Can you cheat in Blackjack?

Most players heading to a casino are there to play a fair and square game. With a little luck and a nice understanding of blackjack basic strategy, there’s a chance these players may walk away winners on some occasions.

Because blackjack is a game with a low house edge, players at least occasionally have a real opportunity at some winnings. However, some players look to tip the odds in their favor by other means. These gamblers may be looking at how to cheat at blackjack. Keep reading to learn all about blackjack cheating.

How to Cheat in Blackjack

Cheating at a casino can be a serious offense and those who are caught can face severe consequences, depending on local law. At the very least, these players may also be banned from casinos and many property security teams communicate regarding cheaters, so that ban may carry over to other casinos as well.

The lure of some “easy money” may be too much for some cheaters. Others may enjoy the thrill of taking some cash off of the casinos via unscrupulous methods right under their nose. These efforts can come with the risk of spending years in prison. Here’s a look at some blackjack cheating methods.

Card Marking

This is one of the more common methods that blackjack cheats use. Players subtly mark the cards to identify them later. This player can then raise or lower their bets depending on seeing marked cards at the table. Famed gambler Archie Karas received a black mark on his reputation in 2013 when he was found guilty of marking cards in a California casino. He was then barred from all Nevada casinos and listed in the state’s “black book” of excluded players.

Switching or Palming Cards

Players adept at sleight-of-hand techniques may find a way to conceal favorable cards and slip them into the game at opportune times. However, this can be very difficult as many casinos don’t let players hold the cards when playing and the security cameras may also capture a player attempting to work an extra card into the game.

Chip Manipulation

A cheater may “accidentally” change their betting amount and then claim it was an accident and meant to bet more or less after seeing the hand they are dealt. This is a common blackjack cheating method that allows the player to add or remove chips after the outcome is known.

Communication ‘Errors’

This is when a player claims they didn’t mean to take a hit after receiving an unfavorable card. A player who busted may claim to have told the dealer to stand and is hoping for leniency and will still have a chance to win the hand.

High-tech Cheating

Advances in technology have added to casinos’ concerns about cheating. In 2024, two men were arrested at a French casino and faced fraud charges. Police allege the two used tiny cameras to take low-angle photos of the card faces as they were dealt. The images were instantly relayed to accomplices  away from the casino, who told the players which cards were being dealt via microscopic earpieces.

The two not only alleged to be blackjack cheats but also used the system while playing poker. The issue of high-tech cheating has now become an even bigger concern for casinos.

How to Cheat Online Blackjack

Cheating online blackjack games is much more difficult as there is no generally no real-person element for blackjack cheaters to take advantage of. However, some of the usual methods employed in casinos may also occasionally be tried in live dealer games online as well.

When players search “how to cheat online blackjack” online, most of the answers revolve around methods that aren’t really cheating, such as using a basic strategy chart. Online casinos make it extremely difficult with deep security measures to ensure it’s difficult to cheat, including random number generators (RNGs) and monitoring.

However, here are a few ways some players attempt to manipulate the system and here’s a look at a few of those.

Botting

This is the use of computer programs that actually play without the human being engaged and attempt to manipulate the game. Online casinos employ sophisticated software to detect and ban bots.

Exploiting Software Glitches

Savvy players with a deep knowledge of programming and software technology may be able to take advantage by using bugs in the casino’s software to gain an unfair advantage. 

Collusion

Some players may work together in live dealer games online to try and rig the game and guarantee they receive certain hands. Like other methods listed here, this would be pretty rare.

How Casinos Cheat at Blackjack

Players may believe live casinos themselves engage in cheating or at least unethical behavior at times. However, many of these aren’t considered cheating and may simply be frustrating for players. Some players may also experience a losing streak and think the deck has been stacked against them. But that is really just part of the game’s variance. 

Casinos face considerable risks when engaging in cheating, including possible criminal charges, significant fines, and the loss of a gaming license. However, there may be some unethical or rogue casinos online operators that may engage in cheating practices, but these are rare and often not licensed by official gaming authorities. Here are a few of the methods at how casinos “cheat” at blackjack.

• Shuffling and Deck Penetration – Some casinos may shuffle often or only deals small percentage of the deck before reshuffling. This isn’t meant to cheat, but reduce the chances of card counting.
• Automatic Shufflers – These are used to shuffle decks quickly and to conceal the cards as they are shuffled. This shuffling method is meant to prevent players from tracking cards and card counting.
• Security Checks – Some casinos may have the pit bosses closely monitoring a player to help prevent card counting and cheating. This can be an uncomfortable scenario for players at the table.

Conclusion

Blackjack cheating can come with considerable risks, but when there is a chance to gain an edge – even illegally – there always seems to be someone willing to give it a try. These cheating methods can range from pretending that there was a player betting error to the dealer not hearing the player’s action correctly to more high-tech means.

Players may also occasionally try to manipulate online games using bots and other high-tech means. However, this is rare with quality operators like Lucky Block Casino. Players can expect a fair game when playing online at Lucky Block.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is card counting considered cheating?

No, players can legally count cards in a casino but the property has the option of barring counters from playing in most jurisdictions.

What is a bot?

A bot is a computer program that can be used by cheaters to play the game without human players being involved with the play at the table as part of an effort to manipulate the game.

Do casinos cheat at blackjack?

Not many as most casinos would face serious consequences for cheating, such as hefty fines or losing a gaming license. Some properties may use shuffling and deck penetration to prevent card counting. Players may also occasionally find unscrupulous online casino operators, but legitimate sites like Lucky Block Casino offer players a fair game.