Counting Cards in Blackjack?

There are several levels of action the casinos will take if they suspect you of cheating.

The first thing they will do is have the pit bosses stare you down and/or make comments to try and screw you up. This is really more of a feeler move to see how much you are actually paying attention to the cards coming out.

Next, they'll back you off the table. A couple of guys will come over and say something nice like, "Hello sir. We think you're a little too good at blackjack. Feel free to enjoy any of the other games offered in the casino."

The next move if actually kicking you out of the casino. 3 or 4 security guys will come over to your table, and ask you to leave the property. This, or the next step is actually pretty rare unless you're cleaning up with black chips.

The final move is the most severe. They will walk you to the door, then read to you the Trespassing Act. This is official notice that if you ever come back, they will have you arrested for trespassing.

Some tips if you're going to take a professional level counting system to the casinos:

1.) If you're kicked off the table in any capacity, do NOT cash out that day. Come back some other time, or send someone else to cash out for you. They may or may have a good picture of you from the table, but they'll definitely have a nice clear picture of your face if you walk up to the cage and cash out.

2.) Don't use a fake id like in the movie. Counting cards is not a crime, but using a fake id certainly is. If you don't do anything illegal, you're not going to get into any actual trouble.

3.) If they ask you to go to a back room or try to detain you in any other way, refuse to go with them. If they ask you to go somewhere, just say they can talk to you where you stand, or you'll be leaving through the front door. If they say they think you're cheating, tell them you'll stand right where you are until the police arrive, otherwise you're leaving. This doesn't really happen anymore, but just in case, be aware that you do not need to go anywhere with them that you don't want to go. All they would really do is take you somewhere to "sweat" you (make you sit around for awhile and ask you some stupid questions). They're not going to beat you up like in the movie.

At the end of the day, these aren't really things you should worry too much about. Don't splash around too much cash, and don't be too obvious and you can get away with counting. If you're actually planning to attempt to become a professional blackjack player there are a lot of things to consider, but that's not something I can go into here.

BTW, The "Black Book" is a list of actual casino cheats who have been convicted of a crime and can be arrested if stepping into a casino. There are known counters who are banned pretty much everywhere, but that's not what the real "Black Book" is for.