Can You Count Cards in Online Blackjack?

I know you can count cards in land-based casinos, but can you count cards in online blackjack? The answer might disappoint you.

You can’t count cards to get an edge playing online blackjack. That’s because online blackjack software automatically shuffles the deck after each hand. For card counting to give you an edge, you need deck penetration. Shuffling the deck after each hand eliminates deck penetration.

If you’re learning how to count cards, you can use online blackjack games to practice. And you can use the free online games to practice, so you don’t lose money while you learn.

How Does Counting Cards in Blackjack Work?

Do you know how to count cards in blackjack?

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to remember every card that’s been played to get an edge by counting cards.

This means that card counting is easier than most players think, but it takes a lot of practice to do well.

Card counting is all about tracking ratios. The main ratio you track is high value cards versus low value cards. And you can do this using a simple trick that doesn’t require genius level brainpower.

You use a system to count cards. Many different systems exist, but they all work basically the same. You start with a number and add or subtract from the number as you see cards.

For example, you start with 10. When you see a card ranked between two to six, you add one to your count. So if you see a two and a three, the count is now 12.

When you see a card worth 10 or 11 points, you subtract one from your count. So if you see a king after seeing the two and six, the number is now 11.

When your number is below a certain point, you always bet the table minimum. When your number goes up to a set point, you bet more.

Some counting systems require a conversion from the running count to the true count. That’s because the basic counting system assumes a single deck, but when you get more decks involved, the effect of each card is diluted. See my post about how many decks casinos use for blackjack.

Other card counting systems don’t require a conversion. Systems that don’t use conversions are called unbalanced systems. And unbalanced systems are easier for new card counters to use.

The most popular unbalanced card counting systems are called the knock out and the red seven. The most popular balanced counting system is called hi lo.

Why Card Counting Can Give You an Edge

Why does counting cards give you an edge?

The short answer is because the odds change based on which cards have already been dealt and which cards are left in the deck. For example, if you’re playing in a single deck, and all the aces have already been dealt, it’s impossible to get a natural (a 2-card hand totaling 21).

The longer answer requires some more mathematical study, but I can give you the basics without making your eyes glaze over.

When you get a blackjack (a natural) you win more than even money. In good blackjack games, you win 3 to 2. Even in bad games, you usually 6 to 5 on your money.

Card counting helps you identify when you’re more likely to get aces and 10 point cards. And when you’re more likely to receive these cards, you have a small advantage.

You bet more when you have a small advantage so you can win a little more money than you lose when you don’t have an advantage.

The number of decks also plays a role. A single deck blackjack game is better than a shoe game. The reason behind this is also mathematical, so if you look into why card counting works, you might investigate this as well.

Online Blackjack versus Live Blackjack Games

If you don’t count cards, online blackjack is the same as live blackjack. When you play blackjack games that have the same set of rules, the house edge and gameplay are the same.

Experienced blackjack players know that every blackjack game isn’t the same because of rules variations.

For example, some blackjack tables have a rule that the dealer hits on a soft 17, while other tables have the rule the dealer stands on a soft 17.

Every rule changes the house edge. Some rules change the house edge more than others, but every rule is important because of the house edge.

Blackjack players should learn how every rule influences the house edge. And you should learn what the house edge is for common sets of blackjack rules. You’re always better off playing at a blackjack table with a lower house edge.

It’s usually easier to find online blackjack games with a low house edge than to find good games in land-based casinos. But if you want to use card counting to get an advantage, you have to play in land-based casinos.

Can You Beat Online Blackjack?

When blackjack players learn that they can get an edge by counting cards, often the next question is if they can use counting to beat online games.

But online blackjack games use software that makes it impossible to win by counting.

But this leads to another question:

Are there other ways to beat online blackjack?

The safest answer is no, online blackjack isn’t beatable.

In most cases, you can’t beat online blackjack. But there is an opportunity to make a small profit from time to time. It’s hard to find these situations, though.

You have to find a bonus offer for blackjack. But the blackjack bonus has to be a particular type of bonus. The bonus has to be cashable, and the clearing requirement has to be reasonable.

And even if you find the perfect blackjack bonus, you have to use perfect basic strategy. But even if the bonus is perfect and you use the right strategy, short-term variance might still not let you win.

When you look for online blackjack bonuses, read the terms to see if the bonus is cashable and what you need to do to clear the bonus.

Determine how much you have to bet to clear the bonus. Then multiply the house edge for the game by the amount you have to risk. If the result is less than the value of the bonus, you can make a small profit.

Is Online Blackjack Rigged?

Online casinos don’t have to rig their blackjack games to make a profit. The only thing the casinos have to do to make a profit is making sure gamblers can’t use the rules to get an advantage or cheat.

It’s impossible to guarantee that no online casino is rigged. But the majority of online casinos run fair games. Just because a game is fair doesn’t mean that you can win, though.

Blackjack games have a house edge that runs from .5% to over 2%. The house edge depends on the rules used in the game and how gamblers play their hands. The house edge for blackjack is lower than the house edge for other casino games like slot machines.

Because of the built in house edge, the casinos make a consistent profit based on the house edge. Casinos can predict how much money they make from a blackjack game based on how much they process in bets on the game.

An Example

For example, if an online casino makes 1% from the house edge on a blackjack game, they can multiply the total amount of money in bets on the game times 1%. If the casino takes $100,000 in wagers on the blackjack game in a day, the casino makes $1,000.

Online casinos have more to lose by rigging their blackjack games than by playing fair. If an online casino gets caught rigging games, they’re out of business. But they can continue profiting by offering games that aren’t rigged.

Can You Count Cards in Online Blackjack Now?

Sadly, nothing has changed about the way online blackjack games are dealt. No matter how many decks an online blackjack game uses, the cards are shuffled after every hand.

Online casinos have no reason to change the software they use or the way blackjack games are dealt. Casinos are businesses that focus on making money. If an online casino changed the way they ran their blackjack games so you could count cards, the casino wouldn’t make as much money.

Only a small percentage of blackjack players count cards. Card counters aren’t the target for online casinos. Online casinos target casual gamblers because this is the way the casinos make the most money.

Conclusion

Counting cards when you play blackjack online doesn’t give you an advantage. But you can practice your card counting skills playing online blackjack.

Card counting can give you an advantage in land-based casinos. But in online blackjack games, the casino shuffles the cards after each hand. For counting to give you an advantage, you need to count through at least half of the cards.

Unless online blackjack games change in the future, you can forget about online card counting, unless you use online blackjack to practice