Which Counting System Is Best?
Most answers to this question are folklore, a book author's own scoring, or locked behind simulation software. Here is the measured answer: all eight major Counting Systems, each simulated for 20 million hands on the same table (6 decks, H17, DAS, late surrender, 75% penetration), each playing its own validated Index Plays, each betting the best spread it can achieve at the same $10,000 bankroll and the same 5% risk of ruin. Same money, same risk, so the comparison is fair.
| System | EV/hr | SD/hr | N0 | Head cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wong Halves | $29.14 | $712.32 | 59,756 | level 3 · true-count conversion · fractional tags | |
| Red 7 | $28.08 | $729.75 | 67,516 | level 1 · no conversion | |
| Omega II (with ASC) | $27.96 | $712.08 | 64,852 | level 2 · true-count conversion · ace side count | |
| Hi-Lo | $27.64 | $701.14 | 64,346 | level 1 · true-count conversion | |
| Hi-Opt II (with ASC) | $27.05 | $669.24 | 61,208 | level 2 · true-count conversion · ace side count | |
| Zen | $26.42 | $657.39 | 61,929 | level 2 · true-count conversion | |
| KO (Knock-Out) | $26.40 | $659.81 | 62,444 | level 1 · no conversion | |
| Hi-Opt I (with ASC) | $25.90 | $693.71 | 71,752 | level 1 · true-count conversion · ace side count |
How to read this
The gap between best and worst is real but smaller than the arguments about it. The harder systems buy a modest edge at a cost in attention: level-2 tags at speed, a second count for the aces, fractional arithmetic. The professional consensus holds here: the best system is the one you can run perfectly for four hours in a loud casino, and a flawless simple count beats a sloppy powerful one. That is why the ace-side-count systems are shown at full published strength. If you won't keep the side count, use their calculator numbers without it.
Methodology
Per-system performance measured over 20,000,000 simulated rounds per rule configuration with each system's Index Plays played at live in-hand counts (tables cited or oracle-derived and validated; see each system's record). The equal-risk spread is found by the same Kelly-shaped search the betting calculator uses: highest EV subject to ≤5% lifetime risk of ruin at a $10,000 bankroll, $25 unit, 1–20 unit bets, 100 hands/hour. Deterministic seeds throughout; rerunning reproduces every number. Pick any system and price your own table on the calculator; practice it on the training table. Hi-Lo, the system we recommend starting with, is free everywhere on this site. The other seven systems' calculators, courses, and training are part of Premium ($39/yr, shared with roulettesim), alongside the Coach, trip planner, and casino session logbook with expected-vs-actual analysis. This comparison page stays free.