Using 400 units puts you at a 20% chance of losing your bankroll, 500 units puts you at a 10% chance, and 1000 units puts you at a 1% chance. Most professional card counters prefer to play with 1000 units or more. Another rule that players abide by is ensuring that your betting unit is about 1/1000 of your bankroll. [2] X Research source
Practice keeping track of the running count by dealing yourself a hand. Reset the running count every time the dealer shuffles the deck.
Always calculate the true count when there are multiple decks. This ensures that you aren’t just counting the number of high cards—you’re also considering the concentration of these cards compared to the low card concentration.
Although Aces are valued at 0, it’s still recommended to keep a separate count of the Aces in play. When the deck is rich with Aces, you still have a better chance of the dealer giving you a blackjack and should raise your bets accordingly.
If you’re having a hard time counting with fractions, double each value for a simplified strategy. For example, 8s are still valued at 0, but 1, 2, and 7 are valued at +1 and 5s are valued as +3.
Consider all cards below 8 as “fives” counted as +3 or “smalls” counted as +2. With a bit of practice, each card’s value will become second-nature.
As a Spotter, use subtle signals to avoid detection, such as positioning your foot under the table in a specific way. [10] X Research source Try not to fluctuate your betting amounts and avoid drawing attention to yourself. As a rule, your Big Player should be able to bet 8 times or more the size of the each Spotters’ bet.
As a Back Spotter, you can be more liberal with your signals (such as hand motions) since you won’t standout as easily, but still exercise caution.
Keep your bets consistently high and don’t be afraid to act aggressive and loud.
If the table puts you at a big advantage, consistently bet high amounts. But if you’re only at a slight advantage, spread your bets and increase them as your advantage (the true count) rises. Remember that the Big Player should be able to bet 8 times or more the bet of each Spotter you have playing.
