The House Always Wins.
Until You Count.
Free Blackjack Card Counting App for Android — Card Counting Trainer & Simulator
Mathematicians proved it in 1962. The MIT Blackjack Team won millions with it. The same card counting systems professionals use in live and online blackjack are now free to train — right on your phone.
Hi-Lo · KO · ReKO free · Level 2 & 3 from $1.99 · No ads · No account
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The People Who Beat the House
These aren't myths. Real people used real mathematics to win millions — and the system they used still works today.
Edward O. Thorp
A mathematics professor who used an IBM mainframe to prove the house edge could be beaten. His book Beat the Dealer (1962) became the first gambling book to hit the New York Times bestseller list and sparked a revolution in casino mathematics. Casinos were so alarmed they changed their rules — then had to change them back when players stopped showing up.
Al Francesco
Francesco never wrote a book or sought fame — he just quietly won. By separating the counting role from the big-betting role, he created a system where each team member looks completely innocent on their own. The "spotter/Big Player" approach he invented became the blueprint for every major counting team that followed, including the MIT team.
Ken Uston
A former VP at Pacific Stock Exchange who abandoned Wall Street for the blackjack tables. Uston won more than $1 million working with Al Francesco's teams, then went solo — writing Million Dollar Blackjack and taking Atlantic City casinos to court. He won the landmark 1979 New Jersey Supreme Court case establishing that card counting cannot be made illegal. Barred from virtually every casino in the world, he sometimes played in disguise.
Stanford Wong
Writing under a pen name, John Ferguson invented "Wonging" — watching a table without playing, then sitting down only when the count climbs high enough to give the player an edge. This eliminates all negative-expectation play. He also developed the Wong Halves system: a Level 3 counting method so precise it assigns half-point values (like +0.5 for a 2) for maximum accuracy. That system is built into this app.
Tommy Hyland
Most professional teams burn out within a few years as their faces become known. Hyland's team has operated continuously since 1979 — over four decades and counting. By rotating members, operating internationally, and mounting successful legal defences when casinos pushed back, Hyland built the most enduring operation the game has ever seen. His story is proof that disciplined, methodical play beats flashy tactics.
The MIT Blackjack Team
Perhaps the most famous counting operation ever assembled. MIT students and alumni formed teams under various managers, using Francesco's Big Player model backed by rigorous maths training and professional bankroll management. Operating across Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and international casinos, the teams collectively won millions of dollars over two decades. Their story became the bestselling book Bringing Down the House and the 2008 film 21.
Everything You Need to Master Card Counting
A complete blackjack counter toolkit — from beginners learning Hi-Lo to advanced players refining Wong Halves index plays for live and online blackjack.
Live Count Tracking
Tap card ranks as they're dealt. Running count, true count, and deck penetration update instantly.
Live Blackjack Edge Calculator
Real-time blackjack edge % driven by your true count, table rules, and deck configuration — calibrated from Wizard of Odds rule-variation data.
Bet Spread & Recommendations
Configure your bet spread and let the app recommend the optimal unit size — a 1→2→4→8→12 unit ramp based on your live true count and counting system.
Basic Strategy Charts with Count Deviations
Complete basic strategy for hard totals, soft totals, and pair splits — rule-aware and fully updated with count deviation cells marked ✱.
Table Rules Configuration
S17/H17, peek rules, 3:2/6:5 payouts, DAS, surrender, resplit aces, 6-card Charlie, and more.
History & Undo
Rolling panel of the last 15 cards. Undo any mis-tap without losing your place in the count.
Ace Side Count & True Count Conversion
Automatic true count conversion from the running count — plus a dedicated ace side-count panel for Hi-Opt II and Omega II Level 2 precision.
One-Screen Workflow
Count display, deck controls, card input, and bet ramp — all on a single scrollable screen.
Completely Private
No account. No server. No analytics. Every byte stays on your device.
Try the Hi-Lo Card Counting Simulator — Right Now
Use this interactive card counting simulator to practice Hi-Lo on any shoe. Tap cards as they're dealt and watch your running count, true count conversion, blackjack edge, and bet spread recommendation update live — exactly like the app. Perfect for practising before live or online blackjack.
Seven Blackjack Card Counting Systems, One App
Every major card counting system used in professional blackjack and 21 — from beginner Level 1 to advanced Level 3. Whether you start with Hi-Lo or go straight to Wong Halves, pick your level and upgrade as you improve.
The world's most widely-used card counting system — proven by professionals for decades.
- Most documented system — vast strategy tables and resources available
- Excellent betting correlation (0.97) for a Level 1 system
- Used by the MIT Blackjack Team and most professional counters
- True count division required mid-hand
- Aces not separately tracked without a side count
Best for: Beginners and experienced players alike — the standard starting point
Skips true count conversion entirely — simpler and faster to use at a live table.
- No true count conversion — just use the running count to bet
- Easier to maintain accuracy under casino pressure
- Nearly as powerful as Hi-Lo for single and double-deck games
- Less accurate in multi-deck shoes without adjustment
- Index plays require conversion, reducing mid-hand flexibility
Best for: Players who find true count division distracting at live tables
KO's simplicity with a calibrated starting count — accurate across every shoe size without converting to a true count.
- Adjusted starting count eliminates KO's multi-deck accuracy problem
- No true count conversion — same mental simplicity as KO
- Works consistently from single-deck to 8-deck shoes
- Must memorize the starting count for each shoe size
- Still unbalanced — theoretically less precise than balanced systems
Best for: KO users who play at multiple venues with different deck counts
A powerful Level 2 upgrade with higher playing efficiency and a dedicated ace side-count panel in the app.
- Significantly higher playing efficiency than Hi-Lo — better index decisions
- Ace side count (built into the app) dramatically boosts betting accuracy
- Widely used by serious advantage players at multi-deck tables
- ±2 tag values require more mental effort than Level 1 systems
- Ace side count adds a second mental tracking layer
Best for: Experienced counters ready to invest in a meaningful edge increase
One of the highest betting correlations of any counting system — built for players who bet large spreads.
- Highest betting correlation among Level 2 systems (0.92) — maximum EV from your bet spread
- Ace side count available in-app for full precision
- Developed by Bryce Carlson; used in professional play
- The 9 = −1 tag is an unusual value that takes extra practice to internalize
- Full power requires ace side count alongside the main count
Best for: Advantage players focused on maximizing bet spread profitability
A well-rounded Level 2 system that tracks aces natively — no separate side count needed.
- Aces are tagged (−1) — no separate ace side count required
- Strong balance of betting correlation and playing efficiency
- One of the most versatile Level 2 systems for multi-deck play
- The 5 = +2 and A = −1 tags take time to drill to automaticity
- More complex than Hi-Lo — not ideal as a first system
Best for: Players who want Level 2 accuracy without the burden of an ace side count
The highest-precision counting system in existence — used by dedicated advantage players who demand every edge.
- Best betting correlation of any widely-used system (~0.999) — theoretical maximum edge
- Fractional values capture deck composition changes that Level 1–2 systems miss
- The benchmark system that serious advantage players graduate to
- Half-point tags (½, 1½) are very difficult to maintain under casino pressure
- Marginal gain over Level 2 unless you're consistently betting large spreads
- Requires extensive practice before it's viable at a live table
Best for: Dedicated advantage players committed to maximizing every fraction of a percent
Hi-Lo · KO · ReKO are always free. Level 2 systems unlock for $1.99 each. Wong Halves for $2.99. Or grab everything with Unlock All — $5.99.
Not sure where to start? Read our guide to choosing the right system →
Up and Running in 30 Seconds
A simple top-to-bottom workflow built for live blackjack and 21 table practice — or to sharpen your card counting edge before online blackjack sessions.
Set Table Rules
Open Menu → Table Rules. Configure S17/H17, payout, DAS, surrender, and other options to match the table you're training for.
Choose a Counting System
Open Menu → Select Counting System. Start with Hi-Lo; move to Level 2 or 3 as you advance.
Configure the Shoe
Set Total Decks (1/2/4/6/8) and drag the Decks Remaining slider to reflect shoe depth.
Tap Cards as Dealt
Two rows of card buttons — A and 2–5 on top, 6–9 and 10-K below. Running and true counts update live.
Read Your Edge & Bet Size
The Bet Recommendation card shows your unit ramp position (1→2→4→8→12). Edge % shows your current advantage.
Consult the Strategy Chart
Tap Strategy Chart for a full rule-aware basic strategy table with deviation cells highlighted for the current count.
How Card Counting Was Born
From a 1953 academic paper to Hollywood — the story of how mathematicians turned the tables on the house.
The First Mathematical Proof
Roger Baldwin, Wilbert Cantey, Herbert Maisel, and James McDermott — four US Army mathematicians — publish "The Optimum Strategy in Blackjack" in the Journal of the American Statistical Association. Using hand calculators, they produce the first mathematically correct basic strategy, proving the house edge can be minimised to under 0.5%.
Thorp Cracks the Code
MIT mathematics instructor Edward O. Thorp uses an IBM 704 mainframe computer to discover that removing low cards from the deck shifts the odds in the player's favour. He presents "Fortune's Formula: A Winning Strategy for Blackjack" at the American Mathematical Society's annual meeting — the first proof that counting cards gives a genuine edge.
Beat the Dealer Changes Everything
Thorp publishes Beat the Dealer, introducing the Ten-Count system to the public. The book becomes a New York Times bestseller. Panicked casinos briefly change rules to hamper counters — only to reverse them when business drops sharply. The cat-and-mouse game between counters and casinos begins in earnest.
Hi-Lo Arrives
Thorp's revised second edition of Beat the Dealer presents the Hi-Lo counting system — simpler and more practical than the Ten-Count. Developed with Julian Braun of IBM, Hi-Lo becomes the world's most widely used counting system and remains so to this day.
The Big Player Team Concept
Al Francesco invents the team-play approach: low-betting spotters count down the shoe and signal a high-betting Big Player to sit in only when the count is deeply positive. The Big Player appears to be a casual, lucky gambler — and casinos have no idea what hit them. Francesco mentors a young Ken Uston, who takes the concept worldwide.
Stanford Wong and Professional Blackjack
John Ferguson — writing under the pen name Stanford Wong — publishes Professional Blackjack, introducing the technique of back-counting: observing a table without betting and only joining mid-shoe when the count turns favourable. "Wonging" becomes standard practice among professional counters, and his Wong Halves system sets the precision benchmark for Level 3 counting.
Card Counting Declared Legal in New Jersey
After being barred from Atlantic City casinos, Ken Uston sues and wins. The New Jersey Supreme Court rules that casinos cannot ban card counters — only counter-measures like multiple decks and frequent shuffles are permitted. Atlantic City briefly becomes a haven for counters. Casinos soon respond by switching to continuous shuffle machines.
Tommy Hyland's Enduring Team
Tommy Hyland forms a card counting team in 1979 that operates continuously for over four decades — the longest-running operation in the history of the game. Hyland's team successfully fights casino trespass charges in court on multiple occasions, setting important legal precedents that affirm the right to count cards in most jurisdictions.
2000s
The MIT Blackjack Team
Students and alumni from MIT — and later Harvard and other universities — form a series of teams that use Francesco's Big Player model with meticulous bankroll management and training. Operating across Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and international casinos, the teams win millions of dollars over two decades before increasing surveillance and shared casino databases make their faces too well-known.
Bringing Down the House
Ben Mezrich's bestselling account of the MIT Blackjack Team brings card counting into mainstream culture. The 2008 film 21 — starring Kevin Spacey and Jim Sturgess — reaches a global audience of tens of millions, inspiring a new generation of aspiring counters and dramatically increasing interest in blackjack strategy.
The Knowledge Is Yours
Facial recognition, RFID chips in cards, and shared counter databases make large-scale professional play harder than ever. But the mathematics hasn't changed — the edge is still there for anyone disciplined enough to learn it. The same systems that professionals used to win millions are now available to practice on your phone.
Start Training →Common Questions About Card Counting
How does card counting work in blackjack?
What is card counting in blackjack?
How does the Hi-Lo card counting system work?
Is card counting legal?
Can I use this app to practice for online blackjack?
What is blackjack edge and how does the app calculate it?
What is the difference between running count and true count in 21?
Which card counting system should I start with?
What is the house edge in blackjack and can card counting overcome it?
Can casinos detect card counters?
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