Blackjack Card Counting: Cheat Or Not?

Even in online casino, blackjack is offered in several different formats and in different blackjack variations. However, when it comes to blackjack cheating, its quite common. One of the one hot discussion is whether card counting is considered a cheat or not. Let's find out;

Card counting is one of the most common blackjack strategy where you are going to keep track on which cards have been dealt in a shoe. It is not a form of blackjack cheating if you are using your brain to keep track of the cards. If you ever try to use any type of counting device other than your brain, such as a concealed computer device, it can be considered as a blackjack cheating and you could face legal prosecution.

A lot of gamblers think that in any type of card counting is illegal and is a method of cheating in blackjack – is not true! Learning to count cards with your brain can be one of the most powerful blackjack strategy, a player has in his stock and it can be a very rewarding learning experience.

To some jurisdictions, card counting is lega by any means. However, anyone must not use any type of devices for card counting. There are some electronic devices available and even a small sized computers are also available for card counting but these are considered to be illegal. Anyone who is caught using these would be arrested for cheating.

Card counting happens in two ways:

• You make larger bets when he or she has the advantage. For example, you can increase the starting bet if there are many Aces and 10s left in the deck, in the hope of hitting a blackjack.
  
• You can use information on the remaining cards to enhance upon the basic strategy rules for specific hands played. Let's say, with many 10s left in the deck, you may double down in more situations since there is a better chance of making a strong hand.

That depends on the particular blackjack rules in a given casino, basic strategy reduces the house advantage to less than one percent. Card counting typically gives the player an advantage of 0.5 to 1.5% over the house. To counter card counting, some casinos play with multiple decks.

In most US casinos, card counting is legal and is not considered cheating. However, most casinos have the right to ban players, with or without cause, and card counting is frequently used as a justification to ban a player. Usually, the casino host will simply inform the player that he is no longer welcome to play at that casino. Players must be careful not to signal the fact that they are counting. The use of electronic or other counting devices is illegal and prohibited by the casino.

Card counting gives the players quite a good edge over the casinos and as a result, most casinos try to discourage it. Since the casinos are made on a private property in Las Vagas, the casinos do have the right to deny admission to card counters and can even ban them from entering.