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Famous Blackjack Players
Written by: Kim Birch | The review was last updated: 03 July 2024 | Fact-check by: Jasmin Williams
As a seasoned blackjack player, I've got a lot of respect for the legends of the game. These icons have had a massive impact on punters worldwide, and I reckon it's high time to give them a proper shout-out on BETO.com. It's my way of tipping my hat to their incredible contributions.
In this write-up, we'll spotlight the true champs who deserve a spot in the blackjack hall of fame. These are the folks who've given us the strategies and techniques we still use today. They've not only raked in serious cash but also inspired a whole new generation of players to take blackjack to the next level.
From big-time winners like Don Johnson to innovative thinkers like Lawrence Revere, we'll dive into their stories and their game-changing contributions. Now, I'll be upfront - there are plenty of legends who won't make this list. I'm focusing on the blackjack experts who've had the biggest influence on me personally, and who the BETO team reckon are the real deal.
The blackjack legends we're about to discuss aren't just impressive - they're the cream of the crop, according to the blackjack buffs here at BETO.
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Top blackjack pros often credit Lawrence Revere as their inspiration.
Lawrence Revere, a top-notch blackjack strategist, made waves with his book Playing Blackjack as Business. He's one of the most well-known pros in the game. His maths degree came in handy when developing strategies that punters still use today. Revere's work has had a lasting impact on how blackjack is played.
His most famous strategy, the Revere Point Count, is considered a gold standard. Its main drawcard? It's relatively easy to use, making it a hit with players.
Revere was a bit of a character and had insider knowledge as a former casino pit boss. He combined his work experience with his maths skills to create both advanced and straightforward strategies.
Interestingly, it's said Revere used to give advice to both dealers and players - not your typical approach. In 2005, Lawrence Revere was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame, a well-deserved honour for this blackjack legend.
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Blackjack whizzes have revolutionised the game with their theories, strategy guides, and epic wins that've put it on the map. Thanks to these legends, we've got a stack of strategies to choose from, giving us punters a fighting chance against the house. Let's suss out some of the big names and what they've brought to the table.
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The Four Horsemen of Aberdeen were a group of Yankee Army engineers who cracked the code on optimal blackjack strategy based on the player's and dealer's cards. Roger Baldwin, Wilbert Cantey, Herbert Maisel, and James McDermott made a ripper contribution to the game. Their findings even scored a spot in the Journal of the American Statistical Association.
Back in the 50s, this was no small feat. They didn't have fancy computers to help out - just basic desk calculators. Their book Playing to Win, published in 1957, turned out to be a game-changer for blackjack.
While their strategy was crucial, it really got the ball rolling for further developments in blackjack strategy. You could say they laid the foundation for the whole field. Their efforts didn't go unnoticed - they were inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame in 2008 for their top-notch work.
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As a kid, James Grosjean had a knack for sussing out the best strategies in any game he played. He was so good at Mah Jong that his mates eventually chucked in the towel and refused to play with him.
Later on, James would have a punt on blackjack with his mates on the weekends. His big breakthrough came when a dealer accidentally showed her hole card. James then used his computer to work out the perfect strategy based on knowing the hole card.
In 2000, James dropped his masterpiece 'Beyond Counting: Exploiting Casino Games from Blackjack to Video Poker'. It's a comprehensive guide that breaks down various strategies and the maths behind them.
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Grosjean teamed up with Keith Taft to develop a blackjack computer, giving them an edge where such tech was legal. Keith, a fellow Blackjack Hall of Famer, praised James's top-notch programming skills.
James had his fair share of legal stoushes with casinos over unfair detainment. He took Caesars Palace and Imperial Casino to court and came out on top. The casinos' suspicions speak volumes about James's skill at the tables.
Griffin Investigations copped the worst of it from James's lawsuits, as they were behind the criminal proceedings. The legal fees sent them broke, forcing them into bankruptcy.
In 2006, James finally got the nod he deserved, scoring a spot in the Blackjack Hall of Fame.
James later penned another book, Exhibit CAA: Beyond Counting, potentially worth its weight in gold. But he kept it exclusive, only sharing it with mates and those he trusted.
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Tommy Hyland kicked off his blackjack career in 1979, inspired by Lawrence Revere's book Playing Blackjack as Business. He quickly pulled together a group of mates and they started smashing it at the tables. What's really impressive is that Tommy's crew has been one of the longest-running blackjack teams in history.
His team was savvy, using computer play, shuffle tracking, and ace sequencing. Things got dicey when they were nabbed for ace sequencing at Casino Windsor, but here's the kicker - they won the case.
The casino tried to pin them for cheating, but the judge ruled they weren't cheating, just using a clever strategy. This was a massive win that gave a real boost to blackjack punters everywhere.
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The MIT Blackjack Team was a group of clever uni students and grads from MIT, Harvard, and other top-notch schools. They used card counting and other tactics to get an edge and rake in massive wins from various casinos.
We won't bore you with the full backstory, but it's worth noting that Bill Kaplan, J.P. Massar, and John Chang led the team. By the early 90s, they'd grown to about 80 members. Their story even sparked a book called Bringing Down the House and the 2008 film 21.
There's no doubt about their success as punters and card counters. It's cool that not only did they inspire a film, but some key team members actually popped up in it. Just keep in mind, the movie takes a fair few creative liberties with the real story.
Before you think about forming your own crew to clean out the casinos, why not give Live Blackjack a go? Check out the video below to see how it can help sharpen your blackjack skills.
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Back in '77, Ken shocked the gambling world by co-writing The Big Player: How a Team of Blackjack Players Made a Million Dollars with Roger Rapoport. This book spilled the beans on Al Francesco's legendary team, which Ken had been a part of for yonks.
Al wasn't too chuffed about Ken's tell-all, and their relationship went pear-shaped. Despite this, the book was a hit, landing Ken a spot on Good Morning America. A talented writer, Ken went on to pen more blackjack books like Million Dollar Blackjack and One-Third of a Shoe.
While writing, Ken formed his own crew and raked in millions from the casinos. His team upped the ante on Al's old mob by using electronic gadgets to get an edge. Eventually, the casinos cottoned on and gave Ken the boot. He took Resorts International to court for barring him and won hands down, as his team was only counting cards.
You could say Ken was too good for his own good, forcing casinos to show him the door to stop the bleeding. He's still considered one of the all-time great blackjack punters.
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Don Johnson's a legend in blackjack circles, raking in a whopping $15 million from three Atlantic City casinos. He scooped $6 million from Tropicana, $5 million from Borgata, and $4 million from Caesars. Johnson's secret? High-stakes play, betting a cool $100,000 per hand and consistently coming out on top.
The bloke managed to negotiate some sweet deals with the casinos, like the dealer standing on soft 17 and a 20% rebate on big losses. While these rules gave him an edge, his skill at the table was the real clincher.
It's a bit of a head-scratcher why the casinos agreed to Johnson's terms. Maybe they thought he was just on a lucky streak and would eventually go bust. Spoiler alert: he didn't.
Johnson wasn't mucking about. He scored free bets for spotting dealer slip-ups and brought a crew to keep the dealers distracted. All up, the punter pocketed a tidy $15 million profit.
Funnily enough, Johnson wasn't always keen on blackjack. He started out wanting to be a jockey and later worked at the tracks. But we reckon he's pretty chuffed he found his way to the blackjack tables and cracked the code to beat the house.
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Edward O. Thorp: The Blackjack Brains Behind the Odds
Edward Oakley Thorp is widely known as the Father of Card Counting. While he wasn't the first to come up with a card counting system, his 10 Count System made card counting popular with the masses. He introduced his system in the 1962 book Beat the Dealer.
Thorp's 10 Count System revolutionised blackjack. His book flew off the shelves, selling over 700,000 copies. However, the method wasn't suited for multiple decks. In 1966, Thorp teamed up with Julian Braun to develop the Hi-Lo Count, now considered the go-to system for newbies.
It's fair to say Thorp's work was the cornerstone of card counting, forcing casinos to shake up their rules to counter his methods.
Vegas tried to change the rules, but punters weren't having it. So the casinos started using multiple decks in some games, and players gradually got on board. These days, you'd be hard-pressed to find a single-deck blackjack game at the casino.
In a nutshell, Thorp's brilliant work and his title as the Father of Counting Cards have cemented his place in blackjack history.
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John Ferguson, writing under the pen name Stanford Wong, made waves with his 1975 book 'Professional Blackjack'. Despite targeting seasoned players, it's still a top seller in the blackjack strategy world.
Blackjack wasn't just a game for John - it was a lifeline during tough times. He wasn't just skilled at the tables; he was a whiz at breaking down the game. Interestingly, John took Thorp's '10 Count System' from 'Beat the Dealer' and used it to boost his win rate. It's a classic case of one pro's wisdom helping shape the next generation of players.
John's book introduced 'wonging' - a tactic where you watch the game and jump in when the odds are in your favour. Casinos weren't fans, though, and soon put the kibosh on late entries to counter this clever move.
Wong didn't stop there. He churned out heaps of blackjack books over the years, covering everything from Asian casino strategies to tournament play. His works, including 'Winning Without Counting' and 'Basic Blackjack', have been go-to resources for punters looking to sharpen their skills at the tables.
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Aussie pokies enthusiasts owe a debt to blackjack legends like Edward O. Thorp, Lawrence Revere, James Grosjean, and Ken Uston. These blokes have shaped the game's theory, raked in the big bucks, and inspired countless punters to follow in their footsteps.
Today's players benefit from advanced strategies and techniques, all thanks to these pioneers who put in the hard yakka for us.
While there are many other legends like John May, Bill Zender, and Arnold Synder, we've focused on the blackjack players who've had the biggest impact on us. That said, we tip our hats to all the blackjack greats who've made it easier for punters to come out on top.
The ongoing tussle between casinos and blackjack players continues, but the clever players always seem to have the edge. If you're keen to beat the house and win big, it's worth your while to study these masters of the game.
At BETO Pokies, we offer free articles from our experts who've spent yonks studying casino games and learning from the best. Our team's also clocked up plenty of hours at casinos worldwide, so give our articles a squiz to fast-track your progress.
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Let's dive into some common questions about well-known blackjack players and the game itself. Whether you're a seasoned punter or new to the pokies scene, these insights might just give you an edge at the tables.
When it comes to blackjack legends, a few names stand out. You've got James Grosjean, Don Johnson, Ken Uston, Edward O. Thorp, Tommy Hyland, and Lawrence Revere. These blokes have made their mark on the game, showing punters everywhere how it's done at the tables.
Top card counting methods include Hi-Lo, Ace Five Count, Red Seven Count, and Knock Out. These systems are popular among savvy punters looking to gain an edge at the blackjack tables.
When it comes to blackjack legends, Kerry Packer takes the cake with a whopping $40 million win in a single night. Not far behind is Don Johnson, who pocketed $15 million over a few months playing at Atlantic City's top casinos. And let's not forget Ken Uston, whose $4.5 million haul over several years stands as one of the most impressive early blackjack wins on record.
Edward O. Thorp's pioneering 10 Count System put card counting on the map, earning him the title of the technique's founding father.
When it comes to top-notch blackjack reads, it's all about personal taste. But a few standouts in the field include Edward O. Thorp's 'Beat the Dealer', Fred Renzey's 'Blackjack Bluebook 2', Ken Uston's 'Million Dollar Blackjack', and Stanford Wong's 'Professional Blackjack'. These books are go-to resources for punters looking to sharpen their skills at the table.
Tommy Hyland's blackjack team holds the record for the longest-running outfit in history. His knack for leadership and swift recruitment of new talent when players moved on kept the operation going for decades.
The MIT Blackjack Team, headed by Bill Kaplan, J.P. Massar, and John Chang, became the stuff of legend, inspiring the flick '21'. The team's exploits were first chronicled in Bill Mezrich's book 'Bringing Down the House', which later became the blueprint for the movie. These uni students turned the tables on casinos, showing that with the right smarts, even the house can be beaten.
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