5 Red Flags That Signal a Card Counter

If card counting is a mental strategy, how do the casinos spot those who engage in the act? They simply watch out for these red flags that signal a card counter. And contrary to popular opinion, the eagle eyes in casinos aren’t the high-tech surveillance cameras. The dealers and floor supervisors are. They often notice small patterns before surveillance ever gets involved.

So, if you are a card counter, you must not give off any clues. Here are the five biggest red flags that can make a player stand out at a blackjack table.

Is Card Counting Illegal?

Card Counting isn't illegal at blackjack tables. It is only frowned upon by casinos because of the advantage it gives players. Still, many times, dealers and pit bosses do not bother when they spot casual players who have recently learned card counting. Most beginner card counters often lose money while learning.

Conversely, when they spot professional card counters, their guard is up. They try to counter with tactics such as a lower table maximum and reshuffling the deck to offset any advantages. Or the casino security can be instructed to tell such players to leave the table. Usually, no charges are filed unless an external electronic device is used, as this is illegal.

Let’s jump into how casinos spot card counters.

Red Flag 1: Large Bet Spreads

One of the first red flags that signal to the casino that they are dealing with a card counter is a large bet spread. Casino dealers and supervisors track a player's betting pattern, monitoring their average bet, as well as noticing when their bets increase or decrease, i.e. the player’s bet spread.

Commonly, a card counter often places their minimum bet when the Running Count is negative or zero. This count indicates that the cards in the deck have small values, which favors the house. But as soon as the True Count becomes +2, +3, or +4, the player increases their bet size. A positive true count indicates that the deck has high-value cards, such as 10s and Aces, which favors players.

For example, if a player has an incredibly large bet spread of 1-12 when card counting, the player can bet a minimum of $20 at the start of the gameplay but suddenly increases up to $240 when the true count is positive. If the true count drops back down to a negative, the player immediately drops back to their minimum bet of $20. The supervisor takes note of this pattern.

Regular players often place bets at a steady amount based on their bankroll or use a common bankroll strategy, where they slowly increase their bet by one unit if they are winning. Card counters do not do so. They can raise their bets after a loss based on their true count calculation using the hi-lo system. When the dealer sees this, they will notify their floor supervisor by calling out, "Cheques Play."

The more you vary your bet sizes, maybe based on tools like the blackjack payout calculator, the more attention you will draw from the floor staff.

Red Flag 2: Perfect Basic Strategy with Unusual Deviations

When a player plays blackjack using basic strategy, the dealer notices but isn’t triggered. But when a player deviates from this strategy to one that, mathematically, isn’t recommended, red flags start to pop up.

Common unusual moves that card counters make include splitting 10s against a 5 when the true count is +5 or splitting against a 6 when the true count is +4. The basic strategy guide states never split tens because it is a winning hand. But a card counter will deviate from that if the count is high enough.

These deviations are among the red flags that signal a card counter. Regular players would not dare attempt such actions during normal gameplay.

Red Flag 3: Behavioral Patterns That Stand Out

Card counting is more of a mental task. The hi-lo system is the easiest out of all of them, and it still takes focus and concentration to execute it properly, which involves keeping a running count and true count. Because of this a card counter will often display some distinct behavioral patterns, such as not socializing, not drinking, cold reactions, and intense focus. At first glance, the player appears ordinary until gameplay begins.

Card counters will avoid any social aspect of casinos, including socializing with other people as well as drinking, which can cause them to lose track of the count. A regular player's emotions will fluctuate based on whether they are winning or losing. A card counter's mood, on the other hand, shifts based on the true count.

Red Flag 4: Eye Tracking and Card Observation

Professional card counters are often hyper focused on the table, the cards to be more specific, because it is a game where their card counting skills matter. Card counters often have their eyes glued to the cards, from the shoe to all of the other players' hands. Hand after hand, they monitor the cards to keep a mental true count. Dealers notice this unusual behavior, along with how a player adjusts their bets, to determine whether the player is a card counter.

Red Flag 5: Team Play

As it is often said, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” At the blackjack tables, this statement holds. A good example was the MIT Blackjack Team. Their success in using card counting to beat the various casinos remains a classic in the gambling industry.

A lone player may not reach record profits like a team of players. A blackjack card counting team dives into two distinct roles: a Spotter and a Big Player.

The Spotter of a team often sits at a table, betting only the table minimum. The focus of a spotter is to keep an accurate count of the cards in the shoe without drawing attention. The player appears like a casual, low-stakes gambler. The Big Player (BP), on the other hand, is the high roller of the team. This player looks flashy, but does not sit at any table unless beckoned by the Spotter.

The Spotter signals to the Big Player to come over and exploit the deck as soon as the table hits a highly positive True Count. The Spotter also often gives a departure signal, agreed upon as part of the team's card-counting strategies. It could be taking a sip of their drink. The Big Player notices the signal and walks away.

Sudden moves to a specific table, aka mid-deck entry, and other behaviors are among the card-counting warning signs that casino surveillance units are trained to detect.

Can Casinos Actually Stop Card Counters?

Card counting is not illegal. However, the casino is private property, so they can choose to 86 anyone for any reason. The term “86” means to throw someone out of the establishment.

Other tactics the casino may use include, the floor supervisor requesting a shuffle mid-deck, which messes up the count. The only problem with this is that shuffling takes time, which eats into the casino’s hands-per-hour. Less hands-per-hour means less money for the casino.

Floor supervisors can also introduce flat betting, allowing the player to bet only a certain amount during gameplay. This means the table minimum and the table maximum are the same amount. This limits the player from spreading bets when the deck has a positive true count.

Additionally, to prevent plays like the blackjack illustrious 18, a casino can impose specific limits on actions such as splitting and doubling down. However, if the house has evidence of an electronic device being used, this is illegal and the casino will call the police to arrest the player. Another action the casino may take is they can ban the player or the team.

Do Dealers Really Care About Card Counters?

Most card-counting cases never raise concerns. Therefore, dealers often don't care. Casino staff know that majority of card counters aren’t a threat to the casino. Most of these players saw this in a movie and want to try it out for themselves, and they tend to lose money while learning how to count cards. Dealers watch attempts at card count with mild amusement. They observe the player using the blackjack strategy guide to lower their house edge while remaining professional and carrying out their duties. Players who learn card counting for beginners, can execute the strategy without raising too much suspicions.

Conclusion

Most card counters do not get dragged into a back room or thrown out of casinos. The players who get noticed are the ones who play with large sums of money and win. The dealers, pit bosses, and floor supervisors are not interested in whether you count cards. They observe every player’s behavior and actions to see whether it raises red flags that signal a threat to the casino.

FAQs

How do casinos know if someone is counting cards?

Casinos identify a card counter by looking for red flags, such as large bet spreads, team play, distinct behavioral patterns (e.g., a lack of social bonding and intense focus on the cards), and unique deviations from basic blackjack strategy.

Can dealers tell if you're counting cards?

Yes, dealers are trained to identify behavioral patterns that match a card counter's profile.

Can you get kicked out for counting cards?

It depends. 90% of card counters will not get kicked out of the casino for counting cards. The 10% of professional card counters that wager large sums of money and work in teams will get kicked out of the casino for card counting.

What is a bet spread in blackjack?

The bet spread in blackjack is a betting pattern that involves placing minimum and maximum bets based on a specific range as the true count changes. For example, if a player has a 1-12 bet spread and the table’s minimum is $10, at the start of gameplay, the player places a $10 bet but suddenly increases it to $120 when the true count is positive.

Do card counters wear sunglasses?

No, wearing sunglasses inside is very obvious and screams “I’m doing something shady” and they do not want to draw unnecessary attention from the casino staff.

Do professional card counters work in teams?

Yes, professional card counters can work in teams, having Spotters and Big players. A good example is the MIT Blackjack.