A look at the biggest blackjack wins in history
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games that exist. While we’re all playing to win there are some wins that are bigger than others! As blackjack comes with the lowest house edge of all casino games, there are always plenty of opportunities to be a winner and to revel in success. Read more about the biggest blackjack wins.
The early days of blackjack were a little more straightforward. Players knew just what to expect from a casino and what a payout would be. Things have changed. While some of these changes have pushed the house edge up, others have allowed for winnings to rise beyond belief.
With progressive jackpots and lucky bets, there are now more ways than ever to win big. Some players rely on good old fashioned strategies to win in, what is regarded as, the normal way. Then there are other players who have experimented and taken new approaches to winning and beating the house.
We’re going to take a look at 5 of the biggest wins of all time. Seeing just how much these blackjack players have walked away with may well be motivation enough to see you indulge in your favourite game even more often.
| 21+ | Terms & Conditions Apply | NJ Residents Only | ||
 | $25 FREE on Signup 100% up to $1.000 on First Deposit Hotspot Leaderboard | Visit Casino |
A £74,000 win in Glasgow – the biggest blackjack wins #1
If you head over to Scotland, you’ll find that Glasgow has a thriving casino scene and that blackjack is often the game of choice. These players, like others, know that a natural blackjack pays 3/2 at best. In fact, you’ll be lucky to get that payout these days and even if you do it certainly won’t make you rich.
To push those winnings up, you need to find blackjack variants that come with progressive jackpots. You can find versions that payout huge sums if you’re dealt a certain hand.
In 2017, one player in Glasgow struck lucky while playing Ace King Suited Blackjack. In this game, you land the jackpot if you’re dealt a natural blackjack with a suited king or ace. Having been dealt dream cards, this punter ended his night £74,000 better off.
World Series of Blackjack – the biggest blackjack wins #2
The World Series of Poker had proven to be hugely popular and brought new players to the game. On the back of this, it was thought that the same could be achieved with blackjack. This led to televised games being broadcast featuring celebrity players.
Some of the blackjack players who graced our screens included the likes of magician Penn Jillette, as well as card counting masters Mike Aponte and Micky Rosa. The first series aired in the early 2000s and led to an impressive finale.
It was Aponte that landed the top prize at the end of series one. His prize? An impressive $100,000. The show proved popular and this led to a further three series hitting the screens. The final series featured Alice Walker. She was no stranger to televised card games having already won a three-card per championship. In the final episode of the World Series of Blackjack, Walker proved victorious again. Her reward? A mighty $500,000.
Live! – the biggest blackjack wins #3
It was late 2017 when the Live! Casino in Maryland made its announcement. It was to host a blackjack tournament featuring 300 locals. These players were competing for their place in The Championship Tournament of 2018.
This tournament was a long affair. Each month 24 players would see themselves making it through to the final. Regardless of how long this tournament was, it was certainly worth it for the eventual winner who netted themselves $500,000.
The Ultimate Blackjack Tour
The World Series of Blackjack had proven to be successful and so in 2006, CBS went ahead and aired its own version. Running for just a year, this brought more blackjack games and tournaments to our screens as we watched big players battle out for even bigger prizes.
The way that this tournament ran meant that players were eliminated along the way. If a player had the lowest stack after eight, 16, and 25 hands then that was them out. Those remaining were still in with a chance of winning the title.
Not only did this format prove popular with blackjack fans, but it also attracted the attention of poker pros. The likes of Annie Duke, Johnny Chan, and Phil Hellmuth all made the move over to play. It was certainly worth their while when you consider that the prize pool was a staggering $1 million.
$50 million – $100 million
Okay, so this wasn’t won in a single tournament! These are winnings that were racked up from the 1970s to the 1990s at a time when blackjack teams ruled. If you take a look at the book (later turned into a film) Bringing Down the House, you can read all about the MIT blackjack teams and how they went on to win so big.
Those in MIT teams were known as the best card counters to ever play. They would fill casino floors with the intention of bringing the house to its knees. As these players were all known for their card counting prowess, they would often play in disguise so that they weren’t ejected from a game.
Card counting is still a blackjack strategy that is used by blackjack players today. While it is perfectly legal, it is a practice that casinos frown upon. Get caught and you’ll find yourself likely being banned. Is it worth the risk? Well, by the 1990s it’s believed that Bill Kaplan’s MIT Team had bagged over $100 million. We’d certainly suggest that this makes it a risk worth taking.
Becoming a blackjack pro
For many players, blackjack is a game that gives immense enjoyment as a hobby of choice. These players are still able to learn strategies and are still able to land some pretty impressive wins. It may be thought that to win some of the bigger prizes out there that you need to be a blackjack pro. While it is certainly the case that the pros will win more overall, the likes of progressive jackpots have opened up big winning opportunities to the masses. There’s always that chance that the next big winner will be you.
| 21+ | Terms & Conditions Apply | NJ Residents Only | ||
| $25 FREE on Signup 100% up to $1.000 on First Deposit Hotspot Leaderboard | Visit Casino |
