The Biggest Blackjack Winners of All Time

Blackjack is one of the most popular and classic casino games of all time, not just in New Zealand but around the world. Both land-based blackjack and blackjack online are beloved amongst players new and old for many reasons. Not only is it thrilling – as you try to get closer to 21 than the dealer by deciding whether to stick or twist, but if you know your blackjack basic strategy, then it has a house edge of just 0.5%, one of the lowest of all games.

Here, we look at those players who knew exactly how to play the game, refined their strategies and ended up being the main subject of these famous big win blackjack success stories.

5: Ken Uston: Won $4.5 Million (NZ$ 7.2 Million)

Number 5 on our list of biggest blackjack winners is Ken Uston. He was famous for his knowledge of blackjack basic strategy – and was thus nicknamed King of Blackjack Strategy. Not only did he create the first blackjack team in the world, but he managed to work out a mathematical strategy to help him win time after time.

Ultimately, Uston was the master of card counting – and he played big. His team would bet as much as $12,000 (NZ$19,405) per hand. In fact, during the 70s and 80s, he won around $4.5 million (NZ$ 7.2 million) on the game.

His biggest win came in 1977 when he played at the Resorts International, Atlantic City, where he won $100,000 (NZ$161,713) in just one evening. So big was he, that it was Ken Uston that inspired the MIT team…

4: Dana White: Won $7 Million (NZ$11.32 Million)

In fourth spot, we have the President of the UFC, Dana White, who is said to have won around $7 million on blackjack.

His biggest win came in 2014 when he was playing at the Palms Casino, Las Vegas, where he was informed that his wins had been capped at a staggering $2 million – and went on to ban him. He has also been banned from the Mirage and the Wynn. He simply made the biggest blackjack bet possible, usually around $75,000 (NZ$121,285) – and walked away after 2 wins.

3: Don Johnson Won $15.1 Million (NZ$24.42 Million)

No, not THE Don Johnson – this Don Johnson is the CEO of Heritage Development – and he certainly knows a thing or two about the game. His wins weren’t about luck, they were all about skills, strategy and his unrivalled knowledge of the blackjack rules – having played the game for years. His knowledge of mathematical strategies and card nuances certainly gave him a big head start.

During 5 months in 2010, he was believed to have won a massive $15.1 million (NZ$24.42 million) – although this did see him being banned from playing blackjack at casinos. His famous biggest blackjack wins were the subject of a 2014 documentary, ‘The Secrets of the Vegas Whale’.

2: Kerry Packer Won $26 Million (NZ$42 Million)

Second on our list of biggest blackjack winners is Kerry Packer. He knew how to play the game and during just one hour playing at the MGM Grand in Vegas, he won a staggering $26 million after betting $250,000 (NZ$404,284) – the biggest blackjack bet possible – on all of the eight hands he was playing at the same table simultaneously. This easily made him the biggest blackjack winner in one night.

However, as well as some astonishing big blackjack wins, he was also famous for losing big.

1: The MIT Blackjack Team Won Between $50 to $100 Million (NZ$80 to NZ$160 Million)

Number one isn’t the ‘biggest blackjack winner’ but a group of winners – the MIT Blackjack Team – a crew of maths geniuses from Harvard, MIT and other major institutions, who used their brains to beat casinos all over the world. The team of around 80 players, led by Bill Kaplan, used high-end maths strategies, including card counting, to defeat the house.

They travelled around playing at different casinos – and it was believed that they ended up winning more than $50 (NZ$80) million.

You may think this story sounds familiar- and that’s because it inspired the big 2008 Hollywood movie ‘21’. However, the team disbanded in the 2000s and it won’t be repeated, because the evolution of the game means that the strategies used would no longer work.

Why Not Try Your Luck at Rizk.NZ?

The good news is that you don’t need to live in Monaco or Vegas to try your hand at blackjack and see if you can join the list of big blackjack winners. Here at Rizk, you can practise your strategy and learn your blackjack basic strategy on our top games. Head over to our live casino where you can go head-to-head with the dealers to see if you have what it takes to beat the house and become our biggest blackjack winner.

So, what are you waiting for? Check out all of our top games, pick up those tips and tricks and see if you can take advantage of the low house edge and beat the dealer.

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