Awesome Tips About Your Card Counting Bankroll

Introduction: Awesome Tips About Your Card Counting Bankroll

All players want their card counting bankroll to last longer and go further. And though we’ve all heard of card counting in blackjack, the idea of taking part ourselves seems an impossible task. We know that it involves a great deal of skill and imagination that just learning the whole process is a huge feat. If we ever did find the time and the energy to educate ourselves as card counters, then we would hopefully be in a better position to win and the profits should pour in. Unfortunately, this is a misconception. To guarantee profits whilst card counting, you need to bring a sizeable card counting bankroll to the table.

And before you ask, no, you can’t find the best casino site to play and hope to count cards. The method doesn’t work for online games. So, though we love playing cards at King Billy Casino, we can’t practice counting cards there, whilst the site helps our card counting bankroll last much longer.

Today, we’re going to have a look at the card counting bankroll you’ll be needing to be a successful card counter. We’ll take a deep dive into why the sums you bring to the blackjack table at the start of a game can influence your results at the end.

Most Card Counters Don’t Start With Enough Money

Yep, this is a basic problem from the get-go for many would-be card counters. You’re not going to make it very far down the road if you don’t have enough gas. Your vehicle will come to a grinding halt, leaving you stranded, high and dry. Here are some common reasons most novice card counters only make it a few rounds into the game:

• No skills
• Too slow to keep up with the dealer
• Becoming distracted in the casino
• Not understanding when to increase or decrease wagers
• Lack of bankroll management

All or any of the above will derail your card counting efforts. But the number one reason for failure is not paying attention to your card counting bankroll. And following on from that, part and parcel of that failure is simply having a bankroll that’s too small to withstand the ups and downs of the game. Sure, you can turn up to a game with just $300. But the problem is that this amount cannot provide you with a big enough safety net should the game-play become volatile.

How Volatility Stops Card Counters

In 1961, Edward Thorpe published his famous book, “Beat the Dealer” and in doing so, taught numerous players how to count cards. Though many started their card counting journey with high hopes, many didn’t make it very far. The main reason being volatility. If you start with a lack of funds, then volatility will crush you. Keep in mind that the majority of advantage players will have an advantage of between 1% and 1.5% via card counting. But that 1% is enough to make long term profits. Notice the wording here; “long term”. So it’s not enough of an edge to see you bring in profits every night.

So some days might bring big wins, whereas others will see you lose, even if you’re playing perfect strategy and card counting. In all casino games luck still plays a large part. Though technically your 1% edge does allow you to win more, you’re still very vulnerable to the game’s volatility.

Play Blackjack Online at the King Billy Casino

Card Counting Bankroll: Properly Spread Bets With Enough Money

As you probably already know, according to blackjack rules, a casino will make you wait until you can join a game. You’ll see a sign that states “No mid-shoe entry”. This means you can only start to play at the beginning of a shoe. So there’s no advantage to being the first to sit down at the blackjack table. You still have to start to count the cards when you enter the game, not before. Once you’re seated, then a new shoe will begin, and at this point, you’ll start the count. You’ll need to verify that the deck has more 10-value cards and aces to have a “positive count”.

This is one of many jackpot winning tips and tricks you’ll discover as you learn. Whilst waiting to find a pack with a positive count, we suggest you start your betting with the minimum table bets. This will help ensure that you’re not losing much money when the house has the edge. Only once the count becomes positive do you want to increase your wager size. It’s within this system of “bet spreading” where you’ll be making your profits.

Here’s an example of bet spreading:

1. The table has a $10 minimum bet.
2. Start upping your wager to $25 with a +1 count.
3. You can increase your bet to $50 with a +2 count.
4. Or increase your wager to $75 with a +3 count.
5. Finally, increase your bet to $100 with a +4 count or higher.

Anything you’re risking above $50 per hand is going into high-stakes blackjack territory. To continue to play at that level, you’re going to need some serious card counting bankroll numbers, as you’ll be betting $50, $75, or $100 on every hand. With a bankroll of $500 or less, then you’ll be out of cash very quickly. You must have enough funds to cover $100 bets whether they go your way or not. it’s not quite the same with playing online blackjack, as their minimum bets are much smaller.  So at King Billy Casino, though we can’t count cards, we can play with a smaller bankroll.

So How Much Money Do You Need to Count Cards?

There are a couple of different approaches to card counting which will also affect your card counting bankroll. One is to play solo. And the other is to play as a team. In the former, you won’t need so much funding to get off the ground. After all, it’s just you placing bets. We reckon around $7,000 to $8,000 as a casino card counting bankroll should see you through the ups and downs of the game whilst you’re counting cards.

If you’re working in a team, then there are two main roles for a player. The “spotter” plays at different tables and counts cards. And the “Big Player” who will follow the signal from a spotter as to when a table is hot. The spotter never raises any bets. His role is to find “hot” tables. This allows the big player to sit down and start betting straight away. This way, the big player is less likely to attract the attention of the dealer or pit boss. it looks like they are high rollers, who sat down and had some good luck.

With a card-counting team to support, you’re going to be needing a great deal more capital. So $25,000 is a good starting point.

Card Counting Bankroll: Calculating a More Specific Casino Bankroll

Having a rough idea of the required card counting bankroll is a great starting point. But you can break this down further and calculate your needs in greater detail. To do so, you’ll need to develop a plan that considers all the variables, such as average wager size and the number of hands played. Some of these factors will be educated guesses, but will still function in your overall plan.

Here’s an example of getting started with calculating your bankroll:

1. Start by counting for around 300 hands per night (approx. three hours).
2. Keep your average bet size down to $40 when including the minimum wager and bet spreading.
3. 300 x 40 = $12,000 in total bets
4. You have a 1.5% edge.
5. 12,000 x 0.015 = $180 theoretical profit per night

As you can see, in a typical session you’ll be betting around $12,000. Looking at the numbers, then it’s obvious that you will not lose the $12,000 in one nightly session. Or even $6,000. If you have a disastrous night, you might end up losing 10% at most. that would amount to a $1,200 loss to your card counting bankroll per day. So having a bankroll of $8,000 would be enough to see you through the highs and lows of a card counting game. having enough funds should be one of your jackpot winning strategies. As you already have the edge, then it’s just a matter of having enough funds to handle any losses.

Card Counting Bankroll: Gambling Cost Considerations

Some of the things that many players forget to include in their gambling costs are things like food, hotel, and travel costs. These amounts all add up. If you’re a “for-profit” card counter, then you should include these as the cost of doing business. In the same way that a regular business would have profit and loss accounts. If you are counting cards, then don’t expect to be playing locally after a couple of months. As you work your way through casinos, you’ll be spotted and banned. It comes with the territory. We suggest that you move around different states to minimise your chances of being banned. Also, card shuffling machines are going to make your life harder.

Keep in mind that you’re playing cards to make a profit. There’s no point in spending money on expensive hotels and inexpensive restaurants. Keep your costs as low as possible. Though your costs will be much lower by playing locally, you’ll also have a bigger chance of feeling the ban hammer. These local casinos will start to notice your game-play and you’ll quickly become a recognised face. No one likes being backed off, so we suggest moving around, state to state is the best way to continue plays whilst counting cards.

Conclusion: Awesome Tips About Your Card Counting Bankroll

If you’re going to be counting cards and looking to make any profits, then the size of your card counting bankroll does matter. Though you’re free to walk into casinos to win the jackpot with just $300 in your pocket, don’t expect it to last long. The larger your initial bankroll, the better your chances of making a profit.

Click here to visit King Billy Casino for fun-filled games!