I’ve been involved in all the casino games for many years and I had made a lot of money through this and now I am going to tell you the way to maximize profit.

      At the end of the day, the more time dealers spend shuffling, the less time casinos are foisting their advantage over the masses. Thankfully, this creates natural sorts of checks and balances. A cut-card close to the bottom attracts players like you and me, while a cut-card too far forward means fewer hands dealt per hour. So, for the casinos, it all comes down to a balancing act, which is all fine and good except for one thing: with regard to penetration levels, most casinos are penny-wise and dollar foolish.

           These days, most houses have more action than they know what to do with. Yet their fear of advantage players forces that cut card farther and farther forward. Poor penetration levels are responsible for so much loss in earnings-all in an effort to thwart the tiniest fraction of the blackjack-playing population. It just doesn't make sense. Over the course of a year, the revenue lost due to time wasted shuffling will without a doubt far surpass what walks out the door in the pockets of advantage players-guaranteed. Yet poor penetration levels are everywhere.

Back Counting

      This approach involves keeping track of the cards from behind a table, and then entering into a game or winging-in (named after legendary blackjack expert Stanford Wong) only when having an advantage. Just as when sitting at a table, wagers are made according to a predetermined betting scale and appropriate strategy variations are made when necessary. The big difference between back counting and a play-all approach is that you may be playing only a few select hands per shoe, and then moving on if the count suddenly goes negative. This style of play avoids any interface when the player is at a disadvantage.

     The results of "The World's Greatest Blackjack Simulation," performed by Don Schlesinger and John Auston, and contained in Schlesinger's Blackjack Attack, clearly show how back counting for shoe games is far superior to that of the more traditional play-all approach. In many instances, win rates of between one and a half to two units per hour for play-all become win rates in excess of two units per hour using this method of play. A wonderful tactic, this back-counting approach, isn't it?

       Now for the bad news-and unfortunately it relates to this recurring requirement of having to appear likes just another gambler. One downside to back counting is how obvious it appears to any floor person watching you-and they will be watching if you're seen for some time lingering behind a table and then jumping into the game for a hand or two before moving on. To back count successfully you must obviously keep an accurate count.

      So that means laying eyes on every card dealt. Then, of course, there has to be an empty spot at the table that stays  empty until you're ready to occupy it. Finding an empty spot, or any playable spot, may be less likely these days with casino gambling as popular as it is. The $50 or $100 tables in the baccarat pit are an option, but how many times can one really stand around there jumping into one of only four games operating? Not to mention the fact that many back pit blackjack tables are often "no mid-shoe entry." And back counting the packed nickel and dime tables often just isn't viable. That really leaves only those $25 tables that aren't crowded-which, given the current conditions, isn't always a reality either. So how do I back count then, with its being a rather obvious method and one not well suited for crowded conditions and casinos that don't allow mid-shoe entry?

     Casino is the game of probability.  In this game you need good cash in your pocket along with the luck. You got to manage your cash in this game.  

     Over betting tends to be the biggest downfall for aspiring professional gamblers and can cause someone to go broke even when he holds an advantage. This is the one area where more would-be card counters fail than any other. The casino has an almost unlimited bankroll, while most players are seriously underfinanced for the amount they bet. This imbalance greatly favors the house when the pendulum of fluctuation brutally sways back and forth. Casinos can absorb virtually any negative swing, but many players are wiped out with one bad run of cards and never return to the tables.

    If you doubt this concept, just try betting one-half of your bankroll on every high positive count and see how long you last. My guess is the game will be over well before the fat lady sings.

    Why do otherwise smart gamblers occasionally over bet? The main reason is that most of us live in a very nearsighted manner. We look. Mainly at the dot (the present point in time) rather than the longer line of our existence. This creates a tendency to put much greater emphasis on the short term, causing us to get fixated by daily results rather than the long run. As a result, many players develop an innate need to show a profit for the day before they can head off to bed.

    If you want to be successful in the casinos, this myopic form of gambling is a dangerous habit you must absolutely purge out of your system. The only thing that matters in blackjack is whether you win overall. War provides a reasonably good analogy for this concept. Smart generals don't risk their entire resources on each skirmish. They are willing to accept some losses and even retreat to fight another day if the situation calls for it. And your goal as a card counter is to win the war, not each individual battle.

     Expert blackjack players hold only a slim edge over the house, and even the very best pros still have many trips when they're absolutely crushed by the casinos. It's fairly common to end up in the hole on about two out of every five days you play. So if you are unwilling to walk away a loser on those days, then you is either going to be putting in a lot of marathon sessions or you're going to get desperate. And desperate people do foolish things. I've seen players who are normally much disciplined go on tilt and risk a disproportionate amount of their bankroll in a stupid attempt to finish the day ahead. If you are inclined to have this mind-set, here is a startling secret-the casino will still be open tomorrow.

    It is critical to have strict guidelines for betting and to always adhere to prearranged maximum wagers. If you ever bet more than you should out of a desire to get even, it is very unlikely you will be successful in blackjack. Part of the fallacy for overly aggressive betting comes from the logical belief that a good card counter is supposed to win. While that is certainly true, you can't win every hand or even every session. Accepting losses is an important ingredient to becoming a world-class blackjack player.

 CAN I QUIT MY DAY JOB?

      The main question on the minds of most potential card counters is not related to handling the losses-it "How much money can I make?" It is the potential for riches that draws many into casinos in the first place. Whenever I speak to others about my vocation, they invariably make comments about what an easy job I have. Or how nice it must be to just hop over to a casino anytime the allure of materialism bites and I need to make a major purchase.

What does your business card say when you’re a professional gambler?

When I met Shirley for the first time, my business card said “Dance Instructor.” I’d had this card printed up before I moved to Los Vegas three years earlier, I was a part-time instructor in California and expected to get a teaching gig at Sam’s Town or one of the other nightclubs once I got to town. It never happened, but still I had those cards.

 Other casino-consultants have cards that say “Gaming Analyst”.

Playing cards at casino are believed to have originated in the Orient. It is documented that the French utilized them as early as the fourteenth century. The deck of cards as we know it today (consisting of four distinct suits), is said to have evolved from Tarot cards, which may account for the many who believe that fortunes can be made at the blackjack tables. (Sorry about that!).

Despite the longevity of gambling, the practice was generally considered vulgar and was illegal in the United States until relatively recently. The first United States Blue Law regulating gambling was passed in 1624 by the Virginia Assembly. The law   stated that "Ministers shall not give themselves to excess in drinking or yeti spend their time idolize by day or night, playing at dice, cards or any unlawful game." The first gambling legislation passed March 22, 1630, in Boston, Massachusetts. The legislation read, "It is ordered that all persons whatsoever that have cards, dice or tables in their houses, shall make away with them before the next court under pain of punishment." It makes you wonder where the family was expected to eat their dinner!

As the casinos in Atlantic City have failed to rebuild the city, they have also failed to provide adequate gambling facilities for us common folk. The minimum table limits have been too high from day one. During a weekend or holiday a player is literally forced to play at a $10 or $25 table. One New Year's Eve the lowest minimum bet table Robin and I could find open was $25. We saw hundreds of poor souls milling around hoping to find a $5 table, which did not exist. The state has always had very strict control over the Atlantic City casinos. All games must be dealt from a shoe and must consist of six or eight decks. There are no variations of the rules from one casino to another. Double-downs are only allowed on a ten or eleven. When Atlantic City first opened its casinos in 1978 "surrender" was offered. In 1982 the casinos terminated the option. To put it bluntly, compared to gambling in Nevada, Atlantic City sucks!

To beat the casino we must minimize our losses and maximize our winnings. The only sure way to do this is to raise the bet as we win. The player who lowers the bet as he or she wins is not playing with a full deck, if you know what I mean. The betting scheme works on all tables regardless of the minimum limit. The minimum bet must be made based on the amount of money you have to work with. Never take more money to the casinos than you are willing to lose, and always be prepared to lose. With an adequate bankroll to support your minimum bet, you will give the casino one hell of a fight. With proper play and a small amount of luck you should be able to take a piece of the casino home! For ease of discussion I will start with the $10 progression.

Some years ago I read a gambling book titled How to Win by Mike Goodman, a professional gambler and casino executive. His approach to the game of blackjack was unique and controversial. He believed in winning money He openly challenged any and all experts to back up their systems at his casino and offered them a chance to hold public debates. To the best of my knowledge, he had no takers.

Mr. Goodman opened my eyes to a completely new approach to the game of blackjack. Without specifically attacking the card counting systems, he made it clear that the key to profitable blackjack play was to never risk more than a minimal bet while losing, and to increase the bet while winning. This strategy, which seems too easy to believe, works! The card counting systems can then be discarded because they require that a player determine the bet based on a "count" or "index," with no relationship to winning or losing.