Why Losing is Good for Blackjack Card Counters
Like all professional gamblers, blackjack card counters rely on the long-term odds to bring them the money. Losses in the short-term are a given and should not be avoided, partly because they cannot be avoided, and partly because short-term losses have their benefits. Many beginners don't realize this. They think that simply because they can count cards, they can expect to win every blackjack session and try to do just that. Here we explain why losing can sometimes be a good thing for blackjack card counters.
Losing makes you look like an ordinary player.
Casinos monitor their players' activities. It is how the players get rated for comps and how cheaters and advantage gamblers are identified. When you have losing blackjack sessions, the pit bosses and everyone else take note of that and remember it. When your gambling records show that you have a mixture of wins and losses, it makes you look like an ordinary player. This, in turn, lets you play freely in that casino. It can also get you more RFB (free room, food, beverage - comps).
Losing gets you the right kind of attention.
You want the casino folks to notice you only when you are losing. When you have a bad blackjack session, use it as an opportunity to show off what a "loser" you are. Talk lightly with the pit boss, the dealer or the waitress about your run of bad luck. It makes you look like a casual gambler so they will be less suspicious of you.
Losing helps you avoid the wrong kind of attention.
If you're losing a blackjack session and you quit early enough (say, in less than an hour), it suggests an average player. But when you stick to a losing session for too long and start to recover, it can alert the casino surveillance crew. So it is better to quit a session as a loser and come back to win on another day. You are apt to be dismissed as an average loser if you have the records to show it and you don't play for too long.
Losing can make you lose self-control.
Self-control is a must for blackjack card counters. When you are having a very bad session, you're apt to lose your cool. You might start over-betting, making calculation errors, or just fail to cover up your act. Never let yourself lose your calm. If your losses are getting to you, quit the table. You know the long-term odds are in your favor, so don't worry about it.
Blackjack card counters need to understand that losing is part of winning. Anything can happen in the short-term. You can win big or you can lose big. But it is for the long-term advantage that you are playing. Just keep playing blackjack in the good tables and the money will come.