For those unfamiliar with counting cards we have an entire playlist of beginners videos discussing the basics, defining the terms, and teaching basic strategy here if you want to learn more: th-cam.com/video/SHK2C-QQR-k/w-d-xo.html&pp=iAQB
I just heard that card counters hit the Mirage before it closed weeks back. Supposedly the dealers didnt care because a number of them wont be re-assigned to another hotel and given their pink slips
I once had a pit boss come over to quietly look at my play. At the same time, the guy sitting next to me was trying to convince me to make one of those side bets that are only there for suckers. On the next hand, I loudly said "Okay, okay, I'll make the side bet. Just this once!" I made the bet, the guy shut up, and the pit boss left, because he knew no card counter would ever be dumb enough to make one of those bets. Two birds with one stone.
Had a cool dealer ask me if I'm counting because I keep changing my bets and I just said yea (didn't care to get backed off). He was cool about it and said he counts at other casinos. We kept talking until he had to move tables, should've made a small team with that guy what a legend lol
@@BestofAdinRoss The "Pit" watches the Dealers just as carefully as it watches the "Players". Any Dealer doing anything "suspicious" will be out on their ass quicker than any so called "Counter". These How to Play BJ and "COUNT" videos make me laugh!!!! " COUNTING"!!!!! Maybe only 5 or so in all of VEGAS! ( I mean real SUCCESSFUL Counters! )
I used to work in the industry, the local card counters were well known. I was a dealer at the time and if you’re tipping then I am dealing, and would continue until the floor supervisor came over. If you are a known non-tipper, the supervisor gets called over immediately. Take from that what you will.
I have only been to a casino a few times, but our local casino had printed flyers giving basic information about card counting and how to try and do it at the table. They made it clear you couldn't use any device or write anything down, but you were encouraged to try and do it in your head.
@@Johnny2Feathers that’s what I’m thinking lol. They probably handed out basic strategy cards and people like the OP, thought it was strategy to count cards.
@@b49730 honestly, from a casino standpoint its not a bad idea to encourage the learners. you will 100% lose money counting cards until you are virtually perfect, by giving people a spot to play it encourages them to play more hands for “practice” effectively winning the casino more money. nobodies going to look at a guide for counting cards and immediately pick it up. the casino could still back off people that are doing a little too well at counting.
@@aidendoig4542 I can agree to your standpoint as well. It helps encourage advantage play and majority of the time they may be making mistakes and losing money in the process. However, I feel like by encouraging people to advantage playing, it discredits the casinos credibility.
As a dealer myself I would play dumb to it.The casino only pays me $3 an hour,the rest we make on tips when the player wins,and it might be hard for the mayority of players to believe but we’re on their side.Just don’t be obvious,surveillance is always watching
@@Phlegethon there is no “flow of the cards” and don’t let anyone try to rattle you on that. If the count is positive than play it no matter what, you’re there to win while others are there to gamble and lose
When I was a dealer for 2 years, I only ever had a couple people count on my tables, and they were never any good. Bad betting, inaccurate count in general. Told my Pit and he said ''I know, they aren't very good though so we let them play.'' I logged a couple thousand hours counting just at work haha.
I was playing in downtown Vegas around 3am at a place I'll call the Ivy Monarchs. It was a $10 table, but the guy next to me whipped out $9k and was asking to raise the table max. The other players just kind of copied him, doubling their bets whenever he did. The pit boss thought all 5 players were in on it, but hesitated to act because the $9k guy was losing. They even sent in random single 'tourists' at 6am to ask how long we've known each other. It was comical.
I can't really understand the people who defend casinos "they are private business bro". Imagine going to a circus or similar carnaval. A guy shouts throw a basketball 3 times in the row and win. Everyone fails so he's happy. Then you come who played basketball all your life and easily hit it 3 times. You win, but the guy bans you from the circus/carnaval.
You don't get banned by winning once. You get banned by consistently winning, and costing the casino/carnival money. A carnival prize is likely going to be worth less to the carnival than even the price of a single play of the game, or at the very most will only cost the carnival a few cents after considering the price of the game. Meanwhile, a casino will always lose money to a winning player, due to the nature of gambling.
imagine if you could have a 110% revenue by counting and leading the casino to be at a 10% deficit for as long as you are playing. it is straight up losing money. now the carnival prizes are worth like 1$ or 2$. sometimes the big prizes is worth like 5$. you still have to pay to try to win and often the amount you payed to even play is more than the prize you win
I don't think that people are agreeing with casinos' practices. They're just saying that casinos have the right to do so as private businesses, which they do whether it's right or wrong. Don't support the business if you don't agree with their practices.
Many moons ago I could count Omega II. I asked a pit boss about counting once and he said their issue is not the counting but the bet spread. He said if a player keeps the bet range spread one to four or one to five nobody is going to say anything. He said the problem is the person that goes from one to 20 because if you win the 20 the casino can't ever have the opportunity to win that back.
Casinos control everything. They are watching you while you play whether it's slots or card games. They watch everyone. They have special teams who watch camera footage 24/7
there's a very interesting video or even research paper to be made on how much money casinos save by kicking out good counters vs how much they sink or never see from all the efforts they take to spot counters and kicking out bad ones like you said. I'd be very interested to get even rough percentages of good vs bad counters and counters vs non counters a casino sees on average. It must be an incredibly tiny fraction of their total patronage who are actually winning big
While very interesting it would be incredibly hard to do.... not only would it be impossible to get data from the casinos, it would be very difficult to separate out true costs and $$ won/lost. Keep in mind that card counters aren't breaking any rules and they are only _improving_ their chances of winning, not guaranteeing it... so how do you differentiate a "bad" counter from a counter who just lucked out that night? Also, a casino isn't sinking any additional resources into card counters that aren't already there to identify actual cheaters... all the surveillance, equipment, pit bosses, and even each game's rules are designed first & foremost to prevent cheating. And as blackjack only makes up a portion of the games at most casinos, the impact to the casino's bottom line is going to be hard to quantify. Personally, I agree that card counters make up a very small portion of most casinos' patrons and an even smaller number of them are successful. Given how readily they can mitigate a card counter's advantage with things like multiple decks, shuffling, etc, I can only assume that those casinos who choose not to bother either don't see card counting as a big problem _and/or_ they are banking on identifying advantage players _after_ they have put money down but _before_ they win too big at the tables.
You’re the goat Colin, these videos taught me everything I needed to know. I will buy a BJA membership one day when I grow my bankroll enough, just to show appreciation.
@@MrCrisco145 isn’t it like 300$ upfront? I have a small 4000 bankroll that I am building, and I have a shit job so if I have to replenish it would be quite slowly.
they shouldnt b allowed to back anyone off for playing the game and not actually cheating. if anything when that happens they should cut the shoe or shuffle ect.
Exactly, they could literally add a "shoe will automatically reshuffle after 50 hands" if they see a card counter.. Hell casinos can card count themselves and if they wanted to be nasty with it they could easily force a shuffle once the true count reaches ~5.
Just experienced my first back off ever at the El Cortez. Thanks BJA! Took their money before it happened and I can finally say that I got backed off at the famous El Cortez haha. Even though they sweat any action above minimum it’s still a bit validating lol.
El Cortez is so sweaty. When I was spreading from 25 $ to 125 $ on a single deck at El Cortez, the pit boss came and told the dealer to shuffle mid-deck on any high bet that she sees me make.
I remember at the beginning of my training I was doubling down on hard 20s because I didn't realize I had to take another card and it said "Wrong! You should've stayed!" I also didn't know whether to hit or stand on stiff hands (especially hard 16) Answer: Stand 13-16 vs 2-6, S12 vs 4-6, 16 vs 10 at a positive running count (assuming you can't surrender), hit the rest of your stiff hands.
I tried to be a card counter in mid 😮90’s. In my experience with downtown single deck downtown casinos (horseshoe/pioneer), the dealer would simply shuffle on plus count hands when someone at the table was varying bets.
The place I started dealing, didn't care about card counters. Teams used to sit at the tables with step counters, or umpire counters, all out in the open. The whole reason casinos started going to multi-deck shoes was to nullify the advantage of counting. Now with 8 decks shuffled together, and then 2 of them cut off, counting can't create a big enough difference to make you a long term winner. It's like any other system now, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. If you win while counting, it's just because you won, like you do half of the sessions playing any system.
something that happened to me when I played as the loser so my friend could get introduced to counting (with the help of another person at the table we didn't know) was the dealer would shuffle every hand with a 6 deck set so the count would restart and they got a blackjack almost every time.
Casino: "Waah. You used your ability memorize things plainly out in the open to beat us. Noooooo..." If casinos don't want card counters, then remove the games that make it a viable strategy.
This video would make more sense if you first explained whet you mean by "backoff". I've played blackjack in casinos many times and never heard this term before.
One thing I'll never understand, when I was taught blackjack years ago, I got told to change my bet depending on how I felt at the time, if changing bets is one of the few ways to flag people, that's not exactly smart on their behalf xD - I would like to know how many lucky players just got backed off because they won.
At the house I work for we just call surveillance and let them handle it. Pretty easy to spot the counters but it’s up to the eye to make the call(literally) and then we back them off.
Hey Colin, I’m French and I kinda like black Jack and your videos so first thanks for that. And I was wondering if you could do an explanation on how the way European black Jack is dealt impacts the game on basic strategies and care counting ? ( cause in France for example the dealers doesn’t have 2 cards and reveals the second he only gets one then he hits only after the players are done playing) Do you know if that changes anything concerning basic strategy and is there any chance I can take an advantage of it?
I heard than in Europe most casinos use continuous shuffle machines. If that is true then card counting will not work. The reason cars counting works is because the deck is finite. Continuous shuffle machines effectively make the deck infinite.
I really don't know how card counting is defined. When I play blackjack, I often think "there have been a lot of face cards recently, so I will gamble that a lower card will appear next. Is that card counting?
This is great info, unfortunately I don't gamble, don't know how to play poker, and don't know what a card counter is. But if I cross that bridge, oh mama I'm gonna be informed
I don’t count but I had a pit boss on me one night just because I was winning and has a betting strategy. He came up and asked if I was counting and I told him no and when he asked me why I was betting the way I was I explained it and he goes “that’s counting.” I don’t think he knows what he’s talking about it was a very basic strategy
when I started counting in '61 I could tell the floor man I was counting. It would have been ignored. Within a few years, by '64, people were getting thrown out, sometimes using physical violence. A counter was considered a cheater, a criminal, and grave threat. I quickly took evasive action, e.g., "wonging in". Once in Harrah's Lake Tahoe, '69, I stood between two tables, jumping in/out to make a bet at 1st base on my left and last spot on my right, single deck. I stood there, looking straight ahead, but counting both decks, using peripheral vision. It was fun and profitable for a half hour but they stopped me when I had a hand at both tables at the same time. "Back-offs" in Vegas were kidnapping, death threats, robbery, illegal searches, photos, and '86ed. The tension grew after over a dozen attacks, and I "retired" in '83. I wish I had kept notes for a book. At 81, I still look for an advantage but all the clubs have well trained dealers. I can no longer "front load" or "1st base" or "spook".
This might sound like a naive question, but I've got to ask anyway: I get that casinos prefer that the punters lose and not win, but card counting isn't illegal, is it? So where do casinos stand legally? Can they simply refuse your custom, pretty much for whatever reason (obviously including card counting)?
Basically yeah, they can. While card counting isn't foolproof it statistically tilts the balance toward the player, which means casinos would lose. While people have complained that casinos scam people, the thing is, if casinos weren't winning, they'd be slowly losing or going out of business so they need the statistical edge. Casinos are like lottery: the vast majority of players loses, a few players win, maybe significant amounts, and the organizers extract a fairly stable margin. Your compensation is supposed to be the excitement of the game, they claim they are selling entertainment.
You should track down a few other card counter TH-camrs and have them sit at every seat at a blackjack table and once you have everyone at the table, everyone starts counting cards all at once
I was Count Team at my casino in New Jersey. The ONLY way under NJ regulations I could use cameras was for Surveillance to have a stand alone monitor in an outer office to view the one game I have a suspected counter on. Only there I could view and document their play. Otherwise,. I had to do it in the pit.
@@glungusgongus You mean if the dealer suspects a counter? Or do you mean how a dealer increased his expected ev? The only thing I can think of he could help "legally" is maybe side counting for him. But, if a dealer appears to be helping, there would be "hell to pay" when he gets caught. Also, most dealers really can't count. Many think they do but, not as well as they think.
I've backed off a number of card counters...I had a couple things that told me it was "time"...1) Is he working with a team? Yes, I can tell. 2) Is he manipulating when he cashes out...He just leaves with the chips and never buys in with cash. (Tells we we aren't risking the loss of cash flow). I also would evaluate the quality of the player. I have told my boss..."Hey, he's trying, but he's not very good...let him play." Yes, my Casino backed Colin off. It was someone else besides me because Colin tended to play other shifts.
If they ask me if I'm counting cards bc I changed my bet, I go from hand signals to talking like I'm mentally challenged to throw them off the scent. Dealer: Are you counting cards? I noticed you've been changing your bets oddly. Me: I dunno where my mom went, I have a lot of cookies. I mean chips🙃
Does that cards counting strategy also works for the casino apps like governor of poker. Because the thing is that in mobile apps the deck is being shuffled EVERY SINGLE GAME!
99.99% of dealers have zero clue if you're a card counter. Many make multiple mistakes per day just trying to add their hand compared to the players. Everytime I've had a dealer say they think someone is counting it's because a player did something batshit fucking stupid like split 5's or double a hard 14, they may be marking cards but they sure as hell aren't counting
So I used basic strategy and figured out how to count the odds of getting the bonus side bets and have made $800 off side bets they will talk to you try to distract you try to get you look away from the table they. I haven't been backed off but security and pit bosses were watching me very closely.p
I once had other players alert me to casino heat. When the ban occurred, the players at the table were like frat boys "OHHHH, HE'S COUNTING CARDS! ROBBING INDIANS TONIGHT!"
I guess I misunderstood the video title, I thought this was going to be an explenation of the actual process of how they determine whether someone's counting on not (regardless of who's actually catching it)
I got backed off once when i was just using basic strategy. The pit boss asked me directly if i was counting and i just told him "the table says dealer stands on all 17s so i just try to tie with it."
It amazes me the insane convoluted lengths casinos will go to, to allow people to believe in the existence of some kind of skill technique or system of winning
Is changing the amount you bet all the time considered card counting ? Casinos can reshuffle all cards for every round played and that would beat card counting.
I know the basics of Black jack but have never been to a casino. So question. Why don’t the casinos just add more decks of cards to the table ? If they were playing with say 5 decks at the same time wouldn’t it be impossible to count ?
Most casinos play with 6 or 8 decks but that is still beatable and we discuss that some here: th-cam.com/video/u3ZYXfYK1d0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=b4Fv3bQODn6xWSUR
Newbie here. I guess (pun) I missed what is the "body language" or "tells" from a player that suggests he/she is card counting. Thanks for the content.
I was shuffle tracking at a casino in Oregon and when I asked for the cut the dealer asked if I was tracking.i said yes and she called floor to come watch they just wanted to see if it worked.the other players had never heard of it. I said I better put my money where my mouth was bet big and won four in a row pushing each time. They didn't care and congratulated me
see, ive thought of one way casino's could screw over card counters, every time a player says "hit" or makes a large bet they burn a card from the deck then do the hit it would counter card counters, i dont know why casino's dont just add that into their system of blackjack, i do understand they burn the top card of the deck when they begin but that does next to nothing for cardcounting (im not saying they should do this as i do enjoy a bit of card counting myself but it would stop them having to back off)
Having a multi decade long career in a casino with many years in surveillance, the two biggest mistakes I have heard and seen in both the pit and the surveillance room itself are “he isn’t betting big enough to be a card counter” and “oh he isn’t winning at all, so he isn’t counting.” Lots of uneducated people in small casinos and resort sized casinos
Most dealers don't seem to care but it's obvious when you count. I've had some dealers that get mad, but most are cool. One guy threw the cards at me in Atlantic City and said I was a counter even though I was down $700. Some people have weird personality disorders.
I've only played blackjack a handful of times... but I've been shuffled after investing time into a pretty good/productive count. It was a bummer and I just moved on.
You can't win at card counting without a spread of at least 12 to 1. 16 to 1 is preferable. The casinos will not let you do that. The last time I was at Binion's in LV, they told me "keep your spread at 4 to 1 and we will play with you". Playing partners is the only way to win by counting. Been that way for a long time. Also, who is counting cards in a 6 deck game when there are plenty of 2 deck games in Vegas.
I think, it depends on the day! Weekends gets busier, weekdays slow, very slow! If the casino has fewer people playing and things are slow, they're more flexible with their rules and policies to keep customers playing and sell them drinks and food!
That little casino on Fremont Street I forgot the name accused me of being a card counter and said I had to leave I was just drunk and my head was moving back and forth a lot but I don't know a thing about coming cards I was about 600$ ahead when I got thrown out so I cashed in and thanked them and left
I have no idea how to count cards. I was there from 10 pm to 4am. They started changing dealers more often than usually and i was still wining. But bosses did the cross armed thing on me because i was up $1400 by 4 am. They offered me free breakfast. I got tired so i left. Lol
Unless you're being a jerk or making the table uncomfortable for others, a dealer will usually leave you alone. There is a reason why dealers alert the pit boss to sudden large bets (usually $100+ on $10-$25 tables). Just be calm and polite and keep your bet scaling low.
LOL, literally in the same paragraph of his tirade he's like "Guy didn't like I was only playing good hands, but I'm there to win." then "If you recognize me, don't rat me out." Well if you're screwing me over with your card counting, guess what, I'll rat you out in a heartbeat, I'm there to win too.
Tell me what a "backroom" is. It is also another painful consequence you face as an advantage card player when you are caught card counting at the casinos.
i was at an casino in arizona. i dont count but i just play basic strat and what last hand cards were if lots of 10s in last hand i dont bet alot if there arnt alot of 10s in last hand i bet more. but they backed me off talked to me away from my friends and said i could only bet one bet the whole shoe
I'm not a gambler, I know my limitations!😅 But what I don't understand is the players are playing by the houses rules? So if you have a mind that can think gambling their own money simultaneously, how's that not right? If the player had an illegal advantage, earpiece computer to make the calculated bet,fine that's cheating? The house can happily take your money, but hates to give it back!
From the Surveillance side I wanted to find something to disagree with you on. But, I have to admit you are right on in your analysis. The only thing is you are missing the very top way card counters give themselves away. The Tipoff to the Ripoff!
Sitting in a small Laughlin casino, slow middle of the night, just us and one other woman. She is taking insurance every time, losing and asking why I wasn't. Finally, the true count became so lopsided, dealer showing an ace, I take insurance and the woman doesn't saying she's tired of giving her money away. Yep, a 10 card. I get paid and the woman goes batshit crazy, screaming, no consoling from me mattered. Pit boss comes running, me telling him we'll find a quieter table as this woman is hysterical having lost so much. Now everyone focused on her throwing a tantrum. We pick up chips and leave. Sometimes your biggest threat is sitting next to you.
most casinos don't care or even encourage you to card count. the reason is simple. having somebody win big gives the impression that others can also win big. the average customer doesn't know how to card count or notice somebody is card counting. they only see somebody winning big and think they can do it too.
For those unfamiliar with counting cards we have an entire playlist of beginners videos discussing the basics, defining the terms, and teaching basic strategy here if you want to learn more: th-cam.com/video/SHK2C-QQR-k/w-d-xo.html&pp=iAQB
How is this legal ?
@tedphillips2501 how would it be illegal you aren't changing the outcome of the game physically you just using info I. Your head.
Where's Rainman?
Does card counting work with online casinos?
I just heard that card counters hit the Mirage before it closed weeks back. Supposedly the dealers didnt care because a number of them wont be re-assigned to another hotel and given their pink slips
I once had a pit boss come over to quietly look at my play. At the same time, the guy sitting next to me was trying to convince me to make one of those side bets that are only there for suckers. On the next hand, I loudly said "Okay, okay, I'll make the side bet. Just this once!" I made the bet, the guy shut up, and the pit boss left, because he knew no card counter would ever be dumb enough to make one of those bets. Two birds with one stone.
Did you win that side bet ?
Little did you know he was waiting for you to say leave me the fuck alone bud to the side bet guy lol.
Which side bets you talking about? (I haven’t been in casino yet lmfao just curious$
@@kingofgrim4761 could be pairs/ suited.
@@johnandrews9433 Bc that came back with more questions
Had a cool dealer ask me if I'm counting because I keep changing my bets and I just said yea (didn't care to get backed off). He was cool about it and said he counts at other casinos. We kept talking until he had to move tables, should've made a small team with that guy what a legend lol
he must be the chillest guy
@@oleafyworld I mean if they make money from tips they probably want you to win
@@stinginggolf3952 that's a good point
@@stinginggolf3952 win for both parties, screw the casino.
@@BestofAdinRoss The "Pit" watches the Dealers just as carefully as it watches the "Players". Any Dealer doing anything "suspicious" will be out on their ass quicker than any so called "Counter". These How to Play BJ and "COUNT" videos make me laugh!!!! " COUNTING"!!!!! Maybe only 5 or so in all of VEGAS! ( I mean real SUCCESSFUL Counters! )
I used to work in the industry, the local card counters were well known. I was a dealer at the time and if you’re tipping then I am dealing, and would continue until the floor supervisor came over. If you are a known non-tipper, the supervisor gets called over immediately. Take from that what you will.
I have only been to a casino a few times, but our local casino had printed flyers giving basic information about card counting and how to try and do it at the table. They made it clear you couldn't use any device or write anything down, but you were encouraged to try and do it in your head.
Now that sounds like a fun thing to try every once in a while 😆
Was probably a basic strategy card
@@Johnny2Feathers that’s what I’m thinking lol. They probably handed out basic strategy cards and people like the OP, thought it was strategy to count cards.
@@b49730 honestly, from a casino standpoint its not a bad idea to encourage the learners. you will 100% lose money counting cards until you are virtually perfect, by giving people a spot to play it encourages them to play more hands for “practice” effectively winning the casino more money. nobodies going to look at a guide for counting cards and immediately pick it up. the casino could still back off people that are doing a little too well at counting.
@@aidendoig4542 I can agree to your standpoint as well. It helps encourage advantage play and majority of the time they may be making mistakes and losing money in the process. However, I feel like by encouraging people to advantage playing, it discredits the casinos credibility.
As a dealer myself I would play dumb to it.The casino only pays me $3 an hour,the rest we make on tips when the player wins,and it might be hard for the mayority of players to believe but we’re on their side.Just don’t be obvious,surveillance is always watching
Based
Legend.
@@sirloin9348cringe teen
I’m a blackjack dealer. Have been for 15 years. Most cars counters I’ve experienced are horrible tippers.
Do you tip the guy that lost a lot of money
I’m not old enough to go to a casino or even know what card counting is, but I watched the whole video
Why would you want to "rat out" another player? You're not trying to beat the other players; you are all trying to beat the dealer. Makes no sense!
It's really kind of dumb. It will also be ratting yourself out because they'll wonder how you know he was a counter.
Because gamblers are an obscure race of children who bet with their emotions, not their heads.
Most gamblers hate seeing others winning, especially if they're on a losing streak.
if you had a brain you would know it makes perfect sense
same people that tell their teacher they forgot to give everyone homework
I've had a pit boss sit across from me on a chair, and he just sat there staring at me as I was counting cards for a good 3 minutes, haha.
How's Sarah?
I probably would have told him it’s rude to stare and asked if he wanted anything
@@danielyuan9862 LOL!!!
Good luck getting an accurate count in 3 mins.
If you see Colin playing, just follow his betting pattern, duh.
Hell yea haha why would you ever tell on someone who is winning???
Facts
@@dpsheals Jealousy. And being annoyed that he is only playing when the count is good, whereas they are playing the bad shoes.
All the dealers I have tell me not to ruin the flow of the cards
@@Phlegethon there is no “flow of the cards” and don’t let anyone try to rattle you on that. If the count is positive than play it no matter what, you’re there to win while others are there to gamble and lose
When I was a dealer for 2 years, I only ever had a couple people count on my tables, and they were never any good. Bad betting, inaccurate count in general. Told my Pit and he said ''I know, they aren't very good though so we let them play.''
I logged a couple thousand hours counting just at work haha.
Betting patterns. The watchers can count, too!
I was playing in downtown Vegas around 3am at a place I'll call the Ivy Monarchs. It was a $10 table, but the guy next to me whipped out $9k and was asking to raise the table max. The other players just kind of copied him, doubling their bets whenever he did. The pit boss thought all 5 players were in on it, but hesitated to act because the $9k guy was losing. They even sent in random single 'tourists' at 6am to ask how long we've known each other. It was comical.
I can't really understand the people who defend casinos "they are private business bro".
Imagine going to a circus or similar carnaval. A guy shouts throw a basketball 3 times in the row and win. Everyone fails so he's happy. Then you come who played basketball all your life and easily hit it 3 times. You win, but the guy bans you from the circus/carnaval.
You don't get banned by winning once. You get banned by consistently winning, and costing the casino/carnival money. A carnival prize is likely going to be worth less to the carnival than even the price of a single play of the game, or at the very most will only cost the carnival a few cents after considering the price of the game. Meanwhile, a casino will always lose money to a winning player, due to the nature of gambling.
@@thetechconspiracy2 money always coming in and money always coming out
exactly - things need to change.
imagine if you could have a 110% revenue by counting and leading the casino to be at a 10% deficit for as long as you are playing. it is straight up losing money. now the carnival prizes are worth like 1$ or 2$. sometimes the big prizes is worth like 5$. you still have to pay to try to win and often the amount you payed to even play is more than the prize you win
I don't think that people are agreeing with casinos' practices. They're just saying that casinos have the right to do so as private businesses, which they do whether it's right or wrong. Don't support the business if you don't agree with their practices.
Many moons ago I could count Omega II. I asked a pit boss about counting once and he said their issue is not the counting but the bet spread. He said if a player keeps the bet range spread one to four or one to five nobody is going to say anything. He said the problem is the person that goes from one to 20 because if you win the 20 the casino can't ever have the opportunity to win that back.
I don't even know how Blackjack works and I'm still watching this
Who cares
Funny how casino cries when it gives a little bit of winnings
Casinos control everything. They are watching you while you play whether it's slots or card games. They watch everyone. They have special teams who watch camera footage 24/7
Bookmakers do this all the time!
I know what you mean, but it's not like "cry" it's more like "oh no he's taking our money kick him out before we actually cry"
You're cheating if you win.
@@BlastCODMso how does someone like D Lucky get away with it
there's a very interesting video or even research paper to be made on how much money casinos save by kicking out good counters vs how much they sink or never see from all the efforts they take to spot counters and kicking out bad ones like you said.
I'd be very interested to get even rough percentages of good vs bad counters and counters vs non counters a casino sees on average. It must be an incredibly tiny fraction of their total patronage who are actually winning big
While very interesting it would be incredibly hard to do.... not only would it be impossible to get data from the casinos, it would be very difficult to separate out true costs and $$ won/lost. Keep in mind that card counters aren't breaking any rules and they are only _improving_ their chances of winning, not guaranteeing it... so how do you differentiate a "bad" counter from a counter who just lucked out that night?
Also, a casino isn't sinking any additional resources into card counters that aren't already there to identify actual cheaters... all the surveillance, equipment, pit bosses, and even each game's rules are designed first & foremost to prevent cheating. And as blackjack only makes up a portion of the games at most casinos, the impact to the casino's bottom line is going to be hard to quantify.
Personally, I agree that card counters make up a very small portion of most casinos' patrons and an even smaller number of them are successful. Given how readily they can mitigate a card counter's advantage with things like multiple decks, shuffling, etc, I can only assume that those casinos who choose not to bother either don't see card counting as a big problem _and/or_ they are banking on identifying advantage players _after_ they have put money down but _before_ they win too big at the tables.
You’re the goat Colin, these videos taught me everything I needed to know. I will buy a BJA membership one day when I grow my bankroll enough, just to show appreciation.
If your Bankroll cant cover BJA you don't have a bankroll... its less than 40 bucks a month
@@MrCrisco145 isn’t it like 300$ upfront? I have a small 4000 bankroll that I am building, and I have a shit job so if I have to replenish it would be quite slowly.
@@MrCrisco145 broke AF but on the way to vegas
@@MrCrisco145 No it isn't. Forum membership is reasonable but the training course is thousands of dollars.
As a dealer I can safely say that at the casino I work at, they will only speak to you if they know for a fact you're card counting.
Bro why deal you ruin peoples lives with drug
@@tomjj2743 1 I make good money.2, people ruin their own lives by choosing to go to a casino when they don't have the money. Their choice, not mine
@@MeatSlushie0421 except that’s not how it works. People don’t go to casinos if there aren’t any.
@@jacobdaniels3246 And casinos wouldn't exist if people wouldn't go there to spend all their money
@@jacobdaniels3246 it works both ways
If you pivot your cellphone back and foward you can see these guy move on 3D... so cool.
Yeah it works lol nice
they shouldnt b allowed to back anyone off for playing the game and not actually cheating. if anything when that happens they should cut the shoe or shuffle ect.
Exactly, they could literally add a "shoe will automatically reshuffle after 50 hands" if they see a card counter.. Hell casinos can card count themselves and if they wanted to be nasty with it they could easily force a shuffle once the true count reaches ~5.
Just experienced my first back off ever at the El Cortez. Thanks BJA! Took their money before it happened and I can finally say that I got backed off at the famous El Cortez haha. Even though they sweat any action above minimum it’s still a bit validating lol.
El Cortez is so sweaty. When I was spreading from 25 $ to 125 $ on a single deck at El Cortez, the pit boss came and told the dealer to shuffle mid-deck on any high bet that she sees me make.
What is a "backoff?"
I remember at the beginning of my training I was doubling down on hard 20s because I didn't realize I had to take another card and it said "Wrong! You should've stayed!"
I also didn't know whether to hit or stand on stiff hands (especially hard 16)
Answer: Stand 13-16 vs 2-6, S12 vs 4-6, 16 vs 10 at a positive running count (assuming you can't surrender), hit the rest of your stiff hands.
Help me understand 2:40
I tried to be a card counter in mid 😮90’s. In my experience with downtown single deck downtown casinos (horseshoe/pioneer), the dealer would simply shuffle on plus count hands when someone at the table was varying bets.
The place I started dealing, didn't care about card counters. Teams used to sit at the tables with step counters, or umpire counters, all out in the open. The whole reason casinos started going to multi-deck shoes was to nullify the advantage of counting. Now with 8 decks shuffled together, and then 2 of them cut off, counting can't create a big enough difference to make you a long term winner. It's like any other system now, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. If you win while counting, it's just because you won, like you do half of the sessions playing any system.
Can you explain 2:40
something that happened to me when I played as the loser so my friend could get introduced to counting (with the help of another person at the table we didn't know) was the dealer would shuffle every hand with a 6 deck set so the count would restart and they got a blackjack almost every time.
Casinos love you, your channel makes people think they stand a chance and then get rekt at the casino, lol. They will never ban him
Casino: "Waah. You used your ability memorize things plainly out in the open to beat us. Noooooo..."
If casinos don't want card counters, then remove the games that make it a viable strategy.
ratting someone out in a casino is like telling the teacher she forgot the homework
Bro I was hoping a new vid would come out! Awesome!
I was just thinking, “I need to count through a deck” because I’ve been practicing a lot lately.
Come to Vegas. We’re waiting for you. ;)
This video would make more sense if you first explained whet you mean by "backoff".
I've played blackjack in casinos many times and never heard this term before.
What a fantastic video. Truly I God smiles on me if I get to enjoy content this good.
One thing I'll never understand, when I was taught blackjack years ago, I got told to change my bet depending on how I felt at the time, if changing bets is one of the few ways to flag people, that's not exactly smart on their behalf xD - I would like to know how many lucky players just got backed off because they won.
At the house I work for we just call surveillance and let them handle it. Pretty easy to spot the counters but it’s up to the eye to make the call(literally) and then we back them off.
Hey Colin, I’m French and I kinda like black Jack and your videos so first thanks for that.
And I was wondering if you could do an explanation on how the way European black Jack is dealt impacts the game on basic strategies and care counting ?
( cause in France for example the dealers doesn’t have 2 cards and reveals the second he only gets one then he hits only after the players are done playing)
Do you know if that changes anything concerning basic strategy and is there any chance I can take an advantage of it?
I heard than in Europe most casinos use continuous shuffle machines. If that is true then card counting will not work. The reason cars counting works is because the deck is finite. Continuous shuffle machines effectively make the deck infinite.
I really don't know how card counting is defined. When I play blackjack, I often think "there have been a lot of face cards recently, so I will gamble that a lower card will appear next. Is that card counting?
This is great info, unfortunately I don't gamble, don't know how to play poker, and don't know what a card counter is. But if I cross that bridge, oh mama I'm gonna be informed
I don’t count but I had a pit boss on me one night just because I was winning and has a betting strategy. He came up and asked if I was counting and I told him no and when he asked me why I was betting the way I was I explained it and he goes “that’s counting.” I don’t think he knows what he’s talking about it was a very basic strategy
when I started counting in '61 I could tell the floor man I was counting. It would have been ignored. Within a few years, by '64, people were getting thrown out, sometimes using physical violence. A counter was considered a cheater, a criminal, and grave threat. I quickly took evasive action, e.g., "wonging in". Once in Harrah's Lake Tahoe, '69, I stood between two tables, jumping in/out to make a bet at 1st base on my left and last spot on my right, single deck. I stood there, looking straight ahead, but counting both decks, using peripheral vision. It was fun and profitable for a half hour but they stopped me when I had a hand at both tables at the same time.
"Back-offs" in Vegas were kidnapping, death threats, robbery, illegal searches, photos, and '86ed. The tension grew after over a dozen attacks, and I "retired" in '83. I wish I had kept notes for a book. At 81, I still look for an advantage but all the clubs have well trained dealers. I can no longer "front load" or "1st base" or "spook".
With A1, the ceiling cameras will be able to quickly pick up card-counting patterns in the future.
Only been backed off once in Biloxi at Treasure Bay… they were not cool about it lol
This might sound like a naive question, but I've got to ask anyway: I get that casinos prefer that the punters lose and not win, but card counting isn't illegal, is it? So where do casinos stand legally? Can they simply refuse your custom, pretty much for whatever reason (obviously including card counting)?
Basically yeah, they can.
While card counting isn't foolproof it statistically tilts the balance toward the player, which means casinos would lose.
While people have complained that casinos scam people, the thing is, if casinos weren't winning, they'd be slowly losing or going out of business so they need the statistical edge.
Casinos are like lottery: the vast majority of players loses, a few players win, maybe significant amounts, and the organizers extract a fairly stable margin.
Your compensation is supposed to be the excitement of the game, they claim they are selling entertainment.
You should track down a few other card counter TH-camrs and have them sit at every seat at a blackjack table and once you have everyone at the table, everyone starts counting cards all at once
I was Count Team at my casino in New Jersey. The ONLY way under NJ regulations I could use cameras was for Surveillance to have a stand alone monitor in an outer office to view the one game I have a suspected counter on. Only there I could view and document their play. Otherwise,. I had to do it in the pit.
Can you explain 2:40 to me
@@glungusgongus You mean if the dealer suspects a counter? Or do you mean how a dealer increased his expected ev? The only thing I can think of he could help "legally" is maybe side counting for him. But, if a dealer appears to be helping, there would be "hell to pay" when he gets caught. Also, most dealers really can't count. Many think they do but, not as well as they think.
I've backed off a number of card counters...I had a couple things that told me it was "time"...1) Is he working with a team? Yes, I can tell. 2) Is he manipulating when he cashes out...He just leaves with the chips and never buys in with cash. (Tells we we aren't risking the loss of cash flow).
I also would evaluate the quality of the player. I have told my boss..."Hey, he's trying, but he's not very good...let him play."
Yes, my Casino backed Colin off. It was someone else besides me because Colin tended to play other shifts.
You sound clueless lol
If they ask me if I'm counting cards bc I changed my bet, I go from hand signals to talking like I'm mentally challenged to throw them off the scent.
Dealer: Are you counting cards? I noticed you've been changing your bets oddly.
Me: I dunno where my mom went, I have a lot of cookies. I mean chips🙃
Does that cards counting strategy also works for the casino apps like governor of poker.
Because the thing is that in mobile apps the deck is being shuffled EVERY SINGLE GAME!
I dealt cards for 30 years . If the players were tipping , I would count the cards for them , as long as I wasn't in high limit .
99.99% of dealers have zero clue if you're a card counter. Many make multiple mistakes per day just trying to add their hand compared to the players. Everytime I've had a dealer say they think someone is counting it's because a player did something batshit fucking stupid like split 5's or double a hard 14, they may be marking cards but they sure as hell aren't counting
"So if you see me at a table," *whips out glock* "How about you shut the f up?" :)
So I used basic strategy and figured out how to count the odds of getting the bonus side bets and have made $800 off side bets they will talk to you try to distract you try to get you look away from the table they. I haven't been backed off but security and pit bosses were watching me very closely.p
I once had other players alert me to casino heat. When the ban occurred, the players at the table were like frat boys "OHHHH, HE'S COUNTING CARDS! ROBBING INDIANS TONIGHT!"
lmao grown ass children
I guess I misunderstood the video title, I thought this was going to be an explenation of the actual process of how they determine whether someone's counting on not (regardless of who's actually catching it)
I got backed off once when i was just using basic strategy. The pit boss asked me directly if i was counting and i just told him "the table says dealer stands on all 17s so i just try to tie with it."
Thanks for the explanation.
As a former dealer.... winners tip, and a casino pays less than you think
It amazes me the insane convoluted lengths casinos will go to, to allow people to believe in the existence of some kind of skill technique or system of winning
If the dealer is backing you off, he obviously doesn’t want any tips when you leave 😂
I'm not a card counter... but thanks to this video I now know how to act like ne so I can get kicked out of a casino and impress my buddies 💯
Is changing the amount you bet all the time considered card counting ? Casinos can reshuffle all cards for every round played and that would beat card counting.
I know the basics of Black jack but have never been to a casino. So question. Why don’t the casinos just add more decks of cards to the table ? If they were playing with say 5 decks at the same time wouldn’t it be impossible to count ?
Most casinos play with 6 or 8 decks but that is still beatable and we discuss that some here: th-cam.com/video/u3ZYXfYK1d0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=b4Fv3bQODn6xWSUR
Newbie here. I guess (pun) I missed what is the "body language" or "tells" from a player that suggests he/she is card counting. Thanks for the content.
I was shuffle tracking at a casino in Oregon and when I asked for the cut the dealer asked if I was tracking.i said yes and she called floor to come watch they just wanted to see if it worked.the other players had never heard of it. I said I better put my money where my mouth was bet big and won four in a row pushing each time. They didn't care and congratulated me
see, ive thought of one way casino's could screw over card counters, every time a player says "hit" or makes a large bet they burn a card from the deck then do the hit it would counter card counters, i dont know why casino's dont just add that into their system of blackjack, i do understand they burn the top card of the deck when they begin but that does next to nothing for cardcounting (im not saying they should do this as i do enjoy a bit of card counting myself but it would stop them having to back off)
Casinos are dumb. Noted 😆
Do you have any baccarat recommendations?
Love your videos. Wondering if you play baccarat at all.
Having a multi decade long career in a casino with many years in surveillance, the two biggest mistakes I have heard and seen in both the pit and the surveillance room itself are “he isn’t betting big enough to be a card counter” and “oh he isn’t winning at all, so he isn’t counting.” Lots of uneducated people in small casinos and resort sized casinos
Most dealers don't seem to care but it's obvious when you count. I've had some dealers that get mad, but most are cool. One guy threw the cards at me in Atlantic City and said I was a counter even though I was down $700. Some people have weird personality disorders.
I've only played blackjack a handful of times... but I've been shuffled after investing time into a pretty good/productive count. It was a bummer and I just moved on.
Most important player at a blackjack table is the last one at the end of the table. They can control what happens to the dealers hand.
Is card counting illegal? If it is WHY?? And how is it done? What are the advantages? I don’t play. Just curious! ( Asking from the UK.)
You can't win at card counting without a spread of at least 12 to 1. 16 to 1 is preferable. The casinos will not let you do that. The last time I was at Binion's in LV, they told me "keep your spread at 4 to 1 and we will play with you". Playing partners is the only way to win by counting. Been that way for a long time. Also, who is counting cards in a 6 deck game when there are plenty of 2 deck games in Vegas.
Doesn't work anymore in Vegas with their latest deck and shuffling rules. You gotta go off-strip or another city.
I think, it depends on the day!
Weekends gets busier, weekdays slow, very slow!
If the casino has fewer people playing and things are slow, they're more flexible with their rules and policies to keep customers playing and sell them drinks and food!
That little casino on Fremont Street I forgot the name accused me of being a card counter and said I had to leave I was just drunk and my head was moving back and forth a lot but I don't know a thing about coming cards I was about 600$ ahead when I got thrown out so I cashed in and thanked them and left
I have no idea how to count cards. I was there from 10 pm to 4am. They started changing dealers more often than usually and i was still wining. But bosses did the cross armed thing on me because i was up $1400 by 4 am. They offered me free breakfast. I got tired so i left. Lol
I just play the table. More fun and no one gives me a hard time when I empty people out😁
What's the standard tipping rate when you're dealing with a dealer that doesn't expose you?
Unless you're being a jerk or making the table uncomfortable for others, a dealer will usually leave you alone. There is a reason why dealers alert the pit boss to sudden large bets (usually $100+ on $10-$25 tables). Just be calm and polite and keep your bet scaling low.
what if the casino secretly is counting cards through surveillance same as you and backs you off cause the count got too good?
6 decks, good luck!
3:37 for a split second i thought that was the Beau Rivage from Biloxi Ms
I have never, and never plan to count cards, but yes here I am somehow lol!
LOL, literally in the same paragraph of his tirade he's like "Guy didn't like I was only playing good hands, but I'm there to win." then "If you recognize me, don't rat me out." Well if you're screwing me over with your card counting, guess what, I'll rat you out in a heartbeat, I'm there to win too.
Some casinos force dealers to get the attention of the pit boss when you want to surrender, split, or even double down.
Tell me what a "backroom" is. It is also another painful consequence you face as an advantage card player when you are caught card counting at the casinos.
i was at an casino in arizona. i dont count but i just play basic strat and what last hand cards were if lots of 10s in last hand i dont bet alot if there arnt alot of 10s in last hand i bet more. but they backed me off talked to me away from my friends and said i could only bet one bet the whole shoe
I'm not a gambler, I know my limitations!😅 But what I don't understand is the players are playing by the houses rules? So if you have a mind that can think gambling their own money simultaneously, how's that not right? If the player had an illegal advantage, earpiece computer to make the calculated bet,fine that's cheating? The house can happily take your money, but hates to give it back!
I was a dealer for 3 years in vegas. Most of the time, they don’t back people off, they just flat bet them.
From the Surveillance side I wanted to find something to disagree with you on. But, I have to admit you are right on in your analysis. The only thing is you are missing the very top way card counters give themselves away. The Tipoff to the Ripoff!
"With all that said you cannot be paranoid" Right after being paranoid about speaking more than briefly on facial recognition.
Its so skillfull you might as we become a professional job
At my local casino they said the only way I can keep playing there is I must keep my bets at a minimum
Sitting in a small Laughlin casino, slow middle of the night, just us and one other woman. She is taking insurance every time, losing and asking why I wasn't. Finally, the true count became so lopsided, dealer showing an ace, I take insurance and the woman doesn't saying she's tired of giving her money away. Yep, a 10 card. I get paid and the woman goes batshit crazy, screaming, no consoling from me mattered. Pit boss comes running, me telling him we'll find a quieter table as this woman is hysterical having lost so much. Now everyone focused on her throwing a tantrum. We pick up chips and leave. Sometimes your biggest threat is sitting next to you.
Backoff means what?
We don’t want you business
didn't they change the rules, so that every card (but the instructible card) has the same likelihood to come next?
Casinos hate winners. Casino commercials: Everyone's a winner! 😐
most casinos don't care or even encourage you to card count.
the reason is simple. having somebody win big gives the impression that others can also win big.
the average customer doesn't know how to card count or notice somebody is card counting. they only see somebody winning big and think they can do it too.