29th Annual Blackjack Ball Inducts Mark Billings and Spotlights UCLA Gambling Research

The 29th annual Blackjack Ball took place at the Ruvo Center in Las Vegas. The exclusive gathering drew accomplished card counters, advantage players, authors and experts for competitions, discussions and recognition grounded in the history of the game.

Mark Billings earned induction into the Blackjack Hall of Fame for contributions to advantage play theory, team play and professional strategy. Billings authored The Ultimate Edge and Follow the Bouncing Ball, the latter exposing methods to beat roulette. The event selected the UCLA Gambling Studies Program as charity recipient. Its co-director outlined the program’s research, treatment efforts and involvement with the film Surrender, a drama centered on blackjack addiction in an Asian American woman that reviewers describe as psychologically accurate.

Competitions Reward Precision and Speed

The costume contest produced distinct winners. Matt took most original for a homeless man with cart. Justin claimed scariest for a realistic cockroach outfit. Dennis secured best overall with a 3D Megatron ensemble. Winners received golden tickets granting a free miss in the World Championship quiz.

The fastest card counting contest reached final rounds with Andy Bloch, Nickels, Justin and E.V. Frank. E.V. Frank placed first. Justin took second. The World Championship of Blackjack featured a written test on topics including Ed Thorp’s work, Double Down Madness, Clark County single-deck games, vultures on slot machines and Harvey Dubner’s 1966 Hi-Lo count. Final challenges tested discard tray estimation, card sequence memorization, hole-card strategy and exact card cutting. Justin, known as Lonesome Gambler, won the Grosjean Cup. Rattler earned the Munchkin Award for second place.

Legends and New Systems Shape the Conversation

James Grosjean attended fully disguised in women’s attire and mask, maintaining the persona all evening and fooling most attendees. Ed Thorp delivered remarks applying advantage-play principles to health, risk reduction and longevity while targeting his 100th birthday in 2032. Attendees examined the Blackout Count, a balanced level-one system in the book Advantage Blackjack by Oliver Larsen and Shawnee. Blackjack Hall of Famer Don Schlesinger provided the foreword and high marks.

A Sunday after-party ran from 1:00PM to 6:00PM near Flamingo and Decatur. Select attendees continued to Don Johnson’s 15,400-square-foot penthouse at the Westgate for a private event with full bar, appetizers and concert by Kyla Nicole Healey. As reported by Blackjack Review, the Ball sustained its blend of tradition, innovation and respect for the game’s mathematical and ethical dimensions.

Reporting: Blackjack Review

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