Advice to young players considering a blackjack career

Put the effort into getting a good education. If you work as hard in college as you are in learning blackjack, you will be more successful and make more money than you ever will trying to beat the casinos. Card counting and advantage play is not as glamorous as it seems on TV. Here are a few things that I hate about trying to beat casinos:

1. The cigarette smoke is terrible for your skin, eyes, and lungs. Over time it will take its toll.

2. Casinos can be very depressing places filled with degenerates that you will come to detest. Many of these people are rude or just plain nasty.

3. Casino employees are generally despicable people. Once you are identified as a brain-using patron you will not be welcome to play. Casinos routinely toss out peaceful law-abiding citizens just for playing a strong game of blackjack. Some here have been arrested on false charges. Even more have been tossed out of their casino owned hotel room just for using their brain to legally beat the casino.

4. If you are able to play under the radar long enough to score a big win, good luck trying to cash your chips. Once you go through the hassle of having to show your ID and allowing them to take down all of your personal information, you will get paid if you're lucky. If you really annoyed them, they might make up a reason to not pay you. Then it is up to you to call a gaming agent to get involved. If you're lucky enough to get an agent that is fair, you might get your money. If not you'll need a lawyer.

5. If you are betting an amount that large enough to earn a living wage, you will have to travel all around the country because you will quickly burn out all of your local places.

6. How many girls do you know that will want to date a gambler? This is how you will be seen because not many people will really understand that it is possible to earn a living beating casinos.

7. Your parents will be extremely disappointed in you.

I could go on, but I'm pressed for time. There's absolutely nothing wrong with learning about card counting and advantage play. Just do not let it become something that dominates your thinking and creative energy. Grow up, experience life and gain some respectable skills that will have a positive impact on society. If you still have an interest in casino gambling, then by all means do what is necessary to legally play with an advantage. Just please do not think this is a glamorous career path that will get you rich quick.