Blackjack is one of the most popular card games in the world today. Pretty impressive, considering its been around for centuries. Many might argue about the history of blackjack, but most agree that the game as we know it today was created in the 18th century, in France. However, in the 21st century, blackjack has changed.
Online casinos dominate the gambling industry now, and players have access to blackjack online from Novibet and other reputable organizations. This has exposed many new players to the game, and has introduced a lot of them to some of the best players. In this article, we are looking at some of the historically best blackjack players of all time.
Edward O. Thorp
Edward Oakley Thorp has been called many things, but his most popular and well-known title is “the Father of Counting Cards.” Born in 1932, Thorp grew up in Chicago and southern California, studying mathematics. With his knowledge of mathematics, Thorp took to the casinos, and discovered a new technique for beating blackjack; card counting.
Thorp wrote one of the first best-selling non-fiction books detailing how to win at blackjack. To this day, his book Beat the Dealer is mandatory reading for anyone who is interested in gambling, and specifically blackjack. His successes in blackjack have earned Thorp the title as one of the best players, and one of the most important names in the realm of blackjack research, and gambling in general.
Ken Uston
Like Thorp, Ken Uston is another revolutionary figure in the blackjack world. Whereas Thorp established the concept of card counting, Uston perfected it by employing team tactics. In fact, Uston is one of the first players to incorporate team tactics, and is often considered the founder of that style of play. During the 1970s, he gained notoriety in casinos throughout the world, even being banned from several.
After attaining his notoriety, Uston went on to write several books on the topic of blackjack, and even dived into topics like video games and computers. In 1981, he was the subject of a segment on the British show 60 Minutes, and there have been several documentaries on the man, his skills, and his contribution to the game of blackjack.
The MIT Team
When people talk about blackjack professionals or bring up the best blackjack players, the MIT Blackjack team almost inevitably gets brought up, and for good reason. The MIT blackjack team are credited with bringing blackjack to a wider audience. A lot has been written about their exploits, including a best-selling, non-fiction book written by one of the members. The book was adapted into a relatively well-received film, starring Kevin Spacey.
The MIT Blackjack Team was a group of college students and alumni who met at the college. They came up with a theoretical strategy for winning blackjack and decided to put it to the test. Using their theories, they took down several casinos throughout the United States, and beyond. Their success story is certainly a legendary part of blackjack history.
