Is Counting Cards in Blackjack Illegal or Legal?

Counting Cards in Blackjack

Do you want to gain an edge over the casinos when playing blackjack?

Are you thinking about counting cards?

Are you asking yourself the question, "Is counting cards in blackjack illegal?" or the corresponding question, "Is counting cards in blackjack legal?"

This page offers some answers.

Counting cards is not something that you want to openly talk about at the casino, but once you learn how to count cards you can use it to your advantage with each hand that you play. Counting cards is not illegal. (Thinking while you play a card game could hardly be considered illegal, could it? And that's really all that card counting is.)

But it is against the rules at most casinos, and they do have the right to bar you from playing if they suspect you of counting cards.

Counting Cards for Dummies

Now that you understand that counting cards isn't illegal, you're probably looking for a quick "counting cards for dummies" introduction to how to count cards. Here it is.

The basic idea behind counting cards is simple: high cards (10 or better) are better for your odds of winning than low cards. When more high cards are still in the deck your chance of receiving blackjack increases. In turn, when you know that the deck is holding a lot of 10s or higher you can then increase the amount of your bet.

One common misconception is that players need to be super smart or have years of blackjack to take advantage of card counting. This is a myth, and one that you do not want to believe. Anybody can learn how to count cards with success. Generally speaking, card counting is all about memorizing the cards that have been dealt so you know what is left in the deck.

There are many different types of card counting systems. As a blackjack player you need to start with the basics, and then tweak your strategy to suit your style as you become more comfortable.

To start, you may want to use a single level counting system. This is when you give each card a +1 or -1 value. As the count gets higher, which is what you need to track, the odds of winning increase. This is known as a single level system, and is what most player start out doing.

A multi level strategy is a bit more complex, but it offers more accurate results. With this system you dont stick to the +/- 1 system. Instead, you will assign different cards different values such as +2, 3 or -2, 3. While this type of card counting system may be more difficult to track, it will offer more accurate information and a better idea of when you should hit or stand.

As you can see, there is not much to the basics of blackjack card counting. This doesn't mean it is easy to catch on, but you should realize that anybody can use this type of strategy to improve their odds of winning. Once you are a pro at using a single level system you can advance to a multi level strategy.