Ben Affleck admits to counting cards

Yup, he was counting cards, but that's not cheating, that's just being really, really good at blackjack, saysBen Affleck in the new Details.

He's the cover boy on the October issue, and was interviewed along with director David Fincherabout their latest flick, Gone Girl.

Back in May, the Las Vegas' Hard Rock Casinoslapped the Oscar-winning Affleck with a lifetime ban from its blackjack tables after its security officials confronted him with accusations he was counting cards. Much embarrassment and Twitter mocking followed.

What was that all about, Details asked.

"That is a true story. I mean, that took place. I took some time to learn the game and became a decent blackjack player. And once I became decent, the casinos asked me not to play blackjack. I mean, the fact that being good at the game is against the rules at the casinos should tell you something about casinos."

How did he get so good? Lots of practice at a game he likes.

"I don't play any other games of chance. I don't bet on football games, and I don't gamble at all, really, outside of that. But I knew with blackjack that there's a way you can improve your odds. And so I started trying to learn. And then I just got to a point in my life where I'm like, 'If I'm going to do something, I'm going to try and do it really well.'"

But getting thrown out wasn't as dramatic as it was portrayed.

"No, I wish! That would be awesome. 'Get him outta here! He's a magician!' Unfortunately, they just came up and said, 'We can't let you play blackjack. But we have other table games! We have Chinese poker!'"

And all that talk about wife Jennifer Garner being fed up with him? All made up, he claimed.

"That's tabloid s—. That's all b——. They completely lie. (Some) magazines feel totally comfortable absolutely fictionalizing every single element of the story. And there's nothing you can do about that. My only hope is that people with any common sense recognize that those stories are false."