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Here's my story about counting blackjack successfully. It takes place in 2014, at the now-demolished Riviera. At the time, the Riviera was pretty run-down, defi

Here's my story about counting blackjack successfully. It takes place in 2014, at the now-demolished Riviera. At the time, the Riviera was pretty run-down, definitely one of the cheapest places on the Strip. I was in Vegas for the first and only time. They had single-deck blackjack that had a unique side bet. Basically you could make additional bets that you would get dealt a natural blackjack, with a couple variations like getting an extra payout for suited blackjack. This side bet was even more amenable to counting than standard BJ. The morning after I saw it, I did a quick simulation and discovered that the odds turned player-friendly if you went a single hand without seeing an ace. I went down and played it. There was a crowd on Saturday night, and the deck was shuffled basically every hand. No good. Sunday morning I had the table to myself. I bet aggressively, starting with $5 min bets and going to $50 if I went two hands without an ace. The dealer knew almost immediately that I was counting. He made a few snide remarks, but didn't kick me out. No idea why not. Maybe because the side bets are usually suckers' bets, so that gave me some camouflage. I had a great run of luck, doing way better than expected. In an hour or so I was up $1500. Along the way I hit a suited BJ for $250. The dealer called over the pit boss, who told him to pay me, and then side eyed me for the rest of the session. I left only because I had to get to my flight. The cashier's cage gave me a hassle about cashing in brown $500 chips. I guess they rarely got any big winners there. Overall great experience for me. I'm not at all surprised they closed the casino soon after.

pwython 2y ago
Interesting. Why would a dealer care if someone is winning? Usually big winners tip the dealer handsomely.
- bagels 2y ago
  Dealers care because the casino cares, and pays them to care.
  - grigri907 2y ago
    Having never been to a casino, I've always wondered, on what grounds will a casino ask you to leave? Just that it's private property and they no longer want to serve you? It makes it pretty transparent that the house always wins, and even when they don't they can ask you to leave, ensuring they always win. I love the implication when someone is asked to leave but, "the rest of you, you losers can stay."
    - splonk 2y ago
      The casino has no problem just telling you, "you're too good for us". Depending on the situation and the mood of everyone involved, you may be told you're welcome to play other games, or you might just get trespassed. Note that due to a New Jersey court ruling, casinos in Atlantic City actually can't bar people for counting cards. In general the game conditions there are worse to make up for that.
    - TylerE 2y ago
      Typically they won’t actually ban you? Just flat net you (ie if playing must bet the same each hand)
      - ianhawes 2y ago
        They may also just ban you from playing blackjack and warn you that if you're caught at the blackjack table again you're trespassed.
      - sitzkrieg 2y ago
        shrug, my first ever back off was a "cash out you are no longer welcome to blackjack here" at ameristar pit boss was eyeing me a while and i was waiting for them to approach and cap my bets first if anything
    - bagels 2y ago
      Yes, its private property. They'll ask you to stop playing blackjack, limit the bets they will accept, or tell you to leave.
- splonk 2y ago
  Card counters (and advantage players in general) are much less likely to tip well compared to the average gambler. The sort of people who think they're making money on a game also tend to recognize that tips cut into profits.
- smileysteve 2y ago
  The dealers don't care, the pit boss cares. The dealers will be rotated and cards shuffled more often when a table is hot, and they're probably watching at that point. Dealer change outs aren't the worst reason to tip them and walk and away a few hands later.
ilamont 2y ago
I employed a basic counting system I learned from a book and tried it out on my first and only visit to Vegas about 20 years ago. This was at the Stardust. It was a miserable afternoon. I don't think the dealer cared, but the other players to my left were pissed when I asked for hits on seemingly nonsensical hands. "Hey, you stole my card again" was a typical complaint. I ended up slightly ahead but never played again.
- lelanthran 2y ago
  > the other players to my left were pissed when I asked for hits Wouldn't they be on your right?
  - ZephyrBlu 2y ago
    Play goes clockwise, no? If you take another card, you're taking what would have been the person on your left's card if you had stood.
- smileysteve 2y ago
  Pro tip, always sit as close to the right of the dealer as possible; this gets you more information as an amateur (it also makes it more possible you're playing the single hand count, making what you're doing acceptable to the casino), and if your count is correct, quickly results in more wins for your table mates. Also, celebrate their wins, especially in America.
vikingerik 2y ago
If the relevant part was that you didn't see an ace... fun semantic question: is it counting if the only number you track is 0? As for why a casino might let a counter stay: many try but not all are good at it so they're still losing money. A counter might not be accurate, or misplay other decisions like splits and doubles, or not bet bigger enough when it's favorable, or tilt after some bad luck and bet bigger when it's not favorable enough.
486sx33 2y ago
Loved the Riv, I was there at a very similar time as you I think. I liked the steps when you walked in, and all the places they shot Casino at. I saw a cool show in the theater which is also shown in Casino. I guess I’m more a movie guy than a casino guy, but I love Vegas. The food court was absolutely run down and awful and we lost at roulette, but I don’t bet large. Hats off to you for having a good counting game. I play blackjack like a sucker but I usually do OK.

pwython 2y ago

Interesting. Why would a dealer care if someone is winning? Usually big winners tip the dealer handsomely.

bagels 2y ago
Dealers care because the casino cares, and pays them to care.
- grigri907 2y ago
  Having never been to a casino, I've always wondered, on what grounds will a casino ask you to leave? Just that it's private property and they no longer want to serve you? It makes it pretty transparent that the house always wins, and even when they don't they can ask you to leave, ensuring they always win. I love the implication when someone is asked to leave but, "the rest of you, you losers can stay."
  - splonk 2y ago
    The casino has no problem just telling you, "you're too good for us". Depending on the situation and the mood of everyone involved, you may be told you're welcome to play other games, or you might just get trespassed. Note that due to a New Jersey court ruling, casinos in Atlantic City actually can't bar people for counting cards. In general the game conditions there are worse to make up for that.
  - TylerE 2y ago
    Typically they won’t actually ban you? Just flat net you (ie if playing must bet the same each hand)
    - ianhawes 2y ago
      They may also just ban you from playing blackjack and warn you that if you're caught at the blackjack table again you're trespassed.
    - sitzkrieg 2y ago
      shrug, my first ever back off was a "cash out you are no longer welcome to blackjack here" at ameristar pit boss was eyeing me a while and i was waiting for them to approach and cap my bets first if anything
  - bagels 2y ago
    Yes, its private property. They'll ask you to stop playing blackjack, limit the bets they will accept, or tell you to leave.
splonk 2y ago
Card counters (and advantage players in general) are much less likely to tip well compared to the average gambler. The sort of people who think they're making money on a game also tend to recognize that tips cut into profits.
smileysteve 2y ago
The dealers don't care, the pit boss cares. The dealers will be rotated and cards shuffled more often when a table is hot, and they're probably watching at that point. Dealer change outs aren't the worst reason to tip them and walk and away a few hands later.

ilamont 2y ago

I employed a basic counting system I learned from a book and tried it out on my first and only visit to Vegas about 20 years ago. This was at the Stardust. It was a miserable afternoon. I don't think the dealer cared, but the other players to my left were pissed when I asked for hits on seemingly nonsensical hands. "Hey, you stole my card again" was a typical complaint. I ended up slightly ahead but never played again.

lelanthran 2y ago
> the other players to my left were pissed when I asked for hits Wouldn't they be on your right?
- ZephyrBlu 2y ago
  Play goes clockwise, no? If you take another card, you're taking what would have been the person on your left's card if you had stood.
smileysteve 2y ago
Pro tip, always sit as close to the right of the dealer as possible; this gets you more information as an amateur (it also makes it more possible you're playing the single hand count, making what you're doing acceptable to the casino), and if your count is correct, quickly results in more wins for your table mates. Also, celebrate their wins, especially in America.

vikingerik 2y ago

If the relevant part was that you didn't see an ace... fun semantic question: is it counting if the only number you track is 0? As for why a casino might let a counter stay: many try but not all are good at it so they're still losing money. A counter might not be accurate, or misplay other decisions like splits and doubles, or not bet bigger enough when it's favorable, or tilt after some bad luck and bet bigger when it's not favorable enough.

486sx33 2y ago

Loved the Riv, I was there at a very similar time as you I think. I liked the steps when you walked in, and all the places they shot Casino at. I saw a cool show in the theater which is also shown in Casino. I guess I’m more a movie guy than a casino guy, but I love Vegas. The food court was absolutely run down and awful and we lost at roulette, but I don’t bet large. Hats off to you for having a good counting game. I play blackjack like a sucker but I usually do OK.