Beginner Guide
10 min read

Basics of Card Counting (Educational Only)

Why It Matters
Pool payouts are driven by the popularity of picks. Lightly backed winners can pay more; heavily backed winners pay less per unit.
Key Takeaways
  • Payouts depend on how many winners share the pool.
  • Operator takeout reduces the distributable pool.
  • Value often lies in under-backed selections.

Card counting is a statistical method used to track the ratio of high to low cards remaining in a blackjack shoe. When more high cards remain, player advantage can increase slightly.

High-level idea: Assign +1 to low cards (2–6), 0 to neutral (7–9), and −1 to high cards (10–A) in the popular Hi-Lo system. As cards are dealt, add up the values to maintain a running count. Convert to true count by dividing by decks remaining to normalize for shoe size.

Limits and legality: While tracking counts mentally is not illegal in many places, casinos can impose countermeasures such as limiting bet spreads, reshuffling, or asking players to leave.

Important: Counting doesn’t guarantee winning and requires strict discipline, bankroll management, and near-perfect execution. It’s shared here purely for educational understanding of game mathematics.

1Collect Bets
100 bettors x ₱100 → pool ₱10,000
2Takeout
10% operator fee → ₱1,000
3Divide Net Pool
₱9,000 ÷ 25 winners = ₱360 each
Legal & Responsible Gaming

In the Philippines, gambling activities are regulated by PAGCOR and other authorities. Only participate via licensed operators.

Always gamble responsibly. Set limits, avoid chasing losses, and seek help if gambling impacts your well-being. Visit PAGCOR for official guidance.

Typical Takeout
5%–20%

Varies by game/operator

Common Uses
Racing, Sports Pools

Multi-leg pick’em formats

Payout Certainty
Not Fixed

Depends on winners