I saw the Discovery Channel documentary as well and found it interesting but over dramatized. I remember reading where the team fell victim to variance and suffered fairly large losses.

I moved to Vegas for 6 months in the early 1980s and counted cards with some success but a very limited bankroll. My stakes were so low that there were no counter measures/banning taken but I know there was some definite interest by pit bosses in my play.

No idea what today's Blackjack environment is like, but the poker opportunities more than compensate.