Advantage play refers to strategies used by gamblers to gain a statistical edge over the house in games like blackjack, poker, or sports betting. This can involve techniques such as card counting, where players track the ratio of high to low cards remaining in the deck, or exploiting favorable betting conditions. While advantage play is legal, casinos often have policies to counteract it, such as banning players suspected of using these techniques. It differs from cheating, as it relies on skill and knowledge rather than deception. Successful advantage players can increase their chances of winning over time.