Camouflage Betting
The easiest way for the house to detect a blackjack card counter is to watch their betting patterns. Counters have to elevate their bet when the count is in there favour, and lower them when the count is against them. This is no secret to the counters, and if they want to be successful they have to play in a manner that wins and throws the blackjack pit boss off their scent in the process. There are other players that change their bets as they play; any player using a progressive betting system will do that.
So the counter has to camouflage his or her betting as they go along. The last thing the casino wants to do is confuse the two, because the progression bettor is sure profit for the house. That means that counters want to appear to be gamblers, and one of the best ways to do that is to appear to be a bit naïve. Any card counter knows basic strategy and will make decisions automatically. Gamblers will be periodically hesitant and will often make the wrong decision in strategy. A smart counter will make the odd mistake to throw off the house. Gamblers throw out bets without careful consideration. Blackjack counters need to calculate the proper bet, so hesitation before betting is another giveaway of the card counter.
You can make the odd mistake in basic strategy decisions, and you can even make some bets that would go against the count. If you’re getting attention from the pit boss you can show him that you’re just temporarily lucky, and don’t know what you’re doing, even if you have to dump a little back to get the heat off you.
