Common mistakes by new card counters

When looking back at some of the career achievements by the greatest minds, it’s evident that most professional blackjack players made mistakes as they grew their bankroll too. In our previous article, we’ve briefly discussed the mindset of winners. Yet, some of you might find it interesting to examine the stiff learning curves that all card counters faced at one point or another in their journey. Read more about this common Blackjack mistake.

Reading the below article may even help you boost your confidence at the table. After all, it’s comforting to know the challenges others have overcome. Plus, getting validation that you’re not the only one who struggles could be inspiring.

So without further ado, let’s look at some of the things professional card counters wish they knew at the beginning of their career.

Blackjack - Common Blackjack mistake

Being overly confident about their game – Common Blackjack mistake

Because blackjack is a game where you can quickly measure your success by looking at the size of your bankroll, it’s easy to get overly confident about your skills as you make money. But if you’re serious about making a living from blackjack earnings, it’s a trap you should avoid.

The truth is a 99% accurate card counter is not a real card counter. This person still loses EV at the table due to poor decisions. So, if you think you have a perfect game. Then, make sure to ask other blackjack players to test you and see if they agree.

Playing all blackjack tables the same way – Common Blackjack mistake

There are indeed significant differences between the tables you’ll find on casino floors and those of online casinos. Thus, it’s paramount not to play all tables the same way. And, of course, be selective when it comes to picking a table. Good blackjack tables always pay 3:2. What’s more, on a good table, the dealer will typically go through 80%-85% of a deck before shuffling. Remember that 2 or 6 deck blackjack games are different from 8 decks tables.

Failing to extract as much value as possible out of the game

To make a decent living out of card counting, you’ll need to extract as much value as possible out of each session. A big part of generating EV is playing a lot of hands per hour.

So, you shouldn’t be afraid to hold 2 or 3 positions at the table, especially when the true count is high. After each session, it would also help to look back at how much money you took from the house. Then you can use this figure to compare it with the hands per hour you’ve played.

Without a doubt, it’s this figure you should focus on growing if you want to make it as a card counter. Keeping track of the hand per hour versus the intake will give you a benchmark as you progress. If you are positively maximizing your time at the casino, you’ll quickly see your bankroll grow.

Not taking advantage of the casino reward program

The best blackjack players would tell you that it took them hundreds and hundreds of hours at the table. And this before they had evidence they could make it as a full-time blackjack player.

Everyone makes mistakes as they are learning new skills.

Yet, the biggest mistake one can make is not taking advantage of casino reward programs like the one BetMGM offers, for example. Indeed, loyalty programs often offer special perks like free lunch, losses back casino bonuses, and free spins on slots. You could use these to absorb some of the cost of learning.

Sure it means that the casino will have more information about you and could quickly add you to a winning players’ database. But when you get started with card counting, even the slightest edge matters. And signing up to take advantage of the casino reward program is a sure way to win.

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