Blackjack is a very popular game both in land-based and online casinos. And what’s not to like about it? It’s a fun game and highly strategic, and it appeals to both professional and casual players. Millions play blackjack online and most players give it a try at land-based casinos.
Blackjack is a game with a long history, and over the years, it has been the protagonist of many interesting stories. Here are three of the most interesting ones for you.
The Best Blackjack Run
One of the legends of Las Vegas blackjack is Don Johnson – the gambler, not the actor. His career linked him to gambling – he was a racetrack manager in Philadelphia, then served as a racing regulator in several states. And all this time, he was a passionate blackjack player.
After the 2008 financial crisis, casinos were desperate to attract high rollers by offering them to play at high stakes. Johnson himself was offered the opportunity to do so but he negotiated some rule changes that would bend the odds in his favor. The result was one of the best blackjack runs in history.
During a six-month run in several Atlantic City casinos, Johnson won a total of $15 million playing blackjack. At one time, he won three consecutive $1.2 million hands, including one where he profited $800,000.
How Blackjack Saved FedEx
Frederick W. Smith founded FedEx in 1973 using most of his inheritance and some funds from investors. His idea – hauling “small but essential” items across the USA in cargo planes – was revolutionary but didn’t take off from the start. At one point, FedEx was on the brink of bankruptcy. They were desperate times – and they called for desperate measures.
Smith took the company’s last $5,000 and flew to Las Vegas. He spent a night playing blackjack and turned the $5,000 into $27,000 which kept the company afloat for one more week.
This gave him time to find further funding and start an advertising campaign.
In a few years, FedEx became profitable for the first time – and continued growing. Today, the company has a market cap of $67.74 billion and moves around 14.5 million packages a day.
Stu Ungar’s Blackjack Lawsuit
Stu Ungar may be known as a professional poker player – but it was not the only game he played. Aside from poker, he was also well-versed in gin rummy and, of course, blackjack. And, since he had a photographic memory and an IQ over 140, he could also count cards. This eventually had him banned from pretty much every casino in the US.
At one point, casino designer and owner Bob Stupak bet him he couldn’t that he could not count down half a six-deck shoe and determine the last three decks – but Ungar won the bet.
But his ability to count cards cost him a great deal of money once. An Atlantic City casino accused Ungar of capping a bet – placing extra chips on a winning hand in order to win more. The fine for such a cheating attempt was $500. Ungar, of course, didn’t want to admit his guilt by paying the fine, so he took the case to court. He won – but it cost him over $50,000.
Blackjack is a legendary casino game that has made millionaires and saved companies from bankruptcy. And, of course, it has caused countless players countless moments of fun and satisfaction. No wonder it is such a popular choice in casinos offline and online.
