Can You Win at Blackjack Without Card Counting?

Card counting is a system of keeping track of what cards have been played in blackjack to gain an edge over the casino. The idea is that if you know which cards have been played, you can make better decisions about which cards are likely to come next and adjust your betting accordingly.

There are many different card counting systems, but they all essentially work by assigning a point value to each card. The most common system, called the Hi-Lo system, assigns a value of +1 to 2s through 6s, 0 to 7s through 9s, and -1 to 10s, jacks, queens and kings.

As the cards are dealt, the player keeps a running tally of the point values. When the point value is high (meaning there have been more low cards played), the player bets more; when the point value is low (meaning there have been more high cards played), the player bets less.

The idea is that by betting more when the deck is in your favor and less when it’s not, you can gain an edge over the casino.

Does it work? Yes and no. Card counting can give you a slight edge over the casino, but it’s not going to make you rich quick.

And even if you do have a winning streak, the casino will quickly figure out what you’re doing and put an end to it.

So while you can win at blackjack without card counting, it’s certainly not easy. If you’re looking for a sure thing, you’re better off sticking with the tried-and-true methods of playing smart and sticking to a budget.