Question, does this happen to everyone?

[Tubs]

I've been a frequent reader on this website and just registered an account. First I'd like to thank everybody for there input, it's been quite helpful.
I've been carding cards now for only about a month or so(not including practice ) and I've pretty doing pretty well for the most part. I do a lot of wonging but I'm pretty inconspicuous about it and I'm usually at the casino for 5-7 hours when I do go. I do the basic Hi-Lo counting system and I play 6 deck shoes. Anyways, getting to my point...very rarely...and I mean RARELY do I ever see the TC getting high, or hell, even decent. I'd say out of the 5-7 hours I'm there I'll see the TC get to +4 or higher about two or three times, and it's usually when there's only like 2-3 decks left. Is this normal? Because it's really time consuming if I only play when the TC is at least +4, sometimes I'll play if it's +3...depends on how impatient I'm feeling. I usually only play the $10 tables (mostly because I still consider myself new) and I do the whole min bet times TC-1. Anyways, like I said earlier, is it normal to be that rare of an occurrence?

 

[21forme]

Welcome.

A TC of +4 happens about 2-3% of the time in a shoe game, so your observation is on track. Below is a frequency graph, courtesy of QFIT's site, blackjackincolor.com.

If you're playing an S17 game, I suggest you wong in at +1. Waiting for +3 or greater will leave you standing around WAY too long and you will be too conspicuous, besides not playing very much.

 

[callipygian]

Is this normal?

Yes.

Because it's really time consuming if I only play when the TC is at least +4, sometimes I'll play if it's +3...depends on how impatient I'm feeling.

If you're playing by yourself, this is too high of a Wong-in point unless you've got a really limited bankroll and insist on playing with low RoR. As your Wong-in point goes up, your EV goes up, but your hands per hour plummets. Your win rate (EV * hands/hr) actually reaches a maximum between TC+1 and TC+2 - lower than that, you're playing too many bad hands, and higher than that, you're playing too few hands, period.

As 21forme pointed out, it's also very suspicious to be loitering around a table for 4 hours. Keep in mind that casinos have more to worry about than card counters. You could be a chip thief waiting for a player to turn away so you can grab his chips; you could be a hooker disturbing the players; you could be a frontman for an armed robbery. You'll be on surveillance's radar before you play a hand if you blatantly backcount. I believe there's even a surveillance term for people who do this ... "pit vultures"?

The best way to look natural is to take 15 minutes and just watch people. Notice how people act - how fast do they walk / where are their eyes as they pass by a table / do they pull their wallets out before sitting down or after / etc. Once you have a good feeling for what "normal" people look like, you can find ways to disguise your non-normal behavior.

 

[rukus]

I believe there's even a surveillance term for people who do this ... "pit vultures"?

buzzards is what ive heard before.

OP, your question has been answered nicely. basically you need to balance hourly wage vs risk.

 

[callipygian]

buzzards is what ive heard before.

That's it.

 

[FLASH1296]

Buzzards or Vultures ?

I have heard both terms used.

 

[FLASH1296]

Unsolicited Advice of the Important Type.

As you have received a lot of fine advice I only want to add one point.

Wonging, [if you Wong in at +2 (my advice)] will probably have you wagering on approx. 20 hands per hour. At +4 you cannot haver anywhere near that much action. Perhaps

You probably have an overall (mean) advantage of less than 1%; and as you are betting an average of under $40, (for 8 hands per hr.) your expectation will be in the neighborhood of $3 an hr.

If I read you correctly, you are betting "Hi-Lo T.C. -1" at $10 tables.
You would do better by simply flat betting a comfortable amount.
You are betting far too lightly I M H O.
As your expectation is so modest you are spinning your wheels for nothing.
I imagine that you are bereft of both confidence and coin.
If you need a bankroll I urge you to get a job and save what you can.