Who Was The MIT Blackjack Team: How A Group Of College Students Outsmarted Casinos

You may have heard of the 2008 movie 21. It tells the story of a group of MIT students and one of their professors who developed a card-counting strategy and won millions at Las Vegas casinos.

What you may not know is that this was loosely based on the real story. In fact, the MIT Blackjack Team was the real deal, and here, we will explain all the basics.

MIT Blackjack Team: The Beginning

Back in 1979, J.P. Massar and a couple of friends realized that they could analyze blackjack outcomes with computers. If this was paired with signals from multiple players at the blackjack tables and card counting, certain players would win more hands than they would lose, therefore making a profit. They tested the theory in Atlantic City casinos, and they failed.

Around the same time, Bill Kaplan used a similar approach in Las Vegas casinos to make a profit. After meeting with J.P. Massar, the duo started working together and formed a small team.

They hired new players and taught them how to play blackjack in a new way. This marked the birth of the MIT Blackjack Team.

Soon, they started with around $89,000, and in 10 weeks, they doubled the amount. After just 4 years, the whole team consisted of 35 players and generated huge amounts of money.

Sadly, this ended for Kaplan when casino scrutiny became unbearable. The rest of the team continued to do the same thing throughout the 1980s.

It is important to note that not all members were MIT students. The group frequently included students from Harvard University and other prestigious colleges in the USA.

Founding Strategic Investments

In the 90s, Kaplan, Massar, and John Chang started Strategic Investments. They raised serious capital and hired almost 80 blackjack players. At first, they targeted new casinos and used improved mathematics of blackjack methods.

The company regularly made considerable profits. After just 3 years, the company would fail. This happened because new surveillance casinos started using it and because of the bans that most team members faced.

After Strategic Investments, the leading members founded two separate groups. Semyon Dukach, who was called Amphibian, created the first. The second group, Reptiles, was created by Wes Atamian, Mike Aponte, and Manlio Lopez.

Both groups were reasonably successful and generated millions. However, they all ended by the 2000s.

Strategies That Worked

It is essential to add that the MIT Blackjack Team developed some of the most complex and detailed strategies that helped them make a profit. Some of these methods gave them a 2% edge, while others gave them a 4% edge, which is a big deal.

Most of these strategies and methods were based on card counting. This is legal in Las Vegas casinos. You can even try this while playing online blackjack and develop your strategy.

In general, the team worked by utilizing the “spotter” and a “big player.” Spotters counted cards at the blackjack table and kept track of the ratio between high and low cards. Then, when the time was right, they signaled the big player to come to that table.

Spotters would use smaller bets so they don’t get attention from the casino staff. Conversely, big players would strategically place massive bets in specific patterns to generate money and still not cause any attention.

The team also used card shuffling, which is, in theory, a very simple method. They were able to watch the dealer shuffle cards and tell where the high-value cards were located in that deck!

Why Card Counting Works In Blackjack?

Card counting works specifically with blackjack. Despite the games' similarity, it cannot be used in baccarat.

The method is effective simply because it allows players to track high cards, which gives them an advantage. On the contrary, low cards benefit the dealers.

All cards get a specific value during this process. If the dealer uses more low cards, the deck will get rich in high cards, which is a favorable outcome for a player. Once a player can track the high cards, he can adjust his bets, maximizing the profit.

An important fact is that the card counting method was designed to work with one deck of cards. Although it can be used when multiple decks are present, it is less accurate and far more complicated.

Final Word

The MIT Blackjack Team wasn't just a fascinating chapter in gambling history - it was a remarkable example of how mathematical skill and teamwork could outsmart casino odds.

Their innovative strategies, particularly card counting, proved that blackjack wasn't purely a game of luck but one of strategic analysis and precise execution.

While their era eventually came to an end due to increased casino vigilance and technology, their legacy lives on, inspiring future generations of mathematicians, strategists, and blackjack enthusiasts alike