The biggest blackjack winners of all time
Blackjack is the most popular table game that you’ll come across at any casino. With the simple rules and low house edge, it’s a game that draws players new and old to take a seat at the table. While there is a need to master strategy and tactics to pull in consistent wins, they’re are plenty of people out there who can show that this is more than worthwhile. Let´s take a look at the biggest Blackjack winners ever.
While we may have touched on some big winners before, what we’ve done here is compile a list of all of those who have experienced astonishing success. When you realize just what is possible, there’s a good chance that you’ll find the motivation to get on with mastering basic strategy and with finally cracking card counting.
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Shoeless Joe – $1.5 million – Biggest blackjack winners ever #6
This story focuses on a man who was a complete mystery, yet what is known for sure is that blackjack took him from rags to riches. Having entered a casino with bare feet back in 1995, Shoeless Joe had $300 to his name having been kicked out by his wife. With no roof over his head, he decided to take a risk.
Somehow this mystery man managed to win $1.5 million in a single day. The reality here is that this guy was just extremely lucky. Those who saw him play have been clear that he made some questionable decisions and certainly had no knowledge of blackjack strategy. His playing style has been described as clumsy at best with splitting and doubling being used almost recklessly. While it shows that anyone can win big at blackjack, we’d still advise that you learn all that you can before you try.
Dana White – $2 million – Biggest blackjack winners ever #5
We’ve taken a look at Dana White before, but the level of his winnings means that he needs to be included on this list. The truth is that his winnings could have been so much higher had the casino not capped them at the $2 million mark. Before this win, White had been banned from casinos having faced an accusation of card counting. While this is completely legal, casinos are hardly big fans!
With his ban out of the way, White was allowed to return to his chosen casino in 2014. In just three months of playing he managed to amass $2 million worth of winnings. There was the potential to have won so much more but the casino forced him to lower his bets. Rather than wagering the $25,000 that he wanted to, he was forced to drop down to $5,000.
Ken Uston – $4.5 million – Biggest blackjack winners ever #4
Referred to as the king of blackjack strategy, Uston is a player who is truly noteworthy. The truth is that if you’re an advantage player who loves multi-hand blackjack there’s a very good chance that you have Uston to thank. He was behind the creation of the very first blackjack team and he was a true genius when it came to mathematical strategies that led to consistent wins.
It was down to Uston’s extraordinary card counting skills that casinos introduced multi-hand versions of the game and shoes that were able to hold several decks. It was during the 70s and 80s that Uston and his team shone. They travelled around various casinos where they’d often bet as much as $12,000 per hand. It was the success of Uston and his team that inspired the MIT team. As we shall see, this is a team that took what it had learned to a whole new level.
Don Johnson – $15.1 million – #3
While there is no denying that Johnson is a great blackjack player, there is something else that he had that allowed him to amass over $15 million in winnings: money. As a millionaire CEO, Johnson always had the funds that would allow him to make the big bets. When this was combined with his mathematical skills, there was no way that he wasn’t going to win big. The truth was that Johnson had been playing blackjack for the majority of his life. He wasn’t a natural player as such. Rather he was one that took the time to learn and master.
From December 2010, it took Johnson just five months to build up his winnings. He ensured that he only played at casinos that had favorable blackjack rules. While other players can look at his playing style in awe, the casinos weren’t such big fans and this led to Johnson being banned.
Kerry Packer – $40 million – #2
It was back in 1991 that this Australian businessman walked into a casino, played blackjack and then left with an extra 47 million to his name. While that win is certainly impressive enough in its own right, it’s not even the biggest win that Packer managed to net. There was another occasion when he entered another casino and played for less than an hour. In this short time, he managed to win an astonishing $40 million. On the back of this, he left the dealer a $1 million tip.
While these wins may want to make you play just like Packer, the truth is that he wasn’t the most skilled player. There are reports that over a 10-month period he managed to lose over $27 million. There was a single night where he managed to lose an unbelievable $10 million.
The MIT Team – Up to $100 million – #1
This team was made up of a group of students from MIT, Harvard as well as other institutions. The team managed to master card counting and other strategies and traveled the world beating casinos as they went. With around 80 members, the team was led by Bill Kaplan and it managed to operate for several years.
The team parted ways in 2000. Since this time, and since their full actions have been revealed, casinos have taken steps that prevent their strategies from working. While the changes may have made the game even more challenging they have also added to the overall enjoyment.
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