Sergio Zammit
Blackjack card counting is a popular way to try and improve your odds of winning time and time again. This system has been popularized through movies and TV shows, including Rain Man and 21. While its effectiveness is debatable, what is certain is that it’s much easier to do whilst playing Blackjack online.
In this guide, we’ll explain all you need to know about counting cards in Blackjack. We’ll also explain its legality around the world and outline important tips. Finally, we’ll provide you with information on the best international casino for Blackjack.
What is Blackjack Card Counting?
While movies have helped to introduce the concept of how to count in Blackjack, they’ve also distorted the truth. Card counting does not involve remembering every single card. In fact, you don’t need to be a mathematics genius to count Blackjack cards.
In Blackjack, cards can be split between helpful and unhelpful ones. Helpful ones will make it easier for your hand to beat the dealer’s, and unhelpful ones will not, or might even hinder your objective. The objective of counting cards in Blackjack is to understand when there’s a high number of valuable cards in the deck and place bets that mirror this fact.
Card counting, therefore, does not provide a winning guarantee of any kind. Moreover, for the practice to have any effect, it must be used in conjunction with specific Blackjack strategies.
Is it Important to Learn What is Card Counting in Blackjack?
No, card counting is not a necessary part of the game. Thousands of players enjoy playing Blackjack online and in person without knowing about counting cards. However, just like other casino table game strategies and variants, card counting can provide an enhanced experience to players that are looking for more than a classic card game.
Counting Cards in Blackjack
To start count counting in online Blackjack, you must first know the basic rules of the game. We suggest that you start by reading through our guide on how to play Blackjack online and then use our recommended casinos to practice playing for free or with small wagers.
The basics of card counting can be summarized in the following points:
- Cards in Blackjack are given a negative, zero, or positive value by the player.
- As the round plays on, the player keeps a running count of the cards that have been dealt to themselves as well as other players at the table, if there are any.
- With confidence in the so-called true count, the player then decides whether he or she should increase the bets.
- As the game progresses and fewer cards are left in the shoe, the player updates the true count and continues to place bets that reflect this figure.
At first glance, this process might seem complicated, but in the following section, we’ve provided you with a step-by-step guide to help you learn how to count in Blackjack.
FAQs About Blackjack Card Counting
How can I start counting cards in Blackjack?
Can I count cards in Blackjack?
Is Blackjack card counting illegal?
Can I make money counting cards in Blackjack?
Basic Blackjack Card Counting Strategy
There are many different ways to count cards in Blackjack, however, beginners usually prefer the Hi-Lo system. Using this system, you should divide cards in the following manner.
| Rank Value | Cards | Assigned Value |
| High | 10, J, Q, K, and A | -1 |
| Neutral | 7, 8, and 9 | 0 |
| Low | 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 | 1 |
The assigned value of Blackjack cards might seem counterintuitive, but there is a sense to the madness. High-value cards are given a -1 assigned value since, as these decrease, so does your advantage. Low-value cards, meanwhile, are seen as helpful for the dealer and therefore get a +1 value. The rest are not beneficial for either the player or the dealer, so are seen as neutral.
At the start of a Blackjack game, when all six or eight decks are still in the shoe, the Hi-Lo system produces a result of zero. This means that if you were to add all the assigned values of all the cards at the start of the game, they’ll cancel each other out. However, once cards start being dealt, the shoe’s value increases or decreases accordingly.
This is when Blackjack card counting actually begins. You’ll need to quickly add, subtract, or ignore card assigned values that are dealt to either yourself, the dealer, or any other player at the table to determine whether the shoe has a positive, neutral, or negative value.
Blackjack Hi-Lo Example
In this example, your hand has an assigned value of +2. You don’t know the dealer’s hole card at this point so you cannot count those cards.
Based on the fact that the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace, you decide to hit until you’ve reached 15. At this point, you stand and find to see what the dealer holds. At this point, the running count is +4.
The dealer reveals a 2 and then is dealt a 10 and a K, going bust. This adds up to a count of -2, which, added to your own +4 equals +2. This Blackjack card counting result means that you should place a higher wager on your next round.
Limitations of the Blackjack Hi-Lo Strategy
The Hi-Lo Strategy is best used on Single Deck Blackjack games. As we’ve explained it so far, its results will be skewed when you play regular online Blackjack which uses six or eight standard decks. However, you can complete another step in order to improve your odds once more when playing the classic version of the game.
This step requires you to divide the running count by the number of decks remaining. This figure can either be a whole number or rounded to the nearest half-deck.
Imagine that you’ve started a new Blackjack game with six decks in the shoe. As about half the 312 cards have been dealt, your running count is +5. This meant that your so-called true count is actually +5/3, which is equal to +1.67, which rounds up to +2.
As your true count increases, you are more likely to win and should wager accordingly. The higher the value of your true count, the higher the probability of a win.
Advanced Blackjack Card Counting Strategies
If you’re looking for better precision in the results of your card counting endeavors, you should use one of the advanced strategies. Before you progress to this stage, it’s important that you have a good understanding of the Hi-Lo strategy and have successfully counted cards in both single-deck and multi-deck games.
Blackjack Card Counting Using the Omega II Strategy
The Omega II card counting strategy assigns values of up to +2 and -2 to cards as explained in the following table.
| Rank Value | Cards | Assigned Value |
| High | 10, J, Q, and K | -2 |
| Med/High | 9 | -1 |
| Neutral | 8 and A | 0 |
| Med/Low | 2, 3, and 7 | 1 |
| Low | 4, 5, and 6 | 2 |
Just like with the Hi-Lo system, you should keep a running count with the revised assigned values. In addition, the Omega II system requires you to use a true count when playing multi-deck games.
Used properly, the Omega II Blackjack card counting strategy should produce more accurate results. However, miscounting will lose any potential benefit, which is why it’s important that you start by learning the Hi-Lo system first.
Blackjack Card Counting Using the Wong Halves Strategy
The Wong Halves system is the most complex card counting strategy in Blackjack. However, this complexity also provides the best results. As you can see in the following table, this system uses three value levels instead of two or one.
| Cards | Assigned Value |
| 2 | 0.5 |
| 3 | 1 |
| 4 | 1 |
| 5 | 1.5 |
| 6 | 1 |
| 7 | 0.5 |
| 8 | 0 |
| 9 | -0.5 |
| 10 | 0 |
| J | 0 |
| Q | 0 |
| K | 0 |
| A | 0 |
When implemented accurately, the Wong Halves has a 0.99 betting correlation out of 1.00. This means that it is nearly perfect for predicting precise results.
Just like Hi-Lo and Omega II, Wong Halves is a balanced system, so at the start of a new deck, the count is zero. Moreover, this strategy also involves keeping a running or true count of cards in play.
If you’re using the Wong Halves strategy whilst card counting in online Blackjack, you should increase your bets at the true count increases and decrease bets to the minimum when the count is close to neutral or negative.
Which Strategy Should I Use Whilst Card Counting in Online Blackjack?
All three of the featured Blackjack card counting strategies are useful and based on the same principles. Which one you use is completely up to you, but here is our recommendation.
| Card Counting Experience | Strategy |
| Beginner | Hi-Lo |
| Intermediate | Omega II |
| Expert | Wong Halves |
Top Tips for Blackjack Card Counting
Counting cards in Blackjack requires practice and concentration, and it’s normal not to get it right the first time. Once you’ve learned the basics of this strategy, you should use the best Blackjack casinos online to practice for free and then eventually switch to real money mode once you’re feeling confident.
Here are our experts’ top tips for effective card counting in Blackjack:
- Start with a simple deck – Avoid the complication of having to constantly divide your running count with the remaining decks by playing Single Deck Blackjack games.
- Use free resources to help you practice – You might wish to use a real 52-card deck to practice counting cards and verify your results. You can also find free simulators online.
- Challenge yourself to count faster – The quicker you are at counting, the more successful you’ll be at implementing this Blackjack strategy.
- Increase bets with a count of +2 or better – It’s important to remember that Blackjack card counting is not accurate, so you should disregard counts of +1.
- Have realistic expectations – Don’t expect to turn a profit from card counting. Use this strategy for fun and treat any winnings as a bonus.
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Can you Count Cards in Blackjack?
As we’ve explained in the guide so far, yes, it is possible to count cards in Blackjack. This is easier done with games that are played with a single deck, though it’s also possible to count cards at multi-deck tables. However, it’s important to remember that luck still plays a major part in your result, so you should never wager more than you can afford to lose.
In fact, many experts recommend that your wager should never exceed the result of subtracting a betting unit from your true or running count. The betting unit will depend on your bankroll and the betting limits that are available at your chosen Blackjack table.
Let’s imagine that your betting unit is $1 and your true count is +4. You should wager $3 next as you’re more likely to win the next round.
Counting Cards During Live Games
Using card counting strategies whilst playing Blackjack live dealer games is possible, but it’s extremely difficult. Live casino games make use of equipment and processes that are designed to ensure fairness and safety, but that also reduce or eliminate the advantages of card counting.
Many live games have their shoes replaced when about half of the cards have been dealt. Continuous shuffling machines are also used to continually shuffle decks, making card counting completely ineffective. You should also be aware that certain game providers use systems designed to identify players that might be counting cards.
Playing live Blackjack variants can also impact the effectiveness of card counting. Games that require the dealer to hit on a soft 17 or those that offer 6:5 payouts can have such a high house edge that even very effective card counting will have practically no positive impact on your results.
Is Counting Cards in Blackjack Illegal?
In the following section, we’ll look at the rules and laws pertaining to card counting in different countries and regions.
Is Counting Cards Illegal in the US?
The short answer is no, card counting is legal in the US. There are no federal or state laws that ban the practice. This means that, as far as gambling authorities are concerned, you can count cards in Blackjack without difficulties. However, it’s important to remember that individual casinos have the right to ban players without an official reason.
Is Counting Cards Illegal in Europe?
European nations, including the UK, Germany, and Malta, have their own laws regarding gambling. There are currently no EU or national regulations that outright ban Blackjack card counting. However, just like in the case of US casinos, it’s possible that casinos ban players without needing to provide a reason.
Is Counting Cards Illegal in Asia?
Gambling laws across Asian nations, including China, India, Singapore, and Malaysia, vary significantly. However, in places where land-based or online Blackjack is allowed, there doesn’t seem to be any restriction on card counting. Nations that do not have laws permitting Blackjack don’t reference card counting at all.
Myths and Misunderstanding of Blackjack Card Counting
In the following section, we’ve sought to dispel myths and misunderstandings about card counting in Blackjack so you know exactly what to expect.
- You need to be a genius to count cards – This is completely false. You can start counting cards using simple systems, such as Hi-Lo, without needing any above-average abilities.
- It’s possible to become rich by counting cards – Unfortunately, this is also false. Whilst it’s possible to have a successful winning streak, there is no way to ensure that you’ll get rich.
- Wins, or losses, are due – Even with card counting, Blackjack remains a game of luck, so this myth is false. Just like the Martingale System in Roulette, you are never owed a win, even if the true count is positive.
- Your cards are affected by other players – While there is some truth in this statement for specific games, there is no proof that player errors affect your results over multiple rounds of Blackjack.
- Card counting makes you lose less – This myth is also, unfortunately, false. In fact, expert card counters lose Blackjack rounds quite often, however, they are able to make up some of the losses by betting strategically.
The Best Casino for Card Counting in Online Blackjack
There are numerous online casinos that provide both virtual and live Blackjack tables. Among them, Wild Casino is one of the best as it offers a mobile-optimized main website and features an extensive list of classic games and variants. This casino is available in several countries around the world, including the US, and has a simple registration form that you can complete in a couple of minutes.
As we explain in our detailed Wild Casino review, once you join this site, you’ll become eligible for a generous welcome package. You can use both fiat and cryptocurrencies to fund your account securely, and customer care is available 24/7 should you ever need assistance.
This article was written for CasinoSafest.com by Sergio Zammit.
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