Blackjack has captured the public imagination like no other casino game has. It’s been the source of countless books, films and memoirs and of course remains a very popular online game at institutions like Lucky Nugget Casino. So if your parents, partner or housemate totally loves blackjack, don’t scrimp on presents for them this year: here are our best gift ideas for people who like blackjack.
21 (on DVD)
All blackjack players are aware of 21, the 2008 heist movie that’s based on the book Bringing Down the House. It’s a story of clever students banding together to beat the casinos at blackjack, using a card counting system. It leads them into dangerous scrapes, but we always support the underdog using their brains to win money.
The film is definitely melodramatic and pulpy, and it’s certainly had its share of controversy, but it’s basically a fairytale with more blackjack in. The good guys win, the evil villains are thwarted, and there’s a whole lot of high-stakes deals at play. Even better, the fact it’s loosely based on a real story makes this gift that extra-bit special.
Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One, by Edward Thorp
This classic book from 196 is what turned blackjack from a fun little casino game into a world-wide pop culture phenomenon. All stories of card counting come from this one book, because he’s the guy that invented the strategy and wrote the best-selling book about it.
Thorp is also famous for some of his other fantastic stunts, like inventing a wearable computer to help him win at roulette. The computer was invented in 1961 and not technically banned till 1985. This is a guy who was really ahead of the curve – and fifty years later, his book on card counting in blackjack remains the manual. While its techniques don’t work in online blackjack games, and many land-based casinos shuffle regularly to prevent it too, the idea remains very popular.
Casino Blackjack layout
It’s easy to have poker nights at home, but blackjack is less easy. However, you can rectify that with this fantastic felt table layout. It’s styled to look just like a semi-circular casino table, with a fan of positions for players and a spot for the dealer.
If you’re going to play blackjack with your friends, it may be best to rotate the dealer so no one player gets all the money – or play for fun rather than for money. But at least you can have a little taste of the casino in your own home. And it’s reversible, in case you’re partial to a bit of poker too.
No matter who in your life loves blackjack, these gifts will make them smile at Christmas. It shows an understanding of their hobbies, and that you’ve put a lot of thought into what will make them happy. And it’s a lot cheaper than taking them to Las Vegas – they can break the bank at home instead, playing online blackjack at Lucky Nugget!
