When researching strategies, many gamblers search for terms like ‘card counting blackjack online live casino’ to learn more about how to beat the house. However, if you are thinking about card counting online, there are a few caveats to this strategy. Although it is often glamorized in movies, its use online or in live dealer casinos is often misunderstood.

In this article, we’re going to cover the topic of card counting as well as alternative blackjack winning techniques. The goal is to help you understand what card counting is, how it works, and whether it’s practical for online or live blackjack games, while also exploring other ways to maximize your winnings while playing one of the world’s most popular casino games.

What Is Card Counting in Blackjack?

Card counting is a strategy that helps players identify whether the remaining cards in the shoe are those with a higher value. Essentially, a card counter is eliminating lower cards, mainly those with a value of 2 to 6.

It involves mentally tracking high and low-value cards as they’re dealt. When more high cards (10s, face cards, Aces) remain in the deck, the odds improve for the player, especially for blackjacks, double downs, and dealer busts.

Several counting systems exist, with varying complexity:

Hi-Lo System: The most popular method; assigns +1 to low cards (2–6), 0 to neutral cards (7–9), and 1 to high cards (10–Ace).

KO (Knock-Out) System: A simplified version of Hi-Lo that removes the need for a true count calculation.

Omega II: A more advanced system using multiple values and separate side counts for Aces.

If you have watched the film 21, the MIT Blackjack Team used the Hi-Lo card counting system and expanded it into a more complex team-based strategy to maximize efficiency and profit. Another interesting fact is that the film makes it clear that card counting is not illegal, which is true. Nevertheless, casinos have the right to restrict or ban players who appear to be using it.

Card Counting Explained in Traditional Blackjack

If you want to learn how to count cards, Blackjack Basic strategy is also an essential skill you will need to master, which we will explain more about below. As for card counting, the technique is most effective on tables that use a multi-deck shoe, and the deck is not reshuffled after every hand.

Once you have the perfect setting, you will need to start a running count by assigning to cards as follows:

+1 for low cards (2–6)
0 for neutral cards (7–9)
-1 for high cards (10, face cards, Aces)

Note that you need to count every card that comes onto the table, which includes yours, other players and the dealer’s cards. When the count is high, it indicates that there are more high cards left in the deck than low cards. At this point, it is the ideal time to increase your bet sizes to maximize your advantage.

When there is a 10-heavy deck as a player, you gain the following advantages:

Higher chance of you landing blackjacks
strong double-down opportunities from positions of strength
Higher chance of the dealer busting

Can You Count Cards in Online Blackjack

The direct answer is no, you cannot count cards when playing online blackjack, especially if the game uses the provably fair or RNG algorithm. As for card counting on live dealer blackjack games, we’ll cover the topic in the next section.

Random Generators and Card Counting

RNGs (Random Number Generators) use what is called a constant shuffle mode, which makes it impossible to count cards, as the very idea of getting an accurate count using card counting as a strategy relies on the deck not being shuffled.

To explain further, on an RNG Blackjack game, once the hand has finished, the cards from your last hand are entered back into the continuous shuffle algorithm. Hence, if you are a regular blackjack player, on occasion, you’ll see the same card or cards reappear on the next betting round.

Cryptocurrency Provably Algorithm and Card Counting

As with RNGs, the Provably Fair algorithm used with cryptocurrency blackjack games also makes card counting impossible. Unlike RNGs that use a constant shuffle mode, the Provably Fair system literally recreates the entire deck after each betting round.

Eliminating Card Counting from Your List of Online Blackjack Strategies

Due to the way Random Number Generators (RNGs) and Provably Fair algorithms deliver results to online blackjack tables, card counting is not a viable strategy.

Essentially, you are throwing away good money after good because you’ll never gain the edge you are looking for. Furthermore, and just as a side note in case the thought has crossed your mind, the free play demo mode version of blackjack uses the same RNGs as real money games, so once again, you’ll be wasting time attempting card counting on any virtual online blackjack games.

Is Card Counting Possible in Live Dealer Blackjack?

In theory, you can count playing live blackjack games. As live dealer games use a real-life dealer and deal cards from a physical shoe, there is no shortage of cunning foxes out there looking for tables where the dealer rarely shuffles. And the longer the dealer doesn’t shuffle, the higher the chances are of successfully counting.

Regularly Shuffling the Cards

Unlike the good old days when Blackjack decks were not shuffled, not only do live online casinos make sure the dealers regularly shuffle the cards, but land-based casinos also follow the same practice. The reason for the shuffle is to throw card counters off the scent, and once those cards are shuffled, the count is gone.

The Pit Boss and Detection Technology

All live dealer studios online have a pit boss. They are not as obviously present as when you play at a blackjack table in a land-based venue because the HD webcam focuses on the dealer and cards, streaming the essential live action. Behind the scenes, the pit boss, using technology, can detect automated patterns and statistical anomalies that indicate a player may be showing a hint of card counting. The technology alerts the pit boss, who will indicate to the dealer to shuffle the cards.

8-Deck Shoe

The final obstacle to get over, which was also originally introduced by land-based casinos back in the day to prevent card counting, is the 8-deck shoe. That’s 416 cards, which makes the effect of a few low cards coming out less advantageous for card counters, as there will still be hundreds of lower-scoring cards in the deck. For example, removing 4 tens from a single deck is 31% of all tens, while in a shoe of 8 decks of cards, it’s less than 4%.

Is Live Dealer Blackjack Card Counting Worthwhile?

Counting cards on live dealer tables is possible, but the advantage is nowhere near as effective as the good old days. First, you have 8 decks to contend with, and most games require a regular reshuffle. Lastly, if you do manage to gain a solid true count, your winning streak won’t last long because the live dealer studio’s technology will quickly detect that you may have a true count, the pit boss will be alerted, and the cards will be shuffled, throwing your count off.

In the end, it’s a lot of effort for minimal gain, but some players live for that minimal gain, when you consider live blackjack games like Blackjack Azure (Pragmatic Play) and Blackjack A B C D games have a theoretical RTP of 99.59%. Counting cards could be that slight edge to nail that low 0.41% house edge.

Alternative Strategies for Online and Live Blackjack

Rather than learning how to count cards, which is tougher than it looks in practice, to become a successful blackjack player, there are three key alternative strategies you should master.

Basic Strategy

The most important strategy of all is ‘Basic Strategy’, a proven mathematical formula that maximizes your winnings and minimizes your losses. It is a system that tells you whether to hit, stand, double down, or split according to your hand total versus the dealer’s face-up card. Each action maximizes the percentage of you winning the hand from both a position of strength and a position of weakness.

An example of maximizing a position of weakness is when your hand total is 16 and the dealer is showing a 10. A ‘Basic Strategy’ chart advises hitting despite the risk of going bust based on pure math. In this situation, the dealer has a 77% chance of beating a standing 16 hand. Yet, if you hit, the dealer has a 65% chance of winning the hand, so you are reducing the dealer’s advantage.

Basic strategy also helps you capitalize on strong hands to maximize your winnings. A good example is when you have a hand with a total of 11 and the dealer’s face-up card is a 6. Your win rate is around 64% if you hit. Therefore, you should double down to increase your stake as you are in a statistically favorable situation.

**Bankroll Management * Bet sizing**

If you have ever heard of the term crash and burn playing any casino game, it is usually because players don’t manage their bankroll, which in turn helps you to determine your bet size. If you have a $100 balance and start placing $5 bets, a losing streak will quickly wipe you out.

On the other hand, if you have a $100 balance, and bet $1.00 per hand, which is 1% of your bankroll, you’ll be able to play at the tables for longer, have more fun because a $1.00 loss does not hit your bankroll hard, and you gain more experience playing blackjack because you are playing more hands.

Choosing the Right Tables

It is also important to choose the right blackjack tables. Mostly online blackjack tables offer competitive rules, but if you may find yourself in a land-based casino where the rules increase the house edge, thus reducing your return on investment.

Avoid tables that pay 6-5 as the house gains a 2% edge
Try to choose tables that allow you to double down on any total
Avoid tables that do not allow you to split on any pair, as the house gains a 0.23% edge
Play on tables where the dealer stands on soft 17, as this rule reduces the house edge by 0.22%

Rounding up Blackjack Winning Techniques

Card counting is certainly an exciting concept, and there is no shortage of people who enjoy saying they know how to count cards. However, when it comes to how to count cards, blackjack rules in today’s modern casino gaming environment prevent most players from realistically executing this strategy successfully.

Therefore, the hard truth for those wondering if you can count cards in online blackjack, the answer is no. RNG and Provably Fair algorithms either reshuffle constantly or recreate a new deck after every hand, while live dealer games use 8-deck shoes and frequent shuffles. In all cases, these systems neutralize any edge card counter gain.

Instead of learning how to card count, we advise focusing on what does work. For example, the most important tactic to master if you want to become a proficient blackjack player is mastering basic strategy. Also, smart bankroll management will extend your playtime and help you avoid crashing and burning. These proven techniques offer the best long-term value for those seeking to become a serious player.

Ready to test your skills? Explore the mBitcasino blackjack lobbies where you’ll find fair and exciting virtual and live dealer blackjack tables where you put your basic strategy and bankroll management to the test!