Are there many counters left out there?

[zoomie]

I ask this because, although I have played many hundreds of hours in Tahoe and AC, less in Vegas, I have never ever seen another player betting like a counter. What is your experience? If there really are so few, the casinos may be wasting their expenditures on counter detection. Moreover, how many of us have access to large enough bankrolls to matter?

[mjbballar23]

Originally Posted by zoomie

I ask this because, although I have played many hundreds of hours in Tahoe and AC, less in Vegas, I have never ever seen another player betting like a counter. What is your experience? If there really are so few, the casinos may be wasting their expenditures on counter detection. Moreover, how many of us have access to large enough bankrolls to matter?

I cant tell by your post whether you know how to count or not but if you dont then i can definitely believe that you've never seen another counter. Unless you know what the count is, it is often pretty hard to tell if someone is counting or not unless of course they are being EXTREMELY obvious. I can say i've come across many counters but it has been several months. I picked off one counter just by the way he screamed "YES" when offered insurance as i was walking by his table. This was an old guy that was consistantly starring at the discard tray, always asking for the burn, and it was pretty obvious that he was struggling to keep up with the pace of the game. Thats the only counter i have ever come across without having a knowledge of the count.

[zoomie]

Oh, sorry, I should have said that, yes, I feel like a reasonably expert counter with decades of experience using RPC. I know the count at my own table, of course, and when I Wong I know the count as well. If I were to see another counter I would leave/not enter, but I never see one.

[Alythezon]

i kinda agree i dont remember what you said but unless you go to somewhere more popular most of the people are going to be ploopies (heh a term i picked up on this site) they are just being dumb and are just going for entertainment. They also may be going to socialize i dont know. I know at the local casinos by me there are usually older people or people who come up and just blow away money. I try to count but thats the keyword.Most people just sit at table min the whole night then go broke and leave.

[Sonny]

I’ve been playing for almost 9 years (mostly Vegas and California) and I’ve only bumped into about 1-2 other counters in a casino. Heck, I don’t even see people playing 100% basic strategy! I know there are quite a few card counters out there because I’ve met them or talked to them outside of the casinos, but I usually don’t see them at work.

-Sonny-

[Guynoire]

I once saw a team. They're really hard to spot and I would have been completely oblivious to them if I hadn't been backcounting the table.

[sagefr0g]

this joint i used to play. it was the only game in the area worth a darn and no other joints worth while for great distances. well there was at least three of us. none of us really spoke about it. but it went with out saying between us. it was kind of funny at times we'd have a stand off as to who was gonna get to wong out on some crappy count. got to be to obvious if we'd all get up and leave for the potty at the same time. lol. then the one guy was pretty tempermental about it when i'd try and wong in on his good count. lol.

[eps6724]

I was watching WSP (a rerun) the other day, when one of the 'pros' who was identified as a 'former' BJ player, made the statement about blackjack that anyone can learn how to beat the game, but the trick is to be able to do it and not get caught.

I often wonder-how many people can do it, but won't because of the fear of getting caught?

[ChefJJ]

Originally Posted by eps6724

I was watching WSP (a rerun) the other day, when one of the 'pros' who was identified as a 'former' BJ player, made the statement about blackjack that anyone can learn how to beat the game, but the trick is to be able to do it and not get caught.

I often wonder-how many people can do it, but won't because of the fear of getting caught?

I think more people are not successful at it for a few reasons:

1) They have too high of expectations with too small of a bankroll.
2) Many "gamblers" have poor discipline.
3) Some just don't know how to interact with the casino (e.g. build rapport with the staff in a session/play with cover).

[Canceler]

Originally Posted by mjbballar23

I picked off one counter just by the way he screamed "YES" when offered insurance as i was walking by his table. This was an old guy that was consistantly starring at the discard tray, always asking for the burn, and it was pretty obvious that he was struggling to keep up with the pace of the game.

Hey now! That was me!

I've only seen two that I knew were counters. One was a guy whose bets were going up and down at the same time mine were. The other was a kid who wonged into, and out of, my table at exactly the right time, according to my count.