Why is counting cards such as bad thing?

[hondo]

Ben Affleck, way down in this interview, says he counts cards and casinos won't let him play blackjack.

http://www.details.com/culture-trends/celebrities/201410/ben-affleck-david-fincher-gone-girl

We've all seen Rain Man.

Now I don't go to casinos (none near me) but I understand the basics of casino games. Isn't counting card simply having a good memory? How do casinos even know, and aren't they just punishing you for being a good blackjack player?
Wouldn't it be the same thing if they kicked someone out of the sports book who was winning because he could remember how many times the Lions covered at home or how poorly a kicker in a dome team did on grass?
I know casinos aren't in business to lose money but how they've been able to A. tell if someone was counting cards and B. boot them out for it.

 

[JakeandElwood]

Well, no, it's not intellectually honest. But it is against the rules.

 

[LongTimeListener]

Well, no, it's not intellectually honest. But it is against the rules.

Whose "rules"? It isn't illegal. Using a mechanical device to do it is illegal, but the counting itself isn't.

I'm always a little skeptical when I hear these stories anyway. Probably half or more of the people playing blackjack are "counting cards," and the casino does fine.

 

[bigpern23]

I liken it to playing Words With Friends against someone who looks up words in the dictionary. Even though having a dictionary at hand doesn't guarantee them a victory, after a getting beaten often enough, you're going to stop playing that person and find someone who doesn't have a Webster's handy. The casinos don't want to play against Affleck because he beats them too much.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Well, no, it's not intellectually honest. But it is against the rules.

Whose "rules"? It isn't illegal. Using a mechanical device to do it is illegal, but the counting itself isn't.

I'm always a little skeptical when I hear these stories anyway. Probably half or more of the people playing blackjack are "counting cards," and the casino does fine.

It's not illegal. But casinos reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who is costing them too much money.

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

I've always kind of taken it as a bull**** answer which is an attempt to make them seem smart.

"The casinos are scared of me."

 

[Buck]

It is not illegal, but the casinos simply refuse to let counters play. It's a policy for the business, not a law.

 

[Spartan Squad]

I feel card counting itself isn't something casinos care one way or another about because honestly how can casinos prove it? I think it's when you're counting cards in collusion with others that get's your hand broken.

 

[Buck]

Casinos lover stories about card counting and winning techniques.
Rubes read 'Bringing Down the House,' buy a strategy book and head to the tables to clean up. Casinos love it.

 

[LongTimeListener]

Twenty years ago, I bought a book like that, Buck. (It was way before Bringing Down The House.)

I still follow that system. So I "count cards." You wouldn't be able to tell by looking at the results.

The only variable I can pinpoint that contributes to success is, Take what you can but don't press it. The times I've won the most are the times I've played the fewest hours.

 

[Buck]

Twenty years ago, I bought a book like that, Buck. (It was way before Bringing Down The House.)

I still follow that system. So I "count cards." You wouldn't be able to tell by looking at the results.

The only variable I can pinpoint that contributes to success is, Take what you can but don't press it. The times I've won the most are the times I've played the fewest hours.

I follow basic strategy, and I can plus/minus the shoe a bit when I'm in practice and playing a lot.
But like most people who try this, I'm prone to mistakes and lapses in concentration - which are costly.
And I don't have the roll to absorb large bad swings.

I understand what I'm doing, but to the casino I'm still a rube.

 

[dooley_womack1]

About all I do is try to figure if the deck is running 10-value rich or 10-value poor at a given time, for the purpose of my initial bet. If you do that to figure out whether to go against the book and not hit on 12 against the dealer's 7, then you're going to be chasing your tail.

 

[LongTimeListener]

About all I do is try to figure if the deck is running 10-value rich or 10-value poor at a given time, for the purpose of my initial bet. If you do that to figure out whether to go against the book and not hit on 12 against the dealer's 7, then you're going to be chasing your tail.

Agreed.

Although I am not above letting that count influence my decision on 15 and 16.

Which is probably just as stupid.

 

[dooley_womack1]

That's a tempting one, and counting 10s can lure you into taking insurance as well, or not taking even money.

 

[ThomsonONE]

Casinos identify counters not by gauging their winning/losing, but by betting patterns. They will restrict you to a number of units in spread which will eliminate the advantage. It takes a lot to be barred from playing. You have to be pretty blatant about what you're doing.

Bet one chip when the deck is against you, two or three when it favors you and you will be fine. Bet 100 when it favors you and you might as well come right out and tell them you can and are counting.

Be subtle, not greedy and you can get away with it.

Getting barred is NOT a badge of honor, it is a show of stupidity and carelessness that you spent so much time perfecting this skill, then threw it away.

 

[User 11148]

As I understand it, you can only be barred from casinos for counting in certain states (e.g., Nevada). In other states, where by law blackjack is a game of chance rather than skill, one cannot be barred, seeing as how one cannot beat (or gain an advantage in) a game of chance.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Well, no, it's not intellectually honest. But it is against the rules.

Whose "rules"? It isn't illegal. Using a mechanical device to do it is illegal, but the counting itself isn't.

I'm always a little skeptical when I hear these stories anyway. Probably half or more of the people playing blackjack are "counting cards," and the casino does fine.

It's not illegal. But casinos reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who is costing them too much money.

This.
It is their property. Like No Shoes, No Shirt No Service, they can refuse service to anyone.

Rubes are always welcome.

 

[bigpern23]

Casinos identify counters not by gauging their winning/losing, but by betting patterns. They will restrict you to a number of units in spread which will eliminate the advantage. It takes a lot to be barred from playing. You have to be pretty blatant about what you're doing.

Bet one chip when the deck is against you, two or three when it favors you and you will be fine. Bet 100 when it favors you and you might as well come right out and tell them you can and are counting.

Be subtle, not greedy and you can get away with it.

Getting barred is NOT a badge of honor, it is a show of stupidity and carelessness that you spent so much time perfecting this skill, then threw it away.

Eh, there are a LOT of casinos in this country, and around the world. You'd have to win a ****load of money to get banned at all of them, and by then you're sipping mai tais on the French Riviera with a Bond girl in a thong.

 

[ThomsonONE]

Casinos identify counters not by gauging their winning/losing, but by betting patterns. They will restrict you to a number of units in spread which will eliminate the advantage. It takes a lot to be barred from playing. You have to be pretty blatant about what you're doing.

Bet one chip when the deck is against you, two or three when it favors you and you will be fine. Bet 100 when it favors you and you might as well come right out and tell them you can and are counting.

Be subtle, not greedy and you can get away with it.

Getting barred is NOT a badge of honor, it is a show of stupidity and carelessness that you spent so much time perfecting this skill, then threw it away.

Eh, there are a LOT of casinos in this country, and around the world. You'd have to win a ****load of money to get banned at all of them, and by then you're sipping mai tais on the French Riviera with a Bond girl in a thong.

You get banned, you go in the Griffin book and you are pretty much done worldwide.

 

[WriteThinking]

Casinos identify counters not by gauging their winning/losing, but by betting patterns. They will restrict you to a number of units in spread which will eliminate the advantage. It takes a lot to be barred from playing. You have to be pretty blatant about what you're doing.

Bet one chip when the deck is against you, two or three when it favors you and you will be fine. Bet 100 when it favors you and you might as well come right out and tell them you can and are counting.

Be subtle, not greedy and you can get away with it.

Getting barred is NOT a badge of honor, it is a show of stupidity and carelessness that you spent so much time perfecting this skill, then threw it away.

Eh, there are a LOT of casinos in this country, and around the world. You'd have to win a ****load of money to get banned at all of them, and by then you're sipping mai tais on the French Riviera with a Bond girl in a thong.

Not saying it does, but that could pretty much describe Affleck.