Blackjack Dot

There have been many famous black jack players over the history of the game. Let us take a brief look at several of the most famous blackjack players in the world to give you a little background on the history of the game and the important people behind the success of the game.

Ken Uston

Ken Uston is not only the most famous blackjack player in the world, but he is also a genius. Uston used his math skills to own the blackjack tables in Atlantic City. He also wrote a book titled “The Big Player,” which was an insight on the world of blackjack teams. After the book was published, several of the biggest blackjack teams were started including the MIT Blackjack Team. Uston was also an inaugural member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame, which is one of his greatest accomplishments.

Edward Thorp

Edward Thorp is most known for writing his book titled “Beat the Dealer” which shows the public how to beat the blackjack tables using mathematics. He revealed a 10 count card counting system, which was the very first winning blackjack system ever created. Since the development of the 10 count, there have been many other winning blackjack systems created, but the one thing they all have in common is that they use Edward’s system in one way or another.

Al Francesco

Al is most well known for creating team play at the blackjack tables. He actually ran a team when Uston was still a new blackjack player and Al took him under his wing. Al taught Uston how to count cards and even allowed him to play on his team until Uston ended up going his own way when gambling became legal in Atlantic City. Al is also one of the few players that have been inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame.

Tommy Hyland

Tommy Hyland is one of the most experienced online black jack players in the world with over 25 years of playing experience at the tables. Hyland is also known for running one of the largest and most successful blackjack teams in the world. There is no doubt that Tommy is one of the most famous blackjack players in the world and this fact is proven by the fact that Hyland has been inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame.

One thing that many of the famous blackjack players in the world have in common is the fact that they all have very good education. Most of them graduated from some of the most well known universities in the United States including Harvard and Yale. The best blackjack player in the world are all great at math so if you want to become one of the best players in the world then you need to stay in school and get focus on becoming great at math.

Remember the most fun part of The Price is Right? How about Wheel of Fortune? Spinning a big, wooden wheel, of course. What’s more exciting that watching all those big prizes roll right by you only to see your marker land on Bankrupt or 40 cents? Well, the overwhelming emotional roller coaster that is the wheel of chance has also made its way into the world of blackjack side bets.

This game, called Bonus Spin, gives the winner a spin of the – wait for it – bonus wheel if he hits a blackjack at the table. Before we get into the payoffs and statistics, it’s also worth mentioning that the player will win 1:1 on a side bet if his hand contains at least one Ace. That helps the overall player odds a little bit, and just pushes it over the edge of a game worth playing if you’re into the side bet scene.

OK, but a 1:1 payoff isn’t exciting, let’s get to the big wheel of fun. There are six possible payoff multiplications you can land on while spinning. That’s right folks, you’re playing to increase your winnings, and not for a living room set. Depending on what your living room currently looks like, that’s either a good or a bad thing. Anyhow, the “prizes” are 5 times, 10 times, 20 times, 25 times and 100 times your original bet. Each player spins the wheel separately for their own hand and bet. Now, if all the prize openings on the wheel were the same size, the player would actually have a 63.5% edge, and the average payoff would be almost 30 times the bet. Of course, this is an online casino, and equality isn’t the name of the game. So taking into account the weighting on the wheel, the actual average is about 15 times, and the edge, naturally, goes to the house to the tune of 8.6 percent. Those are numbers based on a standard six-deck game.

If you happen to find this game played with a different number of decks, these statistics might prove useful to you, as well. A one-deck game has a 7.4 percent house edge. Two decks is an 8.14 percent house advantage. Three decks is 8.4. Four decks is 8.5. Five decks is 8.6. And eight decks is 8.7. So look for lower-deck games on this one…but don’t let that be a deal breaker. As you can see, the difference isn’t that dramatic, and the overall edge is low enough that you’ll win your fair share. And while pulling down 100 times of your bet isn’t quite as exciting as landing on a trip to Hawaii, it’s still better than busting for the 20th time in a row, right?

Gonna give you a double dose of game lines and advice this week. Baseball’s heating up and it’s got me all excited. Here’s Take 1, let’s start with Thursday’s games.

Cubs at Braves: If you are looking to do some baseball betting, then this is the game for you. We got Zambrano, fresh off a six-game suspension for being himself (which is worse than Manny being Manny, believe it or not) facing off against Jair Jurrjens, a name you might not know, but would be wise to familiarize yourself with. The kid has started 11 games this season, and is cruising along with a 5-2 record and 2.6 ERA. The Cubs’ “ace” – that’s a laugh – meanwhile, kicks around a 3-2, 4.2 ERA. Plus, he’s only struck out 46 this whole year. Not exactly numbers to justify the attitude, but more importantly to the gambler, not exactly numbers to bet on, either. The Cubs haven’t impressed on either side of the ball all year, either below or at the league average in most major categories. They seem to have no spark, no desire to live up to their “on paper” potential, and give the betting community little to believe they’re worth a chance. Then you look at the Braves and see a similar story as far as W/L record, and wonder what you’re supposed to do with a game like this. My opinion is always trust the pitcher with all else equal. And in this case, the Braves get the clear edge. Braves will also get the line, probably -125 to +110 for the Cubs.

Over in the AL, my pick for the day is Rangers at Yankees. Two teams flying high right now in their respective divisions. Rangers have ex-White Sox Brandon McCarthy facing off against none other than Mr. Free Agent last year C.C. Sabathia. Was he worth the money? Eh, kinda. 3.5 ERA in the AL is certainly respectable, if not worthy of a staff ace. But he’s only 5-3 with 56K. I would’ve expected more. Still, the guy can win a game for you and fan the side at the drop of a hat. McCarthy, who has always struggled with a spiked ERA, has his down to about 4.3 right now, which is great for him. He also has 5 wins, but only 41K so far. Texas has a commanding lead in their division, behind solid pitching and a .270 team average. They also play the Yankees well. Check out BaseballSportsbook for some great baseball betting tips and player profiles. Yanks will be favorite with the big-name pitcher and home field, but not by as much as you’d think. Maybe -130 to +115. I’d take a chance on the Rangers. They’re too hot to just discount because they’re on the road against a first-place team right now. They can hit themselves out of any jam while the pitching keeps the opponents from running up the score too much.