6 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming A Card Counter

What is poor deck penetration?

Factor in the thousands of hours it takes to train as well as the back offs and travel expenses and the finite lifetime of a card counter. And you're basically at a $40 to $50 an hour gig job

Anybody questions this man’s credibility is a chad

Could advantage play be a decent hobby or side hustle?

If you are in the military, show you CAC card, they cant photo it or copy it.

My goals: meeting new people, making money, and being my own boss. Sounds like card counting might be for me.

For 99.99% of people the juice is not worth squeezing! Most people don't have the bankroll to even start this and most people would be better of starting with minimum wage jobs and gaining marketable skills and focusing on their career or starting a business. There is a reason why even the "professional gamblers" are selling courses or train people, make sponsorship deals, etc. The reason is - there is more money in it - than in playing the game! If you just want to learn a bit, so you are not the biggest sucker at the table when you go on a vacation to Vegas - go ahead learn the basics and you will probably be able to break even - which is far better than 99% of population... Also, one thing that people won't tell you is that - with facial recognition technology, AI and other developments it will be easier than ever for casinos to track you down. All these old gamblers played in a time when the games were much more softer - due to lack of information and modern technology - and it doesn't matter if it's poker, blackjack or sports betting. I have experience with all of them - for example sports betting - all the major leagues are now more closely watched than ever. And you will rarely find any game that's worth betting on - money lines, totals, etc. are usually spot on. And part of it is thanks to all the data available from the past and computing power to predict outcomes and to set correct betting lines. Even if you go and find a sport that is being less followed - it will usually come with lower betting limits on that sport - bookies are not stupid. The only way people make money with betting - is mafia syndicates that influence the outcomes of those games...
As for poker - if you are playing online - you can never be sure if you are being scammed or not - and there are plenty of examples out there of players at some tables communicating with each other to defeat you - e.g. you sit down at a table for 6 players - 5 of them are already seated and you think that they are complete strangers - guess what they might all be talking to each other via zoom or something like that to share their hole cards and to influence the action - raising, folding, checking, etc... If that's not enough for you then consider this - all of the poker rooms are registered in some foreign sh**thole jurisdiction and can screw you over when it comes to withdrawals and you can't be sure where your money is being kept!
As far as blackjack goes - your advantage - if you can even gain the skills necessary will be maybe 1% which is not much and will require a lot of patience which most people don't have. You will also be surrounded by gamblers and lower class people who will be your company for hours and days - not very appealing. On top of that you will be tempted to try other games in the casino - especially if you are not having a good day - e.g. roulette. And lastly you have to realize what is your "opportunity cost" - all this time spent playing blackjack you could have been focusing for example on getting a degree or starting a business, etc...

What’s EV?

Can a movie made about your exploits; starring Robert Downey Jr.?

Don't encourage card-counting! People will lose their money! These casinos have changed the rules. 6/5 BJ, shuffle machines, limiting Splits. You have to have a HUGE bankrolll to try this. Probably only 1/10 of 1% will come out ahead.

I agree with colin after awhile playing card start to get board.

Im 30 years old with a 2 year old and to be completely honest, I dont see myself spending enough time in the casino to generate any real income anytime soon. I plan on practing becoming an AP over the years and when the day does come, I'll be a master at it and will only have to perfect my act. If card counting is still possible in the next 15-20 years who knows, it might make a great way to kick off retirement 🤷

Variance is a 5 letter word that starts with a B

g.i.t. active hmu just finished not in book still easy for myself

Until you play at a casino you don't realize how brutal this game is

I watched the documentary, and now I understand what your T-shirt means. Sometimes the lambs (of Christ) do slaughter the butcher. Keep up the great work!

Anyone who'd ask, "if you're so good at counting cards, why aren't you still doing it?", is only displaying how little they understand it. Eg, I would think many people who watch Steven Bridges' videos would conclude that the stress isn't worth it, regardless of the end result.

I just turned 18 and my dad recommended your channel I started off low using my money from my offering and these tips + the other videos I've been watching helped my a lot with making a bit of cash. Thankb you for making these.

I was gonna add 1 that I wish I would have never got a player's card or Admitted my identity... They can find out who you are pretty easy but why let them know. If also rat hole as many chips as you can. And whatever you do at the cage do not show them ID.

Is double deck playing alone or with a buddy better than playing 8deck as a ap?

So no giving Id means no giving a players card yes, and also how do you continue finding casinos to play at? There’s only a couple casinos by me to play part time at

I won $26k off $138 while I was in post grad, playing online roulette.
Finished school (aerospace), was one of the only people in my class to get a job. —> six months. Covid.

Used 15k of the 26k for a down payment on a truck and started a business that does deliveries.
I make 6 figures a year.

Here I am boys. I got time.

How do you avoid showing ID when they are required to issue a 1044G for any payouts above $5,000?

I did it fulltime for over three years in the late 90's. The one thing I wish I had known is that it's no way to live.

What if the casino refuses to cash you out without ID, even when you come back later to do it?

I have a friend who was a pro poker player and had to quit. His reason for quitting is because, in his words, he was making money but he wasn’t providing anything to anybody and had nothing to show for his work (other than money). That eventually wore him down. I imagine being a pro blackjack player is similar… fun for a while but not for a long term career.

Should you ever get a players card

When they say we need your ID you can just leave, but will they still cash you out at the cashier cage? Bc you say that's when they asked you for it so they were probably using that as leverage. Are they legally required to change your chips to cash if you don't provide ID?

Probably one of your best videos out there.

im not sure if blackjack or roulette is more profitable

What is "EV"

Also what are the best black jack books to buy. Thank You.

Does counting cards work?

Yes.
But 10% of all counters will end up making 90% of thr money. Counting cards is 4th grade math but calculating EV, bankroll, rounds per hour, variance, are much more difficult.

If you like gambling then counting cards wont hurt but if you're in it for the money you really would have to dedicate years to master the craft before you start counting because you'll end up getting backed off casinos before you're in your prime.

You also are probably competing against counters more experienced and more educated than you.

Its a young persons game. Learn, study, put the time in, make a run and get out before you burn out.

Sounds like what he did. You're fighting for a 1 to 2% advantage to be in the bottom 90% of low earners. You may make it into the upper distribution but you have to enjoy doing it wven on a losing streak and have a level of dedication that most sinply will never have.

I keep hearing to start off playing online and practice basic strategy online with real money where do I go for that?

What does EB mean?

What is EV ?

Most Las Vegas casinos have bad deck penetration. They now hit soft 17. When I played, the Strip casinos stood on all 17s. The rules were great. Double on any 2 cards, double after splits, surrender and insurance even on single deck games. Single deck games were dealt more than half way down. Usually 2/3 to 3/4 depending on the dealer. And the dealers did peak in those days for blackjack.

Is giving them your ID and bring put in the database a reason you quit?

If there are versions of bj that even card counters can’t beat, why don’t all casinos adopt them? Why have tables that are beatable?

Once I was drunk in a casino and I was pretending I'm counting the cards even though at that time I had no idea what it really is. That was probably the stupidest thing to do in a casino ^^

I went to sign up but it says add a better e-mail, this is the only e-mail I use at the moment

Don't know what the hype is, 52 cards in each deck.

Good video - very candid

Never did it make a killing. Just for the fun of it. Treading water as you said was fine by me. Usually ended the year up a little, a few thousand. Was not easy and don;t do it any more. Had all the strategy down perfect but the speed of play sometimes was too much.

I’m learning not so I can make money. Bit more so when I go for fun I don’t lose as badly. I do it for fun

Did you ever get beat up by the casino or is that just a movie thing

I would love to hear more about other AP opportunities in casinos

EV?