21 (the movie) and Blackjack Card-Counting

The Blackjack themed movie "21", based on the book "Bringing Down The House" has recently opened in cinemas across the world with great success. Its popularity lies in the fact that the movie is based on true events which immediate attracts the interest of any audience that enjoys a gamble.

It is believed that the movie may spark a new wave of interest in the game of Blackjack in land based casinos as amateurs try their newly found techniques in the hope of winning millions. Unfortunately the reality is that card counting is not as seems in the movies. Although the system used by card counters is very simply to learn, it is difficult to master without making mistakes and the very best card counters run at very tiny profit margins. This means that they require a large bankroll to make any real money and to handle the enormous short term variance.

Simply put, card counting is not effective for most of the population so don't let the movie give you any ideas! Amateur card counters often make mistakes and do not play optimally so the small edge they are looking for is lost. Amazingly casinos like you to think that Blackjack can be beaten! They want you to keep coming back, so they are happy for you to think that card counting is a profitable practice, but they know that only a very small percentage of gamblers are actually successful using card counting techniques over the long term.

You also cannot use your new card counting knowledge in online casinos. Online casinos use random number generators that resets the deck after every hand, making it impossible to obtain a true count. However online casinos are certainly a great way to practice card counting without having a pit boss watching over your shoulder!

In fact as technology develops, land based casinos are moving towards automatic shuffling machines that will totally negate card counting in their casinos, much like it does online.

So if you enjoyed the movie "21" remember that although it is based on a true story, the majority of amateur players will struggle to use the card counting techniques profitably. You are better off to combine your Blackjack play with an online casino bonus to maximize your profit expectations.

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