Image by fxquadro on Freepik
Willie Sutton famously responded, “Because that’s where the money is,” when asked why he kept robbing banks. Sutton’s Law is still very much in force today since casinos have always been a popular target for con artists, fraudsters, and thieves.
Blackjack is a high-stakes game that mainly relies on player skill, making it a popular target for those looking to cheat their way to fortune at the expense of the House. It is a desirable target for con artists and fraudsters because of the possibility of making significant amounts of money in a single transaction.
Contrary to what their patrons might think, casinos are not in the business of giving away free money; rather, they are in the business of making money. However, dishonest tactics are at the con artists’ disposal, and if used correctly, they can tip the scales in their favor.
Casino cheaters employ a wide range of strategies to avoid detection and penalties, including card counting, marking cards, and keeping hand records. Casinos, on the other hand, have significant incentives to monitor their games and stop cheating to protect their business.
Blackjack Decks: How Adding One or Two Extra Packs Modifies Everything
Classic blackjack was played with one deck, from which the winning cards were discarded after each hand. This drastically limits the number of possible cards and combinations for card counting, making it more manageable for the typical player.
For instance, you might be concerned about the dealer’s hand in a poker game. Due to your mental tally of the cards pulled, you are aware that you have drawn from around two-thirds of the deck and that there are still many high cards in the deck. Do you remain in your current position or up the stakes?
It is only reasonable for casinos to attempt to eradicate any tactic that gives players an advantage over the house. Multiple decks can be inserted simultaneously to increase the size of the shoe on the table and create duplicates of the cards in play, giving a straightforward solution for these types of issues.
Extremely implausible, as counting through eight decks of cards is far more difficult than counting through a single deck.
The Shuffling Machines
The automatic shuffler is the casino’s next line of defense. Many blackjack games use more than one deck, and the cards are frequently reshuffled after each hand. This is contrary to the spirit of the game, yet it is frequently used as a house rule to prevent cheating methods such as card counting from being possible.
Blackjack games played online, which use random number generators to generate cards, are immune to such attempts at manipulation. As a result, the problem will never arise at an online blackjack table because card counting is impossible.
The fundamental approach can help you increase your odds of winning if you’re determined to play a competitive game of blackjack despite the house edge. Beyond that, it’s up to your wits and luck to successfully beat the house, as casinos have tightened down on practically every available extra advantage.
