Update from across the pond

Hey guys. I joined a few weeks ago asking for advice in respect of counting with a very minimal budget, and I have to say I have returned with good news. Five visits to the casino now, each time leaving up. Only £175 profit at the moment but on each visit I have gradually trusted the count more and raised my bet slightly. As I am at University and the only casino I know of locally using a shoe is back home (45 minutes bus journey) I can only return every fortnight or so. But like I said everything is going well s far. Hopefully I'll return next time on here with £1k haha!

I'm glad you've had such good luck.Remember your studies come first.

remember not to overbet your bankroll, or your bankroll will go to 0 with statistical certainty, even if you do have the advantage.

Quote: Skellyo

Hey guys. I joined a few weeks ago asking for advice in respect of counting with a very minimal budget, and I have to say I have returned with good news. Five visits to the casino now, each time leaving up. Only £175 profit at the moment but on each visit I have gradually trusted the count more and raised my bet slightly. As I am at University and the only casino I know of locally using a shoe is back home (45 minutes bus journey) I can only return every fortnight or so. But like I said everything is going well s far. Hopefully I'll return next time on here with £1k haha!

It is not uncommon to be ahead after five visits whether counting, playing basic strategy or just playing hunches. The concern is your bankroll. What is your bankroll, minimum and maximum bet?

This may sound really naive but I don't have a set bankroll at the moment. I'm literally visiting the casino each time, buying in with around £20-40, minimum betting around £2 until the count becomes good and raising it to £5-£10. This technique has not failed me (yet) but to be honest I have no other options other than this until I generate a larger pot of money for blackjack. It's worked so far without fail so I'm hoping it will continue. I've never played dangerously in a way that it would destroy my chips in one sweep, and when things have turned bad I have been able to recover gradually over the space of 20-30 minutes.

I understand this approach may seem unorthodox to you guys, but the fact is it has worked so far . Luck? Maybe. I'll keep you guys updated if my 'luck' changes haha :P.

That's okay for now as you familiarize yourself with live games and all the trappings that come with them. Think of it as another class at a different university.

Luck.

A 40 pound bankroll betting 2 pounds per bet can break you quite easily.

Good luck.

Quote: boymimbo

Luck.

A 40 pound bankroll betting 2 pounds per bet can break you quite easily.

Good luck.

That's not his bankroll though. He's just pulling that much money out of his pocket.

I'm more concerned with the results. Having a small win each time (no big wins, and no losses of any size) sounds suspicious.

OP: Are you just playing until you are ahead some small amount, and then leaving? This might lull you into a false sense of security. If you do this, you will have lots of small wins and the occasional big loss.

At first I was. £10 - £20 up then leaving. Starting taking £30 a session (3 hours). Eventually I am now leaving with around £90 a time after trusting the count more to raise my bets. The plan in respect of a bankroll is to keep increasing my profits from blackjack to eventually have a decent sized bankroll for when I visit Vegas in July. Unrealistic? Probably, but like I said it's worked so far. I'm not going to return to the casino and blow my whole profits on one visit. I'm not playing stupid with my betting etc. Time will tell how it goes.

I do completely understand why you guys think this is an unrealistic venture and your right to do so. I've practiced endlessly at home over the past 4 months and as I've said visited the casino multiple times. I can count easily, but the great barrier is the issue not possessing a substantial bankroll. No two ways about it.

Quote: Skellyo

At first I was. £10 - £20 up then leaving. Starting taking £30 a session (3 hours). Eventually I am now leaving with around £90 a time after trusting the count more to raise my bets. The plan in respect of a bankroll is to keep increasing my profits from blackjack to eventually have a decent sized bankroll for when I visit Vegas in July. Unrealistic? Probably, but like I said it's worked so far. I'm not going to return to the casino and blow my whole profits on one visit. I'm not playing stupid with my betting etc. Time will tell how it goes.

I do completely understand why you guys think this is an unrealistic venture and your right to do so. I've practiced endlessly at home over the past 4 months and as I've said visited the casino multiple times. I can count easily, but the great barrier is the issue not possessing a substantial bankroll. No two ways about it.

I'm glad that you're winning.

But my point is, if you decide to leave or stay based on how much money you are ahead or behind, your records will be skewed and won't be a good representation of how much you can expect to win. In the long term it won't make a difference, though. If you are playing a winning game, you will win. If you are playing a losing game, you will lose.

Let me give you an extreme example. Suppose you go in with £100 in your pocket. Suppose, every time you are up £20, you leave. However, if you are down, you will keep playing until you either lose all £100, or you are up £20. In this case, you will win far more sessions than you will lose (even if you are playing a losing game). So you might think that you are doing pretty well after about 3 or 4 sessions, but, really, you just haven't hit that one big losing session that wipes you out.

I wouldn't worry too much about this. In the end, it all works itself out. You should leave if you have a good reason to leave. I would just be concerned about being overly-confident based on your results, if you are the type of person who is more likely to quit when you are ahead than behind.

I don't think that what you are doing is unrealistic at all. Just remember that if you are under-bankrolled, luck will play a very big part in whether you go broke (even if you are playing a good game!). If your bankroll is replaceable, this is not necessarily a big deal.

Keep studying, keep practicing, keep getting better, good luck, and have fun!!!