The Most Popular Blackjack Cheating Techniques
Blackjack cheating techniques are as old as the game of 21 and while it used to be commonplace for individuals to use them to their advantage and get away with it, this is no longer the case. Duping an online venue is impossible to say the least, and with the constant security and all of the cameras in land-based establishments, those who attempt to do it will inevitably get caught. However, that certainly doesn't stop people from trying! All of the following are the most common ways in which individuals - and sometimes even the dealers - attempt to con the house out of money.
Card Marking
One of the oldest blackjack cheating techniques in the book involves a player marking the cards that he or she receives. This can be a bend or a scratch - anything that can help that individual identify it later if it should end up in the dealer's possession. However, there are some drawbacks to this. First of all, players can only touch the cards they receive with one hand. Similarly, even the slightest motion is often enough to get the dealer to speak up. Even if he or she doesn't notice, there's a good chance that a security camera will.
Counterfeiting
Something else that individuals have tried to do in the past involves counterfeiting; this is the art of physically creating cards that are exactly the same as the ones being used in the establishment. Now, some people have gone so far as to actually steal a deck, but this will get them kicked out of a casino or even land them in jail. Passing off a counterfeit can be a difficult task as well when it is considered that most venues have their own proprietary decks and change them up at random to prevent this very thing from happening. Old decks that are no longer in use are either marked or destroyed, as well. This renders these blackjack cheating techniques virtually useless.
Down for the Count
The vast majority of people out there have been taught that counting cards is a form of cheating and one that will almost certainly get them removed from a casino. The truth is, however, that it is not illegal in any sense. After all, blackjack is a mathematical game and people who can understand this have an advantage. As such, as long as people are working alone, there is no law that says it cannot be done. It should be mentioned that there are establishments out there that will ask those who are skilled at the practice to leave - and they are well within their rights to do so. However, there are others that encourage counting since no matter what an individual does, the house always has the advantage.
Blackjack cheating techniques aren't always limited to the player, either. In some cases, dealers have been known to work directly with a player to provide a multitude of winning hands, only to split the winnings later. Again, this practice is highly illegal and should be avoided. Card counting is the only truly option, though it cannot really be considered 'cheating'.
