back to the top 😂😂😂😫
Hi Lunchtime, thanks Colin. But you are missing the most important point, the Real reason why one loses : your inner energy, your inner vibration, your electro-magnetic Field. Maths are not enough to win consistantly. Vibration Comes first. Practice relaxation, meditation daily ,every morning and before each session. When you lose, stop and go change your vibration, get aligned and then Come back, Always get a positive thinking, emotions and vibration before playing and during the play. To learn more, read the Book "Psychic Gambling Supersystem", by Sunil Padhiar. And more generally also read the Books by Esther and Jerry Hicks/Abraham Hicks. Keep me posted....
I have to admit that the one thing that spooks me the most is when dealers start pulling of multi-card 21s. One time in Reno the count went very high so I played two hands and got twenties on on both. So there I am thinking "I got this." So it's the dealer starts hitting on her her hand, pulls off a few aces and her total is 16. "I got this! Easy!" Then ................... A FIVE?!?!?!?! A seven card 21! Just kidding when I say this! OK? "Jeez it's bad enough with Dusty but, Drury again?!?!"
as long as you are playing a perfect game, you must keep playing if you can. It is not wise to quit and come back another day for the sole reason of "feeling unlucky." Now, if you are tired or have another scheduling obligation, then you should leave. Check out our video about "when to end a session"
@@wecandobetter9821 lost 3 hands at max bet ($3000) to a 8 card 21. Had 20 on each of my hands. I think the dealer was more stunned than me. It was so shocking it kind of took the edge off the loss.
Lost $400 on a positive shoe that was up to like +10. Last round of the shoe, dealer pulls a blackjack and takes all my money. So painful when the count is super high and the dealer takes all the big cards
+10 is still pretty common. I'm usually at 4-6x my minimum bet at the beggining of a +10 scenario. If I lose a hand and the count increases, that's usually where I either win or go busto!
@lasthumankind 🤦♂️ r u trolling or seriously Think you were giving good advice? Bro you’re so far behind Collins average viewer you literally know nothing if that is your advice please just listen to Colin he will teach you right and stop trying to give advice you know absolutely nothing. I’m not trying to be mean and that’s totally OK that you don’t know anything about Playing at an advantage in beating casinos just don’t try to give advice that’s just ridiculous bro stick to what you are good at or learn from Colin before you talk
Okay before I do anything with your service I have one question . How am I supposed to gain an edge by card counting when the lowest amount of decks is double Deck blackjack ? It's almost impossible/ not worth the time to try and count from 104 cards
My biggest win was at Sands, Atlantic City. I was offered a limo for return to Washington, D.C. Turned it down, and asked for a room. They said they were full. By the time I returned . . . I gave it all back, after visiting Resorts . . . and Ballys.
From thousands of hours of playing over 14 years I've seen about 2 or 3 nearly unlosable sessions but I've unfortunately seen about 20 or 30 unwinnable sessions. Those hurt because you cannot believe how many 5 or 6 card 20s and 21s the dealer can make on you and how many hard 16s you will be dealt. The only way to play pro BJ is too hammer it when the count is with you and to get exceptionally good at recognizing shitty tables early in the session.
Yes! The count isn't always positive when you think it is. I made a video of a practice shoe that was "stuck" at tc 5. It would go up but not down. Down is where you make your money. When I pulled the remaining cards prior to the cut card, there were around 10 extra low cards in there. I knew something was wrong just by looking at table composition as each round passed.
I agree. I've played for at least 30 years or so. Losing sessions are way more often. When the table is on your side, hands of 15's and 16's keep coming like no tomorrow. It's a weird phenomenon (defies statistic). Interestingly, the most I've ever made is online BJ (18 years ago) when I won $57,000 in 4 day winning streaks. So, I understand exactly what you are saying
I live a few blocks from the Las Vegas strip and I see more and more casinos using those perpetual shuffling machines or the kiss of death to a card counter. However there are more local casinos that are strictly shoe games with very favorable rules, the best being the El Cortez hotel and casino downtown.
Hey @bja, I was just wondering I notice that when the count goes positive I get a lot of hard 16 and 15 and in all your videos you say that when the count is positive we have the advantage, but I find at least in the short term that I win when the count is positive at the end of the shoe, but what does the count really tell you in the middle of the shoe?
It depends on how deep your positive count is and your true count. If the card count is currently a +7 in the middle of a shoe (3/6) which gives you a +2 TRUE COUNT, you can choose to bet two units but since I'm a player that doesn't want low count numbers, I wait for at least a +10-15 to ensure that the next cards would be more likely TEN or ACE. If you decide to bet with just positive counts +3-+5, that only give you a very very small confirmation that it will be 10s or aces. You need a strong one since you are NOT GAMBLING, you are aiming to win. You wanna wait until the table is very hot where the house edge is now you. I never play counts below 10. Also if the count reaches +10-20 already, insurance is more likely to net you a positive return since blackjack is very probable, HOWEVER to card count one must play perfect basic strategy and that means never to take insurance.
Are these numbers with wonging or without wonging? Like are they walking into a new shoe, betting low when the count sucks then betting high when the count gets better? If that's the case, you'd need a 1-20 spread or something crazy like that. Cuz if they are wonging in and wonging out, would those losses still happen?
Just one question. I play mostly 2 deck when I can. I noticed that the Plus/Minus count at the back of the dealers stop card can very as much as plus 7 or minus 7. How can your count be useful with that much discrepancy? Maybe that can be the cause of bad losing streaks?
you are answering your own question. a Running Count of -7 with a deck or so left? Counting is useful because it tells us to not play in that situation! Sitting out as many player-disadvantaged counts as possible will save EV and help prevent severity of negative variance.
I think the apprenticeship guy misunderstood your question. It's true that the a lot of the valuable cards can be behind the cut card. This is one reason that penetration matters so much. The more penetration you get, the more swings you get and the higher your true count can get. But, they'll never deal out 100% of the cards so you always have some of this. BUT the cards behind the cut card as just as likely to be favorable for you as unfavorable. The goal of the card counter is not to find a way to make actual money on each hand, but to make theoretical money on each hand (EV) and the way to do that is to play with the largest bets when the count is good, even if it doesn't materialize on that hand/deck/shoe.
RS4 vs RS2 is only worth 0.05%. DAS is only worth 0.12%. So I think betting only 1/6 of what you have left would be too conservative when the count gets high enough.
Hi colin!Thank you for this video! I got a question: What's your basic (lowest)bet per bet in the beginning of the round when that time you lost $40000? Is that $100 or more? That'll be very helpful for me.Thank you!
He mentioned 6 bets.. I assume he's playing between 12-20 bets so $2000-$3500 a hand and lower as he lost... I assume around the 10k mark he was max betting $1000
Sometimes the backcounting could be 75% of your session. Most shoes suck. I get maybe 5 or 6 hands in at positive counts, with other players. Then it's like "I hope I don't drop another $1k." And then I drop the $1k and get annoyed cause I been counting for 2 hours and was hoping she was The One.
I'm curious: When someone says they won over $300k in two years, does that mean they made a profit of $300k? Or does that mean the total amount won is $300K and they might have had $250k in losses, meaning they were up $50,000 over the course of 2 years, putting them at $25,000/year?
It's profit. It's different than EV though because of variance. The $300k is what is left after all losses have been accounted for. I sum it up at the end of the year. However, if you were to take a snapshot of your winnings at any point in time during a year, you could be ahead by more, but you don't pay taxes on just what happened in October, for example. Like if you made $320k by that month.
If you’re at your local casino and Its under 10k it’s going to be cash. 10k+ you can either get a check or bank wire if you have a relationship with the casino. If you want to avoid the treasury department coming to you for taxes in a 80k scenario you’ll want to take the 10k that night, and come back everyday for 7 days taking 10k each time till you’ve been paid. Now if you’re in Vegas, you’ll probably get paid in full that day because it happens all the time there.
you keep playing because the law of large numbers and the law of averages will eventually overtake the bizarre fluctuations of negative variance that are bound to occur. that is the paradox of probability. the longer you play, the more certain it becomes things will balance out but at the same time, the longer you play, the more certain it becomes that absurd losing streaks will manifest themselves.
You know it’s not your day when dealer gets a 8 Card 21! Nobody at table including dealer and pit boss had ever seen it before. Same shoe dealer gets 2 card 20 in 5 of 8 hands. Did I walk away? No I actually staggered ! 😂😂
Pushing 21 and Black Jack is just as bad. It happens all the time. Dealers will pull 21 out of the rabbit or they will manage to make their hands in every stiffs. Bad beats are brutal and they are gut wrenching when you are doing everything right. The important thing is that mind over matter. Take a break or even walk away. They are more often than seeing a winning table where almost everyone has a chance to double against a stiff, all made them and everyone winning afterwards. And I have only seen it just once. That's the way it goes at the Casino. They are there to take your money and you are playing long odds to beat them with your brains.
The biggest lose I've ever heard of from someone I know was when he went to Vegas, won 100k on Saturday, lost it all on Sunday. Put his plane ticket on his credit card to get home.
the problem with card counting math is that it is possible for your losing streak to last longer than your bankroll. you could go totally bust and keep going bust for days or weeks until you are deep in debt. also, who checks the shoe to make sure it does not have more or less cards than it should?
@@blackjackapprenticeshipgus6559 honestly.. i ALWAYS play sidebets. Most of the time its what gives me the boost i need. Basic strategy isnt always perfect either, eventho in the long run it will get you the edge. But i dont have a bankroll to stretch it that long usually. Sometimes i just play blackjack for the quick bankroll boost. Example: when i have 40 euro left in account i go blackjack and see if i get the feelin the table will go my way for the first couple of hands. Usually they do otherwise i wont join that table.. as soon as i reach 80eu in account i re evaluate the hands ive played and what i think the next 2 hands will do (win for me or for dealer) If i feel like its gonna be for me i continue , otherwise i either change table or take small break. But sometimes i play blackjack for over 2 hours and just go up and down the balance, real rollercoasters. I do believe i am getting much better than begin 2019. So im improving. :-) And someone told me.. either always play sidebets..or never play them at all.. dont be inbetween cuz you regret it when u dont play and miss out on big wins. Or do play and never hit it. So 95% of the time i play sidebets except if my bankroll doesnt allow it
I feel this video shows that card counting should not be attempted by the casual weekend player. Been playing over thirty years..Influenced by Ken Ueston(sic) who is considered the Godfather of card counting . Better to master basic strategy, have money management and know when to walk away up or down. Your weekend trips will be better,
backed off last week for the first time .. with a $50 max bet.. define sweating the action! Colin would know the Casino .. south of Bellingham. Not looking forward to these big losses coming up :)
Powerful emotions are what cause memory to reside in your memory. The negatives are more stressful as compared to the upbeat feeling you get when you win big. Consider how much time you spend mulling over your big loss than you spend mulling over your big win. A big win fills you with a sense of freedom and happiness... a big loss causes all kinds of negative self talk that can last for a while.
I have to agree with this I dont play big like you guys do. But I was a thousand dollars down but I kept following the math and suddenly the count heat up and I was quickly 4,000 up. I have not got any real losses but soon it will happens
sounds like you have caught some good positive variance. yes, the losses will come. but mathematically they will be slightly outnumbered by the wins in the long run. IF you are playing correctly.
That's actually the opposite of what you should do. It's exactly the same if you play 10 more hands that night, than if you play 10 more hands the next night. You have to keep playing and trust the math. If you get shy and stop playing you'll never reach the long term.
@@Shawk95 this is wrong. the math doesn't care what day it is. the math is simply a law of large numbers, the more positive EV blackjack hands we can play, the better.
Even betting at higher stakes and spreads, their should he 2 types of loss limits. 1 should be how much your willing to lose at 1 table, and another is how much to be lost in 1 day. Tomorrow is always another fresh opportunity.
When I hear someone say they are a professional card counter for 20 years and their entire wins only adds up to 600,000 kinda worries me. For some reason I feel like it should be a lot more!
Exactly. 30k a year before tax so really like 26k. For 20 years. Imagine being in your 40s or 50s being a “professional” at anything and only making 26k a year. Should be making 3-4 times more at least.
Also it is frowned upon. At least in poker it is supported and you can make more money and have more fun and get trophies and be recognized for you efforts. I’d rather be a professional poker player if I’m going to be gambling. We need to have the same conversation with the people who stack gold and silver instead of dividend paying stocks. 😂😂
Astounding generalizations here. Professional gamblers can deduct expenses as it relates to their career, and follow up on that, there's no way to be a full time counter, you'd get 86'd across the country.
(1) When you go play in another town, is it safe to carry a bunch of cash? (2) What is the best betting system? I always add one unit when I win and go back to my minimum when I lose. This system has yielded me the biggest winning sessions ever (3) I don't know how to count, have never tried and have no inclination to learn.
You do not have to learn how to count but just note that if you do not know how to count, you will lose in the long run. No progressive system can go over the house edge. Even if you won some money with your system, you are just lucky and you will start losing if you play it for long enough.
hey colin, im currently 16 ive been watching your videos for sometime and im really trying to get into card counting, whats your advice for somebody my age
Not Colin here, but you've got so much time till you're legal that really any counting drills or basic strategy memorizing would be fine. You've got 5 years to practice unless you get a fake ID
Practice. Every day. Learn to play every possible hand perfectly. Once you can do that, learn hi lo, and practice going through the deck. Pull one card from the deck and don't look at it. When you finish counting the deck you should know that last card's count value. From there work on strategy deviations while keeping the count, and play those perfectly as well. Practice counting and canceling hands for faster performance. I feel that you should be backcounting anyway, so you can use it to practice in a casino to get a feel for how a real game is played, once you're old enough.
Study math, especially statistics so you can analyze your playing results once you start playing. Know how to calculate your EV, your standard deviation. Know how to tell if you are winning, or just getting lucky. Know how to calculate when you have reached "the long run". Is it 100 hours? 1000 hours? You need to be able to understand the math. Blackjack is all about math. Learn it. Live it. Love it.
Perfect timing for me! I was up $1000 out of my 1st 13 trips combined (learning to become an AP during this time) and as soon as I got confident that I am playing at an advantage... after my last 5 trips I’m now down $100 so $1100 losing streak betting $5 units with 1-8 spread..
If I grind, I can make consistent money. The minute I'm up an extra $3k or $4k and I start playing bigger, the swings of course get bigger and I lose it all back. If I just stick to my 10 1 spread with some wonging, I can grind forever like that haha. Not great money by any means, but I don't have the patience for these dealers' amazing luck anymore. I find myself saying, "Wowwww! Holy shit!" A lot more often these days. My blackjack sessions are more like watching a David Copperfield show 😂
I've got a similar experience. Literally started out with just a 200 dollar bankroll. Build it to 1300. Went back down to 300. Got it up to 1900. Back down to 900. Now I've able to get it to 2k. No plans to change my bed spread either. 1 to 8 spread with 5 as my betting unit starting out at a >75% ROR and now around 20% ROR with 2k bankroll. 120ish hours in.
N Yang gotcha! I am about to buy the blackjack practice app that Colin sells and hopefully I can figure out my ROR. I’m heading to the casino tonight and have a room so am going to play at least 10 hours. Good luck to us all!
Wtf ! You said you lost about 40000k, where do you get more money from ? unless you’re already rich the average person can not do the same. Where do you get the cash to become a pro player??
Colin started with 2000 dollars, Ben with 800. You Can save 800 or 2000. Then They scaled up bit by bit.They also joined some teams and put their bankroll together. You don't get the 40k overnight. With the wins you increase your bankroll step by step...Live below your means and save for the bankroll...
Since there's probably no way of telling if the casino is cheating (since they generally reshuffle before the shoe ends), is there a list compiled of casinos where Advantage players have reported more losses than wins? I want to avoid those casinos 😅😂
Casinos have everything to lose if they get caught cheating and the gaming commissions don't play around. Why destroy a money printing machine? For these reasons I think it's super rare.
How do you lose 40 thousand dollars in 4 hours? I've never even bet more than 300 dollars on a single hand, and that was in a 2 deck game with a 25 dollar minimum bet, if I'm at a 6 deck game with a 5 dollar min I'll almost never be betting more than 100 (I bet the min bet times 1 plus 3 times 2 less than the truecount, that means if it's a truecount of 5 I'd be betting 50 bucks). Wtf were you doing, betting the max bet whenever the count was anything above the breakeven point?
In your videos you give the logic of why counting cards works in the game of blackjack and why it doesn't if one flipped a coin. What I fail to understand is WHY would you continue playing without having a 'stop loss' limit if you were to encounter a 'bad' day...bearing in mind the fact that, card counting works only between the time a shoe starts and finishes. The next trip to the casino is a new shoe, isn't it? So, why continue losing if you're having a bad day??? This really beats my mind because, if you're playing blackjack professionally (i.e. based on math models). Could you offer a logical explanation please?
Well as long as you're playing perfect basic strategy and properly counting cards, then when you are playing is completely irrelevant. So the fact you are on a losing streak on a particular day doesn't mean you are bound to keep losing if you keep playing on that day. So if the casinos are allowing these guys to play while counting cards and aren't getting kicked out, and they still have enough bankroll to continue playing, why not continue to play?
dude i went to mystic lake today …. was playing basic strategy was up $80 had tipped the old lady dealer $20 when suddenly she tells me i’m a good player but i need to learn to bet better … i was flat betting $10 a hand she tells me how i need to raise my bet to 2 then to 3 chips then back down to 2 then back down to 1 then back to 2 and 3 and so forth …. instantly started losing money fast got mad got down $250 then had a nice swing all the way back up to $350 so i was up $50 and made back all my own money cashed out and got the hell out of dodge
Player doesn't act the same as the dealer. You can make choices based on what the dealer has. That is the advantage. It's not about getting 20 and 21. It's about having more opportunities to beat the dealer than the dealer has to beat you.
I've lost $63,000 on a single hand at MGM Grand. I've lost multiple $40,000 hands at Bellagio. I've won $105,000 in a single session at Bellagio. By the way, Bellagio is not next door to Mirage. There's this place called Caesars in between. The distance door to door from Mirage to Bellagio is 3/4 mile.
if our goal as card counters is to generate expected value inside of a casino, tips can cut into that EV pretty drastically, especially for smaller bankrolls.
I feel like he's telling the truth. It's so odd to hear a gambler tell the truth about how much they've actually won and lost, especially one that's hawking lessons.
Surely it’s each shoe that’s independent rather than each hand … isn’t the influence of preceding hands on the next hand the whole basis of card counting?
I’m broke I lost all my belongings house truck family job need to learn how to count cars can you teach me I’m down to not even a dollar in my pocket thank
I first start play Baccarat n won EVERY TIME FOR 6 MONTHS. Gameplay not too win big and play 20min walk away ,it's better than losing. One time cut card came out ,40hand. First time I was losing.should left but chase it. 4 HR later went home $10.😵😵
Cher played a few hands of BJ after her concert. She lost $50 and she is super upset. The casino host and pit boss both said you can see Cher has never played BJ before.
My biggest win was $2600 in a course of 15 days. Then I lost $4300 last night on two different casinos playing til' I tilted. It made realized this path isn't the right one for me.
Just lost 43 out of 50 hands playing blackjack in one of the worst sessions ive ever had. I dont think ill be playing anymore for a while. My wins are small and my losses are big. Not a good ratio..🙃😵
My biggest win was only losing $850.
Lol
‘Only’ 😂
Mine was 1545
Lmao
Underrated comment !! I lost 500-1000 a week straight till one day I only lost 250 and was actually happen like I won
My biggest loss was my wife . Karen please come back its not a gambling addiction
Man..
Im sorry for you bro.
Stop gambling and get your wife back dude!!
Besides your wife wont read this if she doesnt like gambling/gamblers
hahahaha really nigguh
X acT Muziek it’s investing
@@estar8204 what are u implying? He should invest more and lose more than his wife?
Theres gambling and investing.
This guy is investing his time to gamble gtfo
I lost 200 bucks and I was upset, lol. I can't imagine losing 40k.
40k that you can lose, Is not as bad as the 500.00 you can't.
@@vlad1889 I can lose 500 and be fine, I just dont like losing it haha
why do you think no hotels in Vegas have opening windows ;)
It’s all relative
I lost 5200 in the last 4 days
my biggest win was 5k.
my biggest loss was 7k which happened the day after the 5k lol
ended up just 1k up but hey a wins a win
My biggest win:
$49,500 in a span of 4 days.
My biggest loss:
$32,000 in 1 day.
Still 17000 up then
U still won more so ur good
Nice ride.
How would you say to invest it
@@mariahw7451 Gold and silver bullion.
If I lost 40k at the table, the wife would would walk up behind me and put 2 in the back of my head. I love the honesty, but you guys are big timers and are able to take a big loss. I remember losing $200 one night and felt really bad.
@Luna EB I guess your bankroll should be made up of money you don't need elsewise. Just like money you would invest in the stock market. As I understand, if you're an expert card counter, your EV is probably much higher than "gambling" on the stock market though.
Dude.. no worse feeling than sitting there, knowing you’re making the correct decisions, making the correct plays.. and still getting your teeth kicked in.. I’ve had nights where a dealer could hit their hard 20 and pull an ace... I think it was tommy hyland or Ken Uston who said “ah.. the swings”
There are 3 reasons pros move on from card counting: the swings, the backoffs, and getting bored of it. Swings are definitely up there for the #1 reason.
Working with a retiree down here on some adv ap stuff. I asked him why he stopped.. said after 13 years the variance was getting to him. He had enough, and made enough money to retire comfortably on Miami Beach 😅
Ive never had nights where a dealer had hard 20s and still pulled a card. Since that shouldnt exist.
Or am i missing something here?
Blackjack Apprenticeship have you ever tried playing poker Colin?
@@FutureTrackZ86 Here in Australia the dealer has to sit on 17 whether it's soft 17 or hard 17. Isn't that the case also in the US?
its funny how these dudes are actually playing with as much real money as i play with in gta with not existing money xd
At least you only lost $1.50 on the hotdogs. Doesn't sound like the worst decision
Negative EV hotdog
LMFAOOOOO yea we all tell ourselves this is gonna be the last buy in then we pull out more out of our pocket hoping to ride a damn wave back to the top 😂😂😂😫
Thank you for sharing. I’ve been having negative variance lately. I need to hear pros tell their stories
Hi Lunchtime, thanks Colin. But you are missing the most important point, the Real reason why one loses : your inner energy, your inner vibration, your electro-magnetic Field. Maths are not enough to win consistantly. Vibration Comes first. Practice relaxation, meditation daily ,every morning and before each session. When you lose, stop and go change your vibration, get aligned and then Come back, Always get a positive thinking, emotions and vibration before playing and during the play. To learn more, read the Book "Psychic Gambling Supersystem", by Sunil Padhiar. And more generally also read the Books by Esther and Jerry Hicks/Abraham Hicks. Keep me posted....
@@carynefuture5778 what? Lol
@@carynefuture5778your either a bot or fried
@@FilnetMgnigon😂😂😂
I have to admit that the one thing that spooks me the most is when dealers start pulling of multi-card 21s. One time in Reno the count went very high so I played two hands and got twenties on on both. So there I am thinking "I got this." So it's the dealer starts hitting on her her hand, pulls off a few aces and her total is 16. "I got this! Easy!" Then ................... A FIVE?!?!?!?! A seven card 21!
Just kidding when I say this! OK? "Jeez it's bad enough with Dusty but, Drury again?!?!"
LOL. When its going bad, its really bad. Going to another casino may also not work out. It is wiser to quit and come back the next day.
as long as you are playing a perfect game, you must keep playing if you can. It is not wise to quit and come back another day for the sole reason of "feeling unlucky." Now, if you are tired or have another scheduling obligation, then you should leave. Check out our video about "when to end a session"
@@blackjackapprenticeshipgus6559 Oh yeah. I know. I keep putting out the bets. Also, variance can change at the drop of a dime.
I actually had dealer get a 8 card 21. Nobody including dealer and pit boss had ever seen it before. I knew then it was time to say goodbye 😂
@@wecandobetter9821 lost 3 hands at max bet ($3000) to a 8 card 21. Had 20 on each of my hands. I think the dealer was more stunned than me. It was so shocking it kind of took the edge off the loss.
Lost $400 on a positive shoe that was up to like +10. Last round of the shoe, dealer pulls a blackjack and takes all my money. So painful when the count is super high and the dealer takes all the big cards
+10 is still pretty common. I'm usually at 4-6x my minimum bet at the beggining of a +10 scenario. If I lose a hand and the count increases, that's usually where I either win or go busto!
Is that a running 10 or a true 10?
Exact thing happened to me eexcept I lost $600
Does Excaliber still have the cheap foot long hot dog?
You all absolutely should have talked about longest losing streaks.. hours.. ect. :|
@lasthumankind 🤦♂️ r u trolling or seriously Think you were giving good advice? Bro you’re so far behind Collins average viewer you literally know nothing if that is your advice please just listen to Colin he will teach you right and stop trying to give advice you know absolutely nothing. I’m not trying to be mean and that’s totally OK that you don’t know anything about Playing at an advantage in beating casinos just don’t try to give advice that’s just ridiculous bro stick to what you are good at or learn from Colin before you talk
Okay before I do anything with your service I have one question . How am I supposed to gain an edge by card counting when the lowest amount of decks is double Deck blackjack ? It's almost impossible/ not worth the time to try and count from 104 cards
My biggest win was at Sands, Atlantic City. I was offered a limo for return to Washington, D.C. Turned it down, and asked for a room. They said they were full. By the time I returned . . . I gave it all back, after visiting Resorts . . . and Ballys.
I needed this video man lol
From thousands of hours of playing over 14 years I've seen about 2 or 3 nearly unlosable sessions but I've unfortunately seen about 20 or 30 unwinnable sessions. Those hurt because you cannot believe how many 5 or 6 card 20s and 21s the dealer can make on you and how many hard 16s you will be dealt. The only way to play pro BJ is too hammer it when the count is with you and to get exceptionally good at recognizing shitty tables early in the session.
Yes! The count isn't always positive when you think it is. I made a video of a practice shoe that was "stuck" at tc 5. It would go up but not down. Down is where you make your money. When I pulled the remaining cards prior to the cut card, there were around 10 extra low cards in there. I knew something was wrong just by looking at table composition as each round passed.
There's no such thing as shitty tables
I agree. I've played for at least 30 years or so. Losing sessions are way more often. When the table is on your side, hands of 15's and 16's keep coming like no tomorrow. It's a weird phenomenon (defies statistic). Interestingly, the most I've ever made is online BJ (18 years ago) when I won $57,000 in 4 day winning streaks. So, I understand exactly what you are saying
@@TheExecutioner21 Of course there are “shitty” tables. Any table that pays 6 to 5 on BJ is a very “shitty” table.
I live a few blocks from the Las Vegas strip and I see more and more casinos using those perpetual shuffling machines or the kiss of death to a card counter. However there are more local casinos that are strictly shoe games with very favorable rules, the best being the El Cortez hotel and casino downtown.
Do you have a video about managing a bank roll? Like how much percentage should you put towards a session in ratio to your bank roll?
Brendan Whelan good suggestion
Best video you have shared so far to date
Hey @bja, I was just wondering I notice that when the count goes positive I get a lot of hard 16 and 15 and in all your videos you say that when the count is positive we have the advantage, but I find at least in the short term that I win when the count is positive at the end of the shoe, but what does the count really tell you in the middle of the shoe?
It depends on how deep your positive count is and your true count. If the card count is currently a +7 in the middle of a shoe (3/6) which gives you a +2 TRUE COUNT, you can choose to bet two units but since I'm a player that doesn't want low count numbers, I wait for at least a +10-15 to ensure that the next cards would be more likely TEN or ACE. If you decide to bet with just positive counts +3-+5, that only give you a very very small confirmation that it will be 10s or aces. You need a strong one since you are NOT GAMBLING, you are aiming to win.
You wanna wait until the table is very hot where the house edge is now you. I never play counts below 10.
Also if the count reaches +10-20 already, insurance is more likely to net you a positive return since blackjack is very probable, HOWEVER to card count one must play perfect basic strategy and that means never to take insurance.
Won 1 thousand dollars online feeling great nd happy. Lost it the same day. Right now is that day, i promise I will learn n study come back harder
Are these numbers with wonging or without wonging? Like are they walking into a new shoe, betting low when the count sucks then betting high when the count gets better? If that's the case, you'd need a 1-20 spread or something crazy like that. Cuz if they are wonging in and wonging out, would those losses still happen?
Most double deck games don't allow mid shoe entry. Some casinos don't allow mid shoe entry anywhere. Likely not wonging at high stakes.
Just one question. I play mostly 2 deck when I can. I noticed that the Plus/Minus count at the back of the dealers stop card can very as much as plus 7 or minus 7. How can your count be useful with that much discrepancy? Maybe that can be the cause of bad losing streaks?
you are answering your own question. a Running Count of -7 with a deck or so left? Counting is useful because it tells us to not play in that situation! Sitting out as many player-disadvantaged counts as possible will save EV and help prevent severity of negative variance.
I think the apprenticeship guy misunderstood your question. It's true that the a lot of the valuable cards can be behind the cut card. This is one reason that penetration matters so much. The more penetration you get, the more swings you get and the higher your true count can get. But, they'll never deal out 100% of the cards so you always have some of this. BUT the cards behind the cut card as just as likely to be favorable for you as unfavorable. The goal of the card counter is not to find a way to make actual money on each hand, but to make theoretical money on each hand (EV) and the way to do that is to play with the largest bets when the count is good, even if it doesn't materialize on that hand/deck/shoe.
RS4 vs RS2 is only worth 0.05%. DAS is only worth 0.12%. So I think betting only 1/6 of what you have left would be too conservative when the count gets high enough.
Thank you for taking around 100k in the casinos in Minnesota. I appreciate it lmao
Hi colin!Thank you for this video!
I got a question:
What's your basic (lowest)bet per bet in the beginning of the round when that time you lost $40000?
Is that $100 or more?
That'll be very helpful for me.Thank you!
He mentioned 6 bets.. I assume he's playing between 12-20 bets so $2000-$3500 a hand and lower as he lost... I assume around the 10k mark he was max betting $1000
When u guys say that u play for 10 hrs , does that includes the back counting or just the time in the table?
Back counting is kind of just betting 0 (letting other players play below a positive true count), so that still counts as time generating EV.
Sometimes the backcounting could be 75% of your session. Most shoes suck. I get maybe 5 or 6 hands in at positive counts, with other players. Then it's like "I hope I don't drop another $1k." And then I drop the $1k and get annoyed cause I been counting for 2 hours and was hoping she was The One.
I'm curious: When someone says they won over $300k in two years, does that mean they made a profit of $300k? Or does that mean the total amount won is $300K and they might have had $250k in losses, meaning they were up $50,000 over the course of 2 years, putting them at $25,000/year?
It's profit. It's different than EV though because of variance. The $300k is what is left after all losses have been accounted for. I sum it up at the end of the year. However, if you were to take a snapshot of your winnings at any point in time during a year, you could be ahead by more, but you don't pay taxes on just what happened in October, for example. Like if you made $320k by that month.
I remember the first time I really explored Vegas. I went to Slots of Fun too! :D
To really explore Vegas, I guess a minimum of 10 to 15 days are required. Right?
if u win large amount say $80k, do casinos pay you in cash? or in check? what about W2-G?
If you’re at your local casino and Its under 10k it’s going to be cash. 10k+ you can either get a check or bank wire if you have a relationship with the casino.
If you want to avoid the treasury department coming to you for taxes in a 80k scenario you’ll want to take the 10k that night, and come back everyday for 7 days taking 10k each time till you’ve been paid.
Now if you’re in Vegas, you’ll probably get paid in full that day because it happens all the time there.
you keep playing because the law of large numbers and the law of averages will eventually overtake the bizarre fluctuations of negative variance that are bound to occur. that is the paradox of probability. the longer you play, the more certain it becomes things will balance out but at the same time, the longer you play, the more certain it becomes that absurd losing streaks will manifest themselves.
Having discipline to walk away it's definitely a tough grind and put the work in!
Costco food court hotdogs are pretty good though. Their pizza is good too
if ypu guys dont want to prilocide name and ID how do you get into the game 10k or more since you have to provide name and fill out the crt form
You know it’s not your day when dealer gets a 8 Card 21! Nobody at table including dealer and pit boss had ever seen it before. Same shoe dealer gets 2 card 20 in 5 of 8 hands. Did I walk away? No I actually staggered ! 😂😂
Pushing 21 and Black Jack is just as bad. It happens all the time. Dealers will pull 21 out of the rabbit or they will manage to make their hands in every stiffs.
Bad beats are brutal and they are gut wrenching when you are doing everything right. The important thing is that mind over matter. Take a break or even walk away. They are more often than seeing a winning table where almost everyone has a chance to double against a stiff, all made them and everyone winning afterwards. And I have only seen it just once. That's the way it goes at the Casino. They are there to take your money and you are playing long odds to beat them with your brains.
Lost 300 dollars once however this was from casino profit so I don’t know if this counts
A loss is a loss, no matter where the money Came from.
The biggest lose I've ever heard of from someone I know was when he went to Vegas, won 100k on Saturday, lost it all on Sunday. Put his plane ticket on his credit card to get home.
Alan Jackson it hurt just reading that
Why would you buy a one way ticket to Vegas?
Getting my eyes shot out this year and losing $1k definitely my hardest hit
which was worse?
the problem with card counting math is that it is possible for your losing streak to last longer than your bankroll. you could go totally bust and keep going bust for days or weeks until you are deep in debt. also, who checks the shoe to make sure it does not have more or less cards than it should?
Do you card counters do sidebets ? And when you do, do you always sidebet or when you think (according to count) it will hit a sidebet?
there are specific advantage plays designed around some side bets. Check out Wizard of Odds. don't play them if you don't know the strategy.
@@blackjackapprenticeshipgus6559 honestly.. i ALWAYS play sidebets.
Most of the time its what gives me the boost i need.
Basic strategy isnt always perfect either, eventho in the long run it will get you the edge.
But i dont have a bankroll to stretch it that long usually.
Sometimes i just play blackjack for the quick bankroll boost.
Example: when i have 40 euro left in account i go blackjack and see if i get the feelin the table will go my way for the first couple of hands.
Usually they do otherwise i wont join that table.. as soon as i reach 80eu in account i re evaluate the hands ive played and what i think the next 2 hands will do (win for me or for dealer)
If i feel like its gonna be for me i continue , otherwise i either change table or take small break.
But sometimes i play blackjack for over 2 hours and just go up and down the balance, real rollercoasters.
I do believe i am getting much better than begin 2019. So im improving. :-)
And someone told me.. either always play sidebets..or never play them at all.. dont be inbetween cuz you regret it when u dont play and miss out on big wins. Or do play and never hit it.
So 95% of the time i play sidebets except if my bankroll doesnt allow it
I do. The payout it’s bigger, but I only play it when I’m feeling confident about it or lucky.
I love what you're doing. Casinos are crook's, got my wallet stolen and they wouldn't help me find it on mothers day of all days!
You were in a casino on mother's day?
What on earth were you doing in a casino on Mother's Day?
How is the stolen wallet their responsibility?
Lmao they gaslighting you hard in the comments
I feel this video shows that card counting should not be attempted by the casual weekend player. Been playing over thirty years..Influenced by Ken Ueston(sic) who is considered the Godfather of card counting . Better to master basic strategy, have money management and know when to walk away up or down. Your weekend trips will be better,
backed off last week for the first time .. with a $50 max bet.. define sweating the action! Colin would know the Casino .. south of Bellingham. Not looking forward to these big losses coming up :)
Tulalip?
Powerful emotions are what cause memory to reside in your memory. The negatives are more stressful as compared to the upbeat feeling you get when you win big. Consider how much time you spend mulling over your big loss than you spend mulling over your big win. A big win fills you with a sense of freedom and happiness... a big loss causes all kinds of negative self talk that can last for a while.
Up 90k in Minnesota? Thats where i live i wonder if hes talking about mystic lake or grand casino hinkley
Awesome
When is loudon often going on GWAE?!
Hi brother. Big fan from india
t series gay
Do u use same strategy on betting blackjack online or is it not good for card counting.
Water of time.
yeah, don't play online blackjack. check out our video about it
@@blackjackapprenticeshipgus6559 which video
I have to agree with this I dont play big like you guys do. But I was a thousand dollars down but I kept following the math and suddenly the count heat up and I was quickly 4,000 up. I have not got any real losses but soon it will happens
sounds like you have caught some good positive variance. yes, the losses will come. but mathematically they will be slightly outnumbered by the wins in the long run. IF you are playing correctly.
How do you deal with all that cash? Keeping it on your person, flying with it, personal security, etc?
Ziploc bags 😅
tdfitch that’s fun !
If you watch their documentary "Holy Rollers" they'd strap it to themselves under their clothes like drug mules.
This is a good video thank you. On some old school Blackjack books I read they said if you lose 4 hands in a row that's it.
Really? Interesting. Who said that?
Great advise. If I lose 3 hands in a row, I change table or casino.
That's actually the opposite of what you should do. It's exactly the same if you play 10 more hands that night, than if you play 10 more hands the next night. You have to keep playing and trust the math. If you get shy and stop playing you'll never reach the long term.
@@LeoAr37 Dear, when its not your day, its not your day. Better quit and come back another day.
@@Shawk95 this is wrong. the math doesn't care what day it is. the math is simply a law of large numbers, the more positive EV blackjack hands we can play, the better.
Do you bet on side bets??? thanks
@Sheldon Cooper i only know the 21+3 and pp sidebet.
I have best odds on 21+3 because those will drop in more than pairs in my experience
Even betting at higher stakes and spreads, their should he 2 types of loss limits. 1 should be how much your willing to lose at 1 table, and another is how much to be lost in 1 day. Tomorrow is always another fresh opportunity.
My biggest win was $50 on black... I quit while I was ahead
When I hear someone say they are a professional card counter for 20 years and their entire wins only adds up to 600,000 kinda worries me. For some reason I feel like it should be a lot more!
this.
It actually shouldn't. You have to remember, they're playing a game that is designed for you to lose.
Exactly. 30k a year before tax so really like 26k. For 20 years. Imagine being in your 40s or 50s being a “professional” at anything and only making 26k a year. Should be making 3-4 times more at least.
Also it is frowned upon. At least in poker it is supported and you can make more money and have more fun and get trophies and be recognized for you efforts. I’d rather be a professional poker player if I’m going to be gambling.
We need to have the same conversation with the people who stack gold and silver instead of dividend paying stocks. 😂😂
Astounding generalizations here.
Professional gamblers can deduct expenses as it relates to their career, and follow up on that, there's no way to be a full time counter, you'd get 86'd across the country.
Did I just see you sit down at a 6-5 table? Lol 1:26 I’m assuming it was so you could get a clip without being bothered?
(1) When you go play in another town, is it safe to carry a bunch of cash? (2) What is the best betting system? I always add one unit when I win and go back to my minimum when I lose. This system has yielded me the biggest winning sessions ever (3) I don't know how to count, have never tried and have no inclination to learn.
You do not have to learn how to count but just note that if you do not know how to count, you will lose in the long run. No progressive system can go over the house edge. Even if you won some money with your system, you are just lucky and you will start losing if you play it for long enough.
@@GaryLuKOTH Thanks for the advise.
hey colin, im currently 16 ive been watching your videos for sometime and im really trying to get into card counting, whats your advice for somebody my age
Not Colin here, but you've got so much time till you're legal that really any counting drills or basic strategy memorizing would be fine. You've got 5 years to practice unless you get a fake ID
EarnedMyResp3ct , thx man i m stil trying to figure out how to bet, bet i guess i must figure the basics first
Practice. Every day. Learn to play every possible hand perfectly. Once you can do that, learn hi lo, and practice going through the deck. Pull one card from the deck and don't look at it. When you finish counting the deck you should know that last card's count value. From there work on strategy deviations while keeping the count, and play those perfectly as well. Practice counting and canceling hands for faster performance. I feel that you should be backcounting anyway, so you can use it to practice in a casino to get a feel for how a real game is played, once you're old enough.
Study math, especially statistics so you can analyze your playing results once you start playing. Know how to calculate your EV, your standard deviation. Know how to tell if you are winning, or just getting lucky. Know how to calculate when you have reached "the long run". Is it 100 hours? 1000 hours? You need to be able to understand the math. Blackjack is all about math. Learn it. Live it. Love it.
Makes some money to get a bankroll
Of course you have
Perfect timing for me! I was up $1000 out of my 1st 13 trips combined (learning to become an AP during this time) and as soon as I got confident that I am playing at an advantage... after my last 5 trips I’m now down $100 so $1100 losing streak betting $5 units with 1-8 spread..
If I grind, I can make consistent money. The minute I'm up an extra $3k or $4k and I start playing bigger, the swings of course get bigger and I lose it all back. If I just stick to my 10 1 spread with some wonging, I can grind forever like that haha. Not great money by any means, but I don't have the patience for these dealers' amazing luck anymore. I find myself saying, "Wowwww! Holy shit!" A lot more often these days. My blackjack sessions are more like watching a David Copperfield show 😂
I've got a similar experience. Literally started out with just a 200 dollar bankroll. Build it to 1300. Went back down to 300. Got it up to 1900. Back down to 900. Now I've able to get it to 2k. No plans to change my bed spread either. 1 to 8 spread with 5 as my betting unit starting out at a >75% ROR and now around 20% ROR with 2k bankroll. 120ish hours in.
N Yang what is ROR? I’ve probably heard of it just not the abbreviation
@@derekmoore295 Risk of ruin, the chance of you losing your entire bankroll.
N Yang gotcha! I am about to buy the blackjack practice app that Colin sells and hopefully I can figure out my ROR. I’m heading to the casino tonight and have a room so am going to play at least 10 hours. Good luck to us all!
Did you play at Slots of Fun or just eat?
How much u betting a hand with 80k?
Wtf ! You said you lost about 40000k, where do you get more money from ? unless you’re already rich the average person can not do the same. Where do you get the cash to become a pro player??
Colin started with 2000 dollars, Ben with 800. You Can save 800 or 2000. Then They scaled up bit by bit.They also joined some teams and put their bankroll together. You don't get the 40k overnight. With the wins you increase your bankroll step by step...Live below your means and save for the bankroll...
@6:22, they "Flat Bet Him" ! geez
What does that mean?
Throwing 40k around but buying $1 hotdogs.. 🤔
It takes a TON of discipline to walk away when it just isn't your day. I did it today actually lol. But I kept my loss low.
When guy says he ONLY brought $80,000 dollars with him to the casino...you know these are high-rollers.
With Roulette I always bet on 0 and win within 3 spins, then I went to play blackjack and lost 100 Euro in 30 minutes. I'm still sick about it :c
Since there's probably no way of telling if the casino is cheating (since they generally reshuffle before the shoe ends), is there a list compiled of casinos where Advantage players have reported more losses than wins? I want to avoid those casinos 😅😂
Casinos have everything to lose if they get caught cheating and the gaming commissions don't play around. Why destroy a money printing machine? For these reasons I think it's super rare.
I’d love to make this sort of money especially being out of work 😩
How do you lose 40 thousand dollars in 4 hours? I've never even bet more than 300 dollars on a single hand, and that was in a 2 deck game with a 25 dollar minimum bet, if I'm at a 6 deck game with a 5 dollar min I'll almost never be betting more than 100 (I bet the min bet times 1 plus 3 times 2 less than the truecount, that means if it's a truecount of 5 I'd be betting 50 bucks). Wtf were you doing, betting the max bet whenever the count was anything above the breakeven point?
In your videos you give the logic of why counting cards works in the game of blackjack and why it doesn't if one flipped a coin. What I fail to understand is WHY would you continue playing without having a 'stop loss' limit if you were to encounter a 'bad' day...bearing in mind the fact that, card counting works only between the time a shoe starts and finishes. The next trip to the casino is a new shoe, isn't it? So, why continue losing if you're having a bad day??? This really beats my mind because, if you're playing blackjack professionally (i.e. based on math models). Could you offer a logical explanation please?
Well as long as you're playing perfect basic strategy and properly counting cards, then when you are playing is completely irrelevant. So the fact you are on a losing streak on a particular day doesn't mean you are bound to keep losing if you keep playing on that day. So if the casinos are allowing these guys to play while counting cards and aren't getting kicked out, and they still have enough bankroll to continue playing, why not continue to play?
My biggest lost is when city towing in Lincoln park Michigan stole my astro van crooked as a old vine stick
I got rinsed for 800 last night. Didn't matter what I did. The dealer almost always made their hand or had a 20. Shoe after shoe.
And I’m over here dying because I’ve lost 500 lmao
dude i went to mystic lake today …. was playing basic strategy was up $80 had tipped the old lady dealer $20 when suddenly she tells me i’m a good player but i need to learn to bet better … i was flat betting $10 a hand she tells me how i need to raise my bet to 2 then to 3 chips then back down to 2 then back down to 1 then back to 2 and 3 and so forth …. instantly started losing money fast got mad got down $250 then had a nice swing all the way back up to $350 so i was up $50 and made back all my own money cashed out and got the hell out of dodge
If the count is high for you, isn't it high for the dealer as well?
Charles Dyga yes And that’s why the dealer can bust.
True high count means it had an advantage over the dealer..whichever way.
Player doesn't act the same as the dealer. You can make choices based on what the dealer has. That is the advantage. It's not about getting 20 and 21. It's about having more opportunities to beat the dealer than the dealer has to beat you.
The dealer has different rules than the player.
You get paid 3 to 2 on bj, but only lose what you bet when dealer gets bj. You can stand on 12 to 16, dealer has to take a hit.
I think it's ok to have a Max loss on a single day at a single property. You can always play again tommorro!!
I've lost $63,000 on a single hand at MGM Grand. I've lost multiple $40,000 hands at Bellagio. I've won $105,000 in a single session at Bellagio. By the way, Bellagio is not next door to Mirage. There's this place called Caesars in between. The distance door to door from Mirage to Bellagio is 3/4 mile.
What is reason behind not tipping the dealer?
if our goal as card counters is to generate expected value inside of a casino, tips can cut into that EV pretty drastically, especially for smaller bankrolls.
My biggest win was $850.00 in 8 hours. Most times losing.
What is EV ?
I feel like he's telling the truth. It's so odd to hear a gambler tell the truth about how much they've actually won and lost, especially one that's hawking lessons.
Of course he's telling the truth, why would he feel the need to lie.
@@shelby6622 because he's selling something?
I feel better now
Surely it’s each shoe that’s independent rather than each hand … isn’t the influence of preceding hands on the next hand the whole basis of card counting?
The results are dependent on what cards have been dealt so far. They are not dependent on whether or not you won or lost.
My biggest loss was $16.00 over 2 hours after being up $75,200.00
I’m broke I lost all my belongings house truck family job need to learn how to count cars can you teach me I’m down to not even a dollar in my pocket thank
Yet you still have a phone or access to the Internet .... odd
Money management?
I first start play Baccarat n won EVERY TIME FOR 6 MONTHS. Gameplay not too win big and play 20min walk away ,it's better than losing. One time cut card came out ,40hand. First time I was losing.should left but chase it. 4 HR later went home $10.😵😵
Cher played a few hands of BJ after her concert. She lost $50 and she is super upset. The casino host and pit boss both said you can see Cher has never played BJ before.
My biggest win was $2600 in a course of 15 days. Then I lost $4300 last night on two different casinos playing til' I tilted. It made realized this path isn't the right one for me.
Can someone suggest an online blackjack game where we can practice and not get smoked with adds.
Go to Wizard of Odds website. In the menu click "Play for fun", then "Blackjack Card Counting"
Great website.
done.
Just lost 43 out of 50 hands playing blackjack in one of the worst sessions ive ever had. I dont think ill be playing anymore for a while. My wins are small and my losses are big. Not a good ratio..🙃😵
I'm just curious, how many years are we talking when you say 600k plus career?
He says 2-3 years before doing teams
I am up way over 100000 and it doesnt involve gambling. (Working hard)