Card Counting in Blackjack

Counting cards is a well-known tactic employed by card players to increase their chances of winning at blackjack. While it may be relatively easy to learn, it can be challenging to master. Our guide will look at everything there is to know about card counting blackjack strategies, techniques, card values, and the main aspects of card counting.

Practice Card Counting Here

All casinos are:   trustworthy casinos Licenced & Verified   verified casinos Expertly Reviewed
Date AddedRatingProsBonus
hotstreakAdded: 21 Jan, 2023
4.0 rating
Hot Streak
Free spins on registration Great selection of Megaways slots New games added weekly
Up to £200 Cashback
+ 10 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

winlandiaAdded: 26 Jan, 2024
4.5 rating
Winlandia
PayPal and Apple Pay available 5700+ games! Daily picks, Tournaments and VIP club
100% Up To £50
+ 66 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

betgrouseAdded: 25 Oct, 2023
4.5 rating
BetGrouse
Skrill and Neteller accepted Sports betting section Super fast withdrawal times
100% Up to £100
+ 100 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

fruitkingsAdded: 19 Feb, 2022
4.5 rating
Fruit Kings
Most e-wallets supported Extra spins on sign up Good choice of game shows
Deposit £10 and get 20 bonus spins on Big Bass Splash
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

peachycasinoAdded: 24 Feb, 2023
4.6 rating
Peachy Casino
Amazing to play on mobile Variety of jackpot slots Licensed by the UKGC
Deposit £10 and get 20 bonus spins on Big Bass Splash
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

pubcasinoAdded: 14 Apr, 2023
4.0 rating
Pub Casino
17 game providers Skrill and Neteller accepted SLINGO games avilable
100% up to £100
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

redcasinoAdded: 22 Feb,2024
4.5 rating
PayPal, Trustly and Skrill accepted 30+ Jackpot slots available Up to 50 Daily Spins up for grabs
100% up to £25
+ 50 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

slotsnplayAdded: 24 Mar, 2022
4.5 rating
Slots n Play
Dedicated live casino bonus Amazing slot tournaments Spectacular live game section
£100 max.
+ 200 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

rhinobetAdded: 7 Feb, 2023
5.0 rating
Rhino.bet
Early access to new games 'Drops&Wins' games available Great mobile experience
75 Free Spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

hotwinsAdded: 29 day/s ago
4.6 rating
Mid-Week wheel of Spins CashBack weekends Over 4.000 casino games
100% up to £100
+ 25 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

videoslotscasinoAdded: 20 Apr, 2022
4.5 rating
VideoSlots
Exclusive Jackpot trophies Special Weekend prizes UK's favourite brand
100% - £200 max.
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

winbritishAdded: 8 Jan, 2023
4.5 rating
Win British
Over 1,0000 slots available! Vast choice of e-wallets for safe payments Huge number of promotions available
Exclusive Code- NCU50
+ 500 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

grandivycasinoAdded: 24 Oct, 2023
5.0 rating
Grand Ivy Casino
PayPal, Skrill, Neteller accepted Attractive welcome package Over 2000 slot games!
Up to £300
+ 25 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

mrvegasAdded: 13 Jan, 2023
5.0 rating
MrVegas
No-wager spins on 1st deposit New Rainbow Treasures every Friday Over 4.000 casino games
100% up to £200
+ 11 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

spinshakeAdded: 16 Oct, 2023
4.7 rating
Spin Shake
Skrill, Neteller, Ecopayz accepted Several weekly bonuses Fantastic live casino section
100% up to £50
+ 25 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

playfrankcasinoAdded: 9 Jan, 2022
5.0 rating
Play Frank
Bonus spins for new players PayPal supported Amazing ;Classic Slots' section
100% up to £100
+ 50 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

casushiAdded: 13 Jun, 2022
4.8 rating
Casushi
Japan-inspired themes Amazing games selection    Great VIP program
Deposit £10 and get 20 bonus spins on Big Bass Splash
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

yeticasinoAdded: 24 Feb, 2023
5.0 rating
YetiCasino
Weekly reload offers Amazing slots tournaments Fantastic jackpot games
100% up to £111
+ 100 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

jackpotmobilecasinoAdded: 16 Jun, 2022
4.5 rating
Jackpot Mobile Casino
Daily drops and wins Weekly win boosts Good welcome package
Up to £500
+ 50 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

funcasinoAdded: 7 Jan, 2022
3.5 rating
FunCasino
NetEnt Live games Variety of payments Colourful interface
100% - £123 max.
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

casimbacasinoAdded: 24 Jan, 2020
4.5 rating
Casimba
PayPal and Apple Pay supported Real cash prizes every week Over 2200 slot available
100% up to £200
+ 50 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

playluckAdded: 23 Feb, 2023
4.9 rating
PlayLuck
4-day sign up offer Great live section Amazing VIP program
£100 max.
+ 100 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

casumocasinoAdded: 13 Jun, 2022
4.5 rating
Casumo
2000+ games available! Multi-award winning brand PayPal and Apple Pay available
100% up to £25
+ 20 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

casiplayAdded: 6 Jan, 2022
5.0 rating
Casiplay
4-day signup bonus Great mobile experience Top choice of games
£100 Bonus
+ 150 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

aztecwinsAdded: 18 Aug, 2023
4.5 rating
Aztec Wins
PayPal available Great choice of Bingo games Unique Trophy&Reward scheme
100% up to £200
Visit Casino

T&Cs - New players only, £10 min fund, £200 max bonus, 65x Bonus wagering requirements, max bonus conversion to real funds equal to lifetime deposits (up to £250) full T&Cs apply Terms Apply

yakoAdded: 16 Feb, 2023
5.0 rating
Yako
Smooth mobile gaming Great customer care 100% safe platform
£99 Max.
+ 99 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

dreamvegasAdded: 16 Feb, 2023
4.5 rating
Dream Vegas
40+ live games Weekly cash giveaways GPay & PayPal available
100% up to £300
+ 150 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

lootcasinoAdded: 13 Jan, 2022
4.0 rating
Loot Casino
Attractive welcome package Dedicated bonus spin offers New monthly & weekly promotions
up to £6000
Visit Casino

New players only. 1st, 2nd and 3rd ever deposit: win a Matchup Bonus up to 10X your deposit amount (£2,000 max bonus), £10 min fund for all 3 offers. Max bonus conversion equal to lifetime deposits (up to £250), 65x WAGERING REQUIREMENTS and full T&Cs apply. Terms Apply.

bluefoxAdded: 1 Feb, 2023
4.5 rating
Blue Fox
Massive welcome package PayPal payments accepted Incredible slots catalog
Up to £1,000
+ 100 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

lucksterAdded: 5 Jan, 2024
4.5 rating
Luckster
50+ jackpot slots Very attractive sports betting section Plenty of real-money slot tournaments
100% Up To £200
+ 100 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

luckyvegasAdded: 3 Feb, 2023
5.0 rating
Lucky Vegas
NetEnt live games Huge choice of games Stellar VIP scheme
£50 max.
+ 25 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

heyspincasinoAdded: 19 Jan, 2022
4.0 rating
HeySpin
Fun and colourful theme Incredible live casino experience PayPal supported
EXCLUSIVE : 100% - £50 Max
+ 100 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

playojocasinoAdded: 4 Jan, 2022
4.0 rating
Play Ojo
Bonus wins paid in cash No withdrawal limits No wagering requirements
50 Bonus Spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

spinyooAdded: 20 Apr, 2022
4.5 rating
SpinYoo
Dedicated live casino bonus Apple Pay and PayPal available Fantastic variety of slot games
100% up to £250
+ 100 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

lottomartAdded: 20 Apr, 2022
5.0 rating
Lottomart
10% Cashback Great choice of lotto games Amazing mobile experience
100% - £200 max.
+ 20 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

monstercasinoAdded: 14 Jun, 2022
4.5 rating
Monster Casino
Mobile app Safe & secure Awesome promotions
Up to £1000
+ 100 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

lucklandcasinoAdded: 24 Mar, 2022
5.0 rating
Luckland
Amazing choice of slots Fully licensed UK brand Fantastic mobile experience
100% up to £50
+ 50 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

nobonuscasinoAdded: 5 Jan, 2022
5.0 rating
NoBonusCasino
No wagering bonus Lottery games Lifetime offers
10% Cashback bonus
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

playjangoAdded: 3 Jan, 2023
4.6 rating
Playjango
Special daily offers Free bonuses for VIP’s    Huge games selection
100% - £25 max.
+ 25 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

playzeeAdded: 6 Jan, 2022
4.6 rating
Playzee
Daily new offers Fast payouts Over 2000 games
100% - £300 max
+ 100 Bonus spins
Visit Casino

New Customers, T&C's apply, 18+ #AD

What is Card Counting?

Card counting is the strategy to track how many high and low cards remain in the dealer’s deck. When you accurately count cards, you may raise your stake since you know the odds are stacked in your favour, increasing your chances of winning large. On the other hand, card counting is not for learning how to win or cheat at blackjack regularly. It’s merely a skillset added to your usual gaming to help you understand what’s in the deck.

How Does Card Counting in Blackjack Work?

To correctly card count, you must keep a running count based on the face value of all cards shown. Let’s take a deeper look at the card counting blackjack steps:

  1. Based on the plus-minus count, each card should be assigned a value. Cards 2 to 6 have a +1 value, cards 7 to 9 have a 0, and cards 10 to Ace have a -1 value.
  2. Using the above values, keep a running count for each card the dealer selects from the deck.
  3. You’ll be able to track the running value of the cards left in the deck when you keep an exact count of the cards dealt.
  4. If the count is negative after each round, raise your stake quantity. You do this because the deck will contain more low-value cards. Lower your bet instead if the count is positive.

This blackjack method requires patience, a lot of practice, and attention to detail, but anyone can master it. Card counting is one of the most effective blackjack methods, but it is worth your time and effort.

Basic Card Counting Blackjack Strategy

card counting blackjackThe Hi-Lo approach is the most often employed method for card counting online blackjack players. The reason for this is because it is the most basic card counting strategy. The technique is simple and excellent for beginning card counting players. The values of the cards are as follows:

  • Cards 2 through 6 have a value of +1
  • Cards 7, 8 and 9 have a value of 0
  • Cards Ace, King, Queen and Jack have a value of -1

The more high-value cards remain in the deck, the greater the positive number in the player’s count, and vice versa. After the cards are dealt, keep a running count of 0, then divide the amount by the number of decks in the shoe. We recommend starting with one deck before progressing to more complicated systems.

Advanced Card Counting Online Blackjack Strategies

When you’ve mastered the skill of basic Hi-Lo card counting and want to advance to more advanced methods, you have various possibilities.

Omega II Strategy

Bruce Carlson created the Omega II system, an intermediate-level card counting system. It is also a multi-level system in which certain cards are worth two points and others are worth one point. As a result, the card values are as follows:

  • The value given to the 4, 5 and 6 cards is +2
  • The value assigned to the 2, 3 and 7 cards is +1
  • The value of the Ace and eight cards is 0
  • The value for the nine cards is -1
  • The value for the King, Queen and Jack is -2

Omega II is a balanced card counting blackjack method, which means that if you keep track correctly, you will arrive at 0.

Hi-Opt I and II Strategies

The Hi-Opt strategies come in two varieties: Hi-Opt I and Hi-Opt II. Let’s look at these card counting blackjack strategies and how they work.

Hi-Opt I

Like the Hi-Lo system, it is a balanced game, and you must keep a running count to make intelligent betting selections. The Hi-Opt I strategy assigns the values of the cards are as follows:

  • The value given to the 3, 4, 5 and 6 cards is +1
  • The value given to the Ace, 2, 7, 8 and 9 cards is 0
  • The value assigned to the King, Queen, Jack and ten cards is -1

Hi-Opt II

The Hi-Opt II is likewise a balanced system that gives different values to each card. The numbers 2, 3, 6, or 7 have a value of +1. When you see cards 4 and 5, you must add 2 to your overall score. While utilising ten and the face cards, you must deduct two from the running count. The value of an ace, 8, or 9 is 0.

Red 7 Strategy

Because it is a one-level method, the Red 7 card counting strategy in blackjack is straightforward for novices. The Red 7 strategy is built on the concept of high against low cards. Ace, King, Queen and Jack cards values are – 1, the lower cards values are+1, and the 8 and 9 cards are 0. Card number 7 is a low card, but in this strategy, the colour of the 7 is significant. If the seven is red, it is valued at +1, but if it is black, it is 0. The greater the ultimate score, the better it is for you.

Zen Count Strategy

The Zen Count method reduces the count to zero when all cards have been handed out. Zen Count is a simple strategy, and the cards are valued as follows:

  • The 2, 3 and 7 cards value are +1
  • The 4, 5 and 6 cards value are +2
  • The 8 and 6 cards value are 0
  • The 10, Jack, Queen and King cards values are -2
  • The Ace cards value is -1

You should invest the smallest amount possible when your true count is 0 or fewer. Each time the count rises, you should increase your bets by one unit.

Wong Halves Strategy

Stanford Wong created the most complex three-level card counting online blackjack method, the Wong Halves System. Like the Omega II, it is a well-balanced system. Once you’ve dealt with all the cards in the deck, the ultimate result of your computations should be zero. Following the distribution of each deck, you should calculate your real counts. In the Wong system, these are the values given to the cards:

  • The value of the 2 and 7 cards is ½
  • The value of the 3, 4 and 6 cards is 1
  • The value of the five cards is 1 ½
  • The value of the nine cards is 0
  • The value of the eight cards is -½
  • The value of the Ace, Queen, King, Jack and ten cards is -1

If you want to avoid using fractions, you can always double the values of the ½ value cards. To calculate the chances of winning, the ‘running count’ must be transformed to an exact count once again. After each dealt deck, determine the final count. Doing this is more straightforward than determining the latest count using multiple dealt decks of cards.

Knock Out Strategy

The Knock-Out card counting blackjack strategy, often known as the KO system, is excellent for both beginners and intermediate players. The system is unbalanced because the total count will not equal zero once all cards are dealt. Similar to the Hi-Lo strategy, the 10, Ace, Queen, Jack and King cards have a value of -1. Cards numbered 2 through 7 have a +1, and numbers 8 and 9 have a value of 0.

Team Strategy

Some card counters collaborate. This approach is based mainly on the Hi-Lo system, and all cards have the same values. The crew communicates with one another using signals in land-based casinos to avoid discovery, but over the internet, they use video chats to communicate. They can inform hovering players when to join a hand and whether or not to wager large.

Multiple Decks

Using numerous decks is one method casinos try to combat card counting. In principle, this makes it more difficult for you to keep track of the running total. You can still apply the Hi-Lo strategy when playing blackjack against a dealer that uses several decks. Divide the running total by the number of decks remaining and get the ‘true count.’

When dealing with numerous decks, your ‘true count’ figure decides your advantage. You must keep an accurate running total to ascertain the real count amount. For example, if your running total is five and you have two decks left, your true count is 2.5.

Which is the best Card Counting Online Blackjack Strategy?

Before attempting card counting with online blackjack, you must be sure you have mastered the blackjack game overall. Once you understand blackjack’s general rules, the Hi-Lo card counting strategy is the easiest for newbies to learn. Before trying more advanced card counting techniques, you can test your skills with this strategy.

Blackjack Card Counting Software

Blackjack card counting is a technique that may be simple to teach, but it is a challenging ability to obtain and perfect. Card counting needs players to remember and have a mathematical mindset and to process numbers quickly in their heads. However, blackjack card counting trainers are available for players to master card counting. Card counting is available on Android and iPhone devices through their app stores; head to their search section and type in ‘blackjack card counting trainer’ or ‘blackjack card counting software.

Counting Cards Conclusion

Counting cards is one of the finest strategies for improving your chances of winning real money, especially when playing blackjack with high stakes. Take a few minutes to review the systems to select one that appears to be a good fit for you. Any strategy that you master will provide you with an advantage.

If you’re having trouble getting started, start by learning about the Hi-Lo and Red 7. Both are popular systems, and as you study more about each, you’ll discover the benefits and drawbacks of balanced and imbalanced systems.

Card Counting Blackjack: FAQs

Is card counting illegal?

No, it is not illegal. Unless you are utilising a piece of mechanical or electrical equipment in a land-based casino, it is not prohibited to count cards. Card counting is a talent and a playing strategy.

How long does it take to master blackjack card counting?

To estimate how long it will take, consider how quick and efficient you are at mathematics.

Is it hard to learn how to card count?

The technique itself is not complicated. It does, however, require practice. You have a greater chance of learning if you understand fundamental blackjack rules and choose a strong card counting strategy.

What is the best blackjack card counting software?

Before looking for an app which suits you, we would advise first practising and learning yourself. If you want to use an application to help you further, you can try Blackjack & Card Counting Trainer Pro, available on most app stores.

Can I try card counting for free?

Yes, most online casinos have a demo option for their blackjack games, so you can try these methods before playing blackjack with real money!

author
Written by: Petricia Everly newcasinouk.com

Petricia Everly is an online writer who writes about the world of online gambling exclusively for NewCasinoUK.com. She is particularly interested in online slots, exploring the themes of identity, justice, and the power of luck in her work. Her writing style is unique, combining elements of realism, fantasy, and humour.

22/02/2023