Got caught card counting today

#1
So, I got caught card counting at an Indian casino today, Cache Creek in California, to be more specific. They were really polite about it. They took me aside and told me they had been watching me all night, and they would appreciate it if I played any other game in the house except blackjack. Anyway, I was using the K-0 counting system for a single deck, and playing a 1:4 spread where the minimum bet was $15. Thought I would not be that noticeable since the maximum bet I would make was $60, regardless of how high the count. But I had been playing for a long time, about 8 hours. So, I have to ask: what is a better way of playing and winning and not getting caught? Is it to just play the minimum and then suddenly bet the maximum bet when the count is really high--who cares if your caught, cuz you would've have won $500 or more?
 
#4
JIMMY_SF said:
So, I got caught card counting at an Indian casino today, Cache Creek in California, to be more specific. They were really polite about it. They took me aside and told me they had been watching me all night, and they would appreciate it if I played any other game in the house except blackjack. Anyway, I was using the K-0 counting system for a single deck, and playing a 1:4 spread where the minimum bet was $15. Thought I would not be that noticeable since the maximum bet I would make was $60, regardless of how high the count. But I had been playing for a long time, about 8 hours. So, I have to ask: what is a better way of playing and winning and not getting caught? Is it to just play the minimum and then suddenly bet the maximum bet when the count is really high--who cares if your caught, cuz you would've have won $500 or more?
Which blackjack game were you playing JIMMY_SF? The single deck at Cache Creek pays 6:5 on blackjacks and spreading $15-$60 shouldn't be a problem. Or did you play six deck? Was your play tracked with a Cache Creek players club card? Sure seems like by barring you from playing 21 for winning a few hundred after 8 hours of play is ridiculous.
 
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#6
Hi all!

Do casinos employ close supervision in single deck games that pay 6:5 on BJ because generally speaking, pitbosses employ closer supervision on games with low house edges (e.g. double deck games with 65% penetration).

I mean the single deck 6:5 BJ has a house edge of over 1.2% which makes it difficult to beat even with a 1-4 spread.

Another question I would like to pose to all you experts out there, what if you use reverse Martingale when you have a winning streak and win a lot - do they do label you a counter? There is a difference between a counter and a person who profits based purely on speculating a winning streak using reverse Martingale (e.g. 30 - 60 - 120 - 240 - 480).

8 hours is too long - I mean if you play 3 hours and then return maybe in a fortnight and play another 3 hours, they may not notice.
 
#7
Why I played for 8 hours

I only played for 8 hours because I started off on a losing streak. Even though the count was high, and I bet $60, or $120 if I doubled down or split, the dealer got lucky one too many times. So, I ended up spending the rest of the time trying to win back the money I lose. I was in the hole for about $600. But I eventually won it back. Just took time. And when I was about to FINALLY make a profit, they stopped me! :-/ Oh, I didn't use a player card either, because I didn't want them to track me that way. I'm wondering if I should try a bigger spread when I do it at a different casino?
 

Lonesome Gambler

Well-Known Member
#8
Before you start worrying about your spread, you need to worry about game selection. Spreading 1-4 at a 6:5 game is not going to go well for you. Even increasing your spread isn't going to do much. Unless you're really in the know, you are not beating 6:5 single deck, which is why you should probably find a decent shoe game and work that angle instead.
 

psyduck

Well-Known Member
#9
Lonesome Gambler said:
Before you start worrying about your spread, you need to worry about game selection. Spreading 1-4 at a 6:5 game is not going to go well for you. Even increasing your spread isn't going to do much.
But don't you think larger spread would have had him barred even earlier?
 

moo321

Well-Known Member
#11
JIMMY_SF said:
So, I got caught card counting at an Indian casino today, Cache Creek in California, to be more specific. They were really polite about it. They took me aside and told me they had been watching me all night, and they would appreciate it if I played any other game in the house except blackjack. Anyway, I was using the K-0 counting system for a single deck, and playing a 1:4 spread where the minimum bet was $15. Thought I would not be that noticeable since the maximum bet I would make was $60, regardless of how high the count. But I had been playing for a long time, about 8 hours. So, I have to ask: what is a better way of playing and winning and not getting caught? Is it to just play the minimum and then suddenly bet the maximum bet when the count is really high--who cares if your caught, cuz you would've have won $500 or more?
1. 6:5 blackjack is garbage. A 1-4 spread won't beat it.
2. 8 hours is too long to play at any game, much less single deck.
 
#12
3:2 Blackjack

Hard to find a 3:2 Single Deck Blackjack near SF. I hear Thunder Valley uses continuous shuffling machines. I don't know about Red Hawk Casino. Anyone know?
 

moo321

Well-Known Member
#13
JIMMY_SF said:
Hard to find a 3:2 Single Deck Blackjack near SF. I hear Thunder Valley uses continuous shuffling machines. I don't know about Red Hawk Casino. Anyone know?
Then you'll have to play double deck or shoes. I'd rather play an 8 decker than a 6:5 single deck game.
 

ihate17

Well-Known Member
#14
close supervison?

Why would a casino watch a 6/5 game closely?
If it is a pitch gamea smart casino would watch it closely enough to make sure that their dealers do not reveal their hole cards. the problem is that many in casino management are no smarter than their players who play 6/5 games. They know it is single deck and think anyone who spreads on a single deck must be a counter.

I can list at least a dozen casinos that watch their 6/5 games much closer than they watch a good 6deck shoe with a house edge of about only 1/6 as much as that 1.45% single deck game. I would say that it is pretty typical that casino employees charged with game protection do not even understand the games they are supposed to protect. Better, much better for me.

ihate17




blackjackstudent said:
Hi all!

Do casinos employ close supervision in single deck games that pay 6:5 on BJ because generally speaking, pitbosses employ closer supervision on games with low house edges (e.g. double deck games with 65% penetration).

I mean the single deck 6:5 BJ has a house edge of over 1.2% which makes it difficult to beat even with a 1-4 spread.

Another question I would like to pose to all you experts out there, what if you use reverse Martingale when you have a winning streak and win a lot - do they do label you a counter? There is a difference between a counter and a person who profits based purely on speculating a winning streak using reverse Martingale (e.g. 30 - 60 - 120 - 240 - 480).

8 hours is too long - I mean if you play 3 hours and then return maybe in a fortnight and play another 3 hours, they may not notice.
 

ihate17

Well-Known Member
#15
Backed off while losing or while making a comeback

Jimmy
Play long enough and you will find that many counters play too long of sessions when losing and that results in giving the casino much more time to figure out that the player may be a counter.
Ask any experienced counter and you will find out that at least early in their career they got backed off about as often when losing as when winning. They just played too long.

ihate17


JIMMY_SF said:
I only played for 8 hours because I started off on a losing streak. Even though the count was high, and I bet $60, or $120 if I doubled down or split, the dealer got lucky one too many times. So, I ended up spending the rest of the time trying to win back the money I lose. I was in the hole for about $600. But I eventually won it back. Just took time. And when I was about to FINALLY make a profit, they stopped me! :-/ Oh, I didn't use a player card either, because I didn't want them to track me that way. I'm wondering if I should try a bigger spread when I do it at a different casino?
 

Finn Dog

Well-Known Member
#17
Jimmy,

Playing to get your money back is in general a bad idea. This is how a lot of players get caught (because they invariably stay too long). Book your losses (actually a good thing), and come back to fight another day.

Best regards,

FD
 

callipygian

Well-Known Member
#18
JIMMY_SF said:
Hard to find a 3:2 Single Deck Blackjack near SF
How often you play should be a function of how good of a game you're able to find. Charging out to play crappy games because only crappy games are available is a recipe for disaster, if it's not a sign of a gambling problem.

There are no good games in the SF Bay Area. I think the Cache Creek shoe game is (marginally) playable, or at least it was when I last played there. Reno has some decent games, and Vegas isn't that far.
 

snorky

Well-Known Member
#19
I just found this thread. Is this for real? They back people off of 6:5 games on a 1-4 spread!?!?! How dumb is management????

To think I was going to play there rated! Good thing I found this.

btw I was there a few days ago. They actually do have 3:2 pay on SD in the HL room. I forgot if it was 25 or 50 min, but they only deal 4 rounds heads up, which is beyond ridiculous.

The HL room also has 3:2 DD game with 50% pen, but I don't remember the rules since they were crap too.
 
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