People go to a casino to gamble. Yet, owning one does not incur loads of risk. Every time someone wins at a gaming floor, people at other tables lose. In the long run, the casino always comes on top. That is so because the games such establishments offer always allow them an advantage over their players. Except for Blackjack, if played the right way.

If you have seen movies such as Rain man, The Hangover, and 21, do not get fooled into believing that you have to be a genius to perform this task. Blackjack differs from other gambling games because its outcomes get based on previous events. Thus, things that have transpired affect the future. To continuously turn a profit at this casino product, you must keep a tally of specific cards in play. That process still involves you applying a basic strategy, but the record of what cards have gotten played gives you a sense of which ones may get dealt.

This information will make your hunch decisions into educated guesses. You will have a better idea of when to hit and when to stand, improving your odds by around 1.5%, which adds up. Finding the best casino bonus and pairing it with this skill is a sure-fire formula for success at gambling venues that offer twenty-one action.

The Hi-Lo System

Probably the most popular counting system is the Hi-Lo one. All that it requires is that you keep mental notes of three groups of cards. Every time you see a high card on the table, subtract one from your tally. Every time a low card gets dealt, add one. Ignore the middle cards. If you are at plus three, then that means the likelihood of high cards coming up is higher. If you are at minus three, low cards are forthcoming. So bet small. When the cards get shuffled, you reset and start at zero.

Betting Spread

When using a card counting system, you have to couple it with a betting spread. You need to bet less when the dealer is at an advantage and bet more when the edge shifts in your favor. The dealer will have the house edge most of the time. Therefore, you need to bet small until the tide shifts, and then you have to go big to cover what you have lost.

Deck Composition

It is pretty much what it sounds like, what cards have gotten left in the deck or the shoe. Not all decks are composed of the same sets of cards. After certain cards get played, you know which ones have left the deck and have an idea of which remain. That is what determines the casino’s advantage. If the deck composition shifts in a certain way, the edge might shift to your side. Thus, you have to be able to identify these moments to make the right bets.

It is Not Illegal

Many perceive card counting to be cheating, and of course, it is logical to conclude that casinos do not allow cheating. But, it is not cheating as much as it is implementing skill, and no one can stop people from doing math in their heads. Most casinos do not care if you do it. They only care if you are good at it. And like all businesses, they retain the right to refuse service, so you do not have the opportunity to affect their bottom line.