card counting e-blackjack

A slot technician in a PA. casino told me the blackjack on the bartop variant does not deal from a virtual deck. I assume that means a rng is used for dealing the cards.

However, he told me the big table sized games, for example, where there is a video dealer seemingly looking at you and talking to you while you play is dealt from a virtual deck. A card that has been played cannot be seen again (he had no answer on how many decks were utilized.)

Has anyone given any thought to whether this is card countable?

If it was, wouldn't "heat" from a casino for counting be eliminated?

EDIT: I just realized I said E-roulette in the title. I obviously meant E-blackjack. No way for me to change the title, is there?

Quote: darkoz

A slot technician in a PA. casino told me the blackjack on the bartop variant does not deal from a virtual deck. I assume that means a rng is used for dealing the cards.

But that WOULD be a virtual deck.

Or am I missing something?

E-Blackjack near me says they shuffle after every had, and each player is dealt to from an independent shoe. Can't count or depth-charge that.

It depends on whether or not the virtual decks are shuffled after every hand, the penetratin if they are not, and whether or not you know when a shuffle happens.

Quote: dwheatley

E-Blackjack near me says they shuffle after every had, and each player is dealt to from an independent shoe. Can't count or depth-charge that.

Then I don't see how that's any different than bar-top blackjack.

Any way, just wondering if anyone has looked into it?

Came across this thread from another web forum. The person claims their e-blackjack game has 75% penetration from an 8-deck shoe.

http://www.blackjacktheforum.com/showthread.php?2371-Electronic-Blackjack

EDIT: that was from 2012 so don't know if its still relevant

PA is the jurisdiction where video blackjack machines secretly play out the dealer's hand first, and then each player is dealt cards from his own private shoe consisting of all the cards that the dealer did not use. So if the game uses 8 decks and the dealer used 5 cards, then all of the players are playing from their own private 411-card shoe.

See the Wizard's blackjack rule variations. The variation is "Dealer secretly goes first" which increases the house edge by 0.02%. Footnote 5 gives more information.

Quote: darkoz

I just realized I said E-roulette in the title. I obviously meant E-blackjack. No way for me to change the title, is there?

I changed it for you.

It's a frickin computer! It will win or lose whenever it feels like. I noticed this when I play the Game King machines(bartop blackjack).
Your minimum play is a $1 per hand. If you play the minimum the machine gives you about a 40% edge. When you increase your bet to $5 and up. Your edge goes up as if you were playing at a real table. However,it will let you win The machine doesn't even tell you how many decks are being used for crying out loud. If you want to be an advantage player stay away from digital black jack.

Quote: darkoz

Any way, just wondering if anyone has looked into it?

It's been done many times, Blackjack Blitz was probably the first one I played. All different rules, decks and penetration, bet spread, cash back. One place ( I believe it was at Bourbon Street that got taken over by GB) I Played 1 to 500 spread on 3 machines. Obviously that didn't last long.


Did well overall, Never got Heat. They would just take them out eventually . Not sure why they didn't just change the rules.


They have different types out nowadays, some are countable some are not.

I don't see anyone doing it nowadays(not sure why).