eli5 how do casinos determine if someone is counting cards?
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Worked as a dealer (all games) and a manager (all games) in a casino and worked for the company that provides the shufflers – There are two ways you get labeled a card counter 1. Somebody in the pit sees you get a couple lucky streaks that last longer than usual and is a little dumb (most common) 2. Cameras. They (sometimes state gambling police/officials, usually casino security) watch for betting trends and they count the cards themselves (they get to slow down the film and review). The part that is less than terrific is that if you weren’t doing it, they still mark you. “Mark” you means you get added to a facial recognition security package, usually as “suspected of cheating”. Before you get all the way in the door the camera system flags you. Casinos pay subscription fees to be able to share live database updates with each other. Being marked means that they will usually shuffle an 8 deck shoe about every 4 decks (twice as often) so a real counter never gets a chance to get a good fix. If you’re not a counter the only real downside is they will often be reshuffling by hand, and sometimes they will do both hand and machine. The idea is to annoy a counter enough he leaves by wasting his time with shuffles. Some dealers would try to speed up the game thinking it might make it harder. I usually slowed down in an attempt to waste more of their time, but sometimes I would speed up and speak directly with them, ask engaging questions etc. I had many encounters with people marked as a counter, but really only knew of two that felt certain. Most cheating in a casino is with a dealer helping and that doesn’t end well for anyone. Whoever is doing it gets caught. Greed keeps them trying over and over.
I worked with this great guy, he told us about a crew that worked a really good system for craps. They came in while he was working, and this guy was good, security was watching these guys, but they cheated there asses off for a couple hours (they were smart and mixed it up) and walked away with a pretty good take. But, the idiots wouldn’t stop there. They called the casino and told them how they cheated and bragged about it. They must have spent weeks/months working on this cheat and their need to brag got them flagged as known cheaters. It’s a different mark, and security will sometimes call other casinos in the near and semi-near area (within a few hours drive).
My father worked as a card counter for casinos all his life. He would sit in a room full of different security camera footage overlooking the tables and could be able to tell who was counting cards by simultaneously watching over all the screens at once.
I remember he was desired person for that role in a area where a lot of casinos where were abundant.
Father never had a role outside pointing out who was counting and rely the method and what he’s remember from the player but not involved in how the higher casino staff would handle it.
Oddly enough my father never gambled a day in his life and never once helped me with my math homework. He’s an odd bird and we were never close or healthy.
Why is counting cards illegal though? That’s what I’ve never been able to understand.
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