Best Blackjack Books – Top 25

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino table games and gamblers’ favorite banking game. And for a good reason – blackjack is simple and easy to learn but difficult to master. This is why the game has spawned hundreds of blackjack books that try to teach players about the game or show them some unique insight that only the author has learned about in their own experience. Many of these books are just a waste of ink or parrot others, but a handful can prove just what you need to really up your blackjack game.

Considering how ubiquitous blackjack is at casinos, it is no surprise that many pro players and math experts have dedicated significant portions of their lives to researching the game and searching for optimal strategies – and sometimes putting that knowledge down in the best blackjack books that we will bring to your attention right here.

25. Blackjack: A Winner’s Handbook – Jerry Patterson

A Winner’s Handbook is one of the oldest works on blackjack and while it may be dated in some aspects, most of Patterson’s work has stood the test of time. First published in 1981, the book goes over everything an aspiring blackjack pro must know.

Patterson’s work teaches that card counting is not always reliable and provides them with alternative strategies they can use when it fails. In addition, the author teaches players how to better manage their gambling money and provides key insights into both real-life blackjack and online Blackjack.

24. The Complete Book of Blackjack – TJ Reynolds

TJ Reynolds published his work on blackjack in 2000 after playing the game for more than 25 years. He jokingly admits that he has never been a good loser, which is why he did everything in his power to crack the game and emerge victorious as often as possible.

In The Complete Book of Blackjack, Reynolds addresses the elephant in the room and provides players with important tips on how to better play the famous casino game. Although some may say the book is a little bit drier in terms of entertainment value, it does a good job of teaching readers how to become better players.

Reynolds teaches important dos and don’ts amateurs and professionals should keep in mind.

23. Advanced Advantage Play – Eliot Jacobson

While Advanced Advantage Play isn’t entirely dedicated to blackjack per se, it definitely isn’t a work aspiring pro gamblers would want to miss out on. Published in 2015, Advanced Advantage Play is one of the freshest works on the market. It teaches its readers important strategies and provides them with tips on how to become better in the majority of casino table games. All tips are backed up with analysis so players can understand why certain approaches are better than others.

If being good in blackjack alone isn’t good enough for a player, they should definitely check out Jacobson’s work and step up their table game skills.

22. Winning Casino Blackjack for the Non-Counter – Avery Cardoza

First published in 1987, Winning Casino Blackjack for the Non-Counter acknowledges that not everyone wants or has the capacity to count every single card. Instead, the book provides other strategies such as front loading, back counting, and shuffle tracking, helping players become better blackjack players.

Cardoza’s old hit has several editions and has been revised over time. The latest editions take in mind the changes in the casino ecosystems and help keep this masterpiece relevant. The latest editions also include tips about playing blackjack online.

21. Playing Blackjack as a Business – Lawrence Revere

Playing Blackjack as a Business was first published in 2011 and is a highly recommended read for all aspiring players. It is known as one of the best-selling books on gaming and offers easy-to-understand tips for all kinds of players. All strategies are backed with data from computer simulations.

Revere, who wrote this work, is a globally famous blackjack player who has dedicated his life to playing and researching the beloved table game.

20. Repeat Until Rich: A Professional Card Counter’s Chronicle of the Blackjack Wars – Josh Axelrad

This book is one of the more recent works on blackjack. Published in 2010, Repeat Until Rich follows the story of its author, Axelrad, who used to be a Wall Street worker before embarking on the thrilling path of a professional blackjack player. Repeat Until Rich is Axelrad’s story of how he became a professional player. He encourages the reader to be more adventurous and unafraid to take risks. 

In his book, Axelrad shares how he achieved his success and teaches players about some of the tricks he has learned throughout the years. He also debunks some of the myths concerning blackjack and helps aspiring players learn about the various types of players in the game.

What makes Repeat Until Rich shine is the fact that it is based on its author’s personal experiences.

19. Blackjack Bluebook II: The Simplest Winning Strategies Ever Published – Fred Renzey

Blackjack Bluebook II was published in 2003 and is an expanded edition of Renzey’s hit from 1997. The new version has 40% more content and is an expansive work that covers a myriad of different strategies.

Blackjack Bluebook II has something for every player and covers many viable tactics to win at the casino game. The book doesn’t only cover well-known strategies but also includes some outside-the-box approaches that are sure to give readers an edge over their blackjack-playing peers.

The best thing? Blackjack Bluebook II is filled to the brim with illustrations and charts that help readers navigate the complex world of Blackjack.

18. Sklansky Talks Blackjack – David Sklansky

Sklansky is not only a good Blackjack player but a good gambler in general. He has written a whopping fourteen books on poker, blackjack, and gambling and is considered to be one of the most knowledgeable people in the industry.

In Sklansky Talks Blackjack, first published in 1999, the author explains that many authors of gaming strategy books struggle to properly connect with their audience. According to him, few readers are able to swallow the complex charts pro players use and this, as a result, alienates them.

Because of that, Sklansky Talks Blackjack drops the complex schematics. Instead, it focuses on connecting with the players and teaching them everything they should know.

17. Knock-Out Blackjack – Ken Fuchs and Olaf Vancura

Published in 1998, Knock-Out Blackjack also has a simpler approach to the game. The book introduces the so-called Knock-Out card-counting system that helps players improve their win rate in casinos.

The newer editions of this work also have a less steep learning curve that helps players learn the system step by step. Novices would begin at the K-O Rookie system which will help them step up their game without dedicating hours to hard learning. After they’ve grown accustomed to the system, they can advance to K-O Preferred and become true pros.

Knock-Out Blackjack has a great approach to blackjack and is sure to help many gamblers hone their skills.

16. Blackjack BluePrint: How to Play Like a Pro… Part-Time – Rick Blaine

Blaine published his work on blackjack in 2005. He is known to cover a little bit of everything and guide players through everything they should know. As a result, Blackjack BluePrint is a detailed work that includes various strategies for people of different skill levels.

The author also speaks about the blackjack ecosystem and covers the differences between playing solo and playing on a team. Blaine’s work is very suitable for novices who wish to learn more about the game and people who aspire to one day play internationally.

15. Bringing Down the House – Ben Mezrich

A New York Times best-seller, Bringing Down the House tells the story of the MIT team, a blackjack team comprised of former Massachusetts Institute of Technology players. In just two years, the clever Blackjack pros became millionaires, earning more than $3 million in total.

Published in 2003, Bringing Down the House follows the players’ journey as they embark on the path of true blackjack professionals. Although this book isn’t as focused on actual blackjack strategy and charts as many of the other titles on this list, it is a great read that was inspired by real-life events.

14. Comp City – Max Rubin

Comp City is more of an honorable mention that actually isn’t focused on playing blackjack. However, it is a great read on how blackjack players can make their wagers even more worthwhile.

Comp City was published in 2013 and teaches players how to benefit from the regular complementary casinos issue to their players. As the author explains, every player in US casinos is entitled to comps that are based on their playtime and wagered money and not on their win/loss rate. Comp City teaches players how to get their share and get free meals, drinks, and airplane tickets.

Basically, Comp City shows how one can get free food and casino vacations even after a losing blackjack streak.

13. Blackjack Secrets – Stanford Wong

One of the classics, Blackjack Secrets was published in 1993 and remains one of the best works on the beloved table game. The book teaches players how to adopt an effective and easy-to-learn strategy that will immediately help them surpass the rank-and-file player.

 According to the author, his system can turn even someone who has never been to a casino into a potent gambler.

12. Burning the Tables in Las Vegas – Ian Andersen

Just as the title suggests, Burning the Tables in Las Vegas teaches blackjack and poker enthusiasts how to become a force to be reckoned with. The book was first published in 1999 but has a second edition from 2011 that is improved and contains three new chapters. Burning the Tables in Las Vegas is a follow-up on Andersen’s hit from 1976, Turning the Tables on Las Vegas.

In Burning the Tables in Las Vegas, Andersen talks about the math behind blackjack and shares his personal experience with the game. The latest edition also teaches players some elaborate tactics, such as when to surrender as a camouflage technique. It also provides valuable advice to medium rollers and has a whole chapter dedicated to casino psychology. New editions come with a foreword by Stanford Wong, the Author of Blackjack Secrets and Professional Blackjack.

11. Million Dollar Blackjack – Ken Uston

Kenneth Senzo Usui, also known as Ken Uston, follows a simple philosophy – according to him, every person, regardless of gender, background, and experience, can win at blackjack. While Uston passed away in 1987, his legacy still lives.

Million Dollar Blackjack is Uston’s magnum opus from 1982. Written just a few years before its author’s passing, the book contains Uston’s lifetime of experience with professional blackjack. Following Uston’s advice can mean the difference between winning and losing at the world’s most popular banking game.

10. The Theory of Blackjack: The Compleat Card Counter’s Guide to the Casino Game of 21 – Peter Griffin

As a mathematician, Griffin knew there was more to blackjack than meets the eye. In 1970, driven by curiosity, Griffin packed his bags and went to Nevada where he began researching the game. His trip inspired him to do more thorough research on the topic and learn even more about blackjack.

During his time researching blackjack, Griffin published various works, including a pattern comparison between blackjack players in Atlantic City and blackjack players in Las Vegas or Reno. Griffin was also one of the first to calculate the 2% disadvantage the average player has.

The Theory of Blackjack was published in 1988 and focuses on the numbers behind the game and how they affect most of today’s counting strategies.

9. Play Blackjack Like the Pros – Kevin Blackwood

Kevin Blackwood is a professional blackjack player and an expert in card counting. He has three books on gaming, with Play Blackjack Like the Pros as one of his best works.

Blackwood published Play Blackjack Like the Pros in 2005, thus sharing his insights with the average player. In his work, the author explains everything a blackjack enthusiast should know about the game and the ecosystem surrounding it. Blackwood talks about high and low-stakes casinos, tournaments, playing digitally, etc.

Play Blackjack Like the Pros is very suitable for novices but also contains some advanced card-counting strategies, as well as camouflaging techniques players can use to disguise their counting.

8. Big Book of Blackjack – Arnold Snyder

Arnold Snyder is a name professional gamblers would have heard of a lot. He is famous for being one of the seven original inductees into Barona Casino’s Blackjack Hall of Fame and is considered to be one of the best blackjack players ever.

In his Big Book of Blackjack, originally published in 2006, Snyder shares his experience with the game. He begins by teaching newcomers about the basics and then proceeds to provide readers with intricate strategies. Over the course of 27 chapters, Snyder teaches blackjack enthusiasts everything they need to know to improve and begin making profits from blackjack.

7. The World’s Greatest Blackjack Book – Lance Humble

While this book’s title is far from humble, its author can easily claim to be one of the most serious students of blackjack. Humble is a player who was able to become successful thanks to blackjack and continued to play long after publishing his book. He says that Thorp’s Beat the Dealer was a major inspiration for his work.

The World’s Greatest Blackjack Book was co-written by Kenneth Cooper, another meticulous blackjack researcher. In their book, the two authors provide players with everything they need to know about the odds, when to raise the stakes, and when to play it safe. This masterpiece was first published in 1987 but was later revised to include various details such as regional blackjack variations.

The World’s Greatest Blackjack Book was chosen to represent the game in the American Library Association’s libraries.

6. Professional Blackjack – Stanford Wong

The title gets straight to the point – Professional Blackjack is indeed a book about how to play the game like a true professional. The book was published in 1980, at which time John Ferguson (better known as Stanford Wong) had 16 years of experience with the game.

Wong’s pseudonym has become synonymous with a famous technique called wonging. The latter involves waiting for the perfect time to make a wager and play only until the count is favorable. This often involves sitting at a table mid-way, which is now banned in some casinos. Players can learn this and many other tricks if they get a copy of Professional Blackjack.

Wong is also famous for creating one of the first pieces of commercially available blackjack odds analyzing software and owns a publishing house by the name Pi Yee Press.

5. Blackjack for Blood – Bryce Carlson

Blackjack for Blood, first published in 1992, focuses on counting cards. The author, who is considered to be one of the most influential players of all time, introduces what he calls The Omega II Card Counting System. The latter helps players learn to follow the action and gain an edge over their competitors.

Carlson also introduces three principles to boost a player’s winning chances. He advises players to bet carefully and play their hands accurately. In addition, the author points out that one must know how to converse and deal with casino personnel. Lastly, he advises players to develop a superior sense of self-control and become able to hold their emotions and handle stress.

4. Beat the Dealer – Edward Thorp

Lauded as the father of card counting, Thorp has taught whole generations of blackjack enthusiasts to play. Beat the Dealer is his comprehensive work on everything he knows about the game. First published in 1966, the blackjack book teaches readers the basic rules of the game before proceeding to share winning strategies and count-counting methods. He advises aspiring pros on how to overcome the dealer’s cunning and emerge victorious from most of the games. 

The book even tells readers how to avoid being kicked out for counting cards and how to spot if one of their opponents is cheating the game. Last but not least, the book comes packed with comprehensive charts that help readers better understand certain odds and strategies.

3. Blackjack Attack – Don Schlesinger

Written by a prominent gaming mathematician, analyst, lecturer, and, most importantly, player, the book is one of the most important works on blackjack. Ever since getting published in 1997, Blackjack Attack has been a valuable piece of work that is universally considered one of the must-reads for blackjack players.

Schlesinger skillfully analyzes the mathematical aspects of the game and leaves no questions unanswered. He also provides players with many tips on how to count cards and camouflage their counting. Schlesinger also explains the intricacies of playing in a team and provides valuable advice on how one can make the most out of their bets.

Schlesinger’s research isn’t done in a vacuum. On the contrary, the expert has worked with some of the biggest pros in gambling, including Stanford Wong, Edward Thorp, Peter Griffin, Arnold Snyder, Karel Janeček, John Auston, Katarina Walker, and Norm Wattenberger, some of which have been mentioned above.

2. Modern Blackjack – Norman Wattenberger

Just as the title suggests, Modern Blackjack is one of the more recent comprehensive works on the famous banking game. Published in 2010, this blackjack book is packed with facts and teaches players about the differences between the many regional variations in contemporary blackjack. Modern Blackjack, furthermore, warns players of certain casino rules they should know before playing professionally. Wattenberger later released the second volume of Modern Blackjack which is heavily focused on advanced strategies for seasoned players.

“What Norm fails to tell you is that this monumental work is one of the most important, comprehensive, pieces of research ever done on the game of blackjack, and were it in normal print-book form, would be destined to become one of the all-time classics in the field. It was my pleasure to read the entire manuscript a month or two ago, and I have rarely, if ever, been so impressed with the scholarship and depth of knowledge displayed by a blackjack author.”

Don Schlesinger, author of Blackjack Attack

Wattenberger is considered to be one of the most influential gambling analysts of our time. If, by chance, this still doesn’t convince someone, they can check his web-based book, How Blackjack Works, for free. A free web version of Modern Blackjack is also available on Wattenberger’s website.

1. Blackbelt in Blackjack – Arnold Snyder

Finally, we have arrived at number one. Blackbelt in Blackjack was published in 1983 and remains one of the most influential blackjack books ever written to this day. Its author argues that blackjack is just like martial arts and, as a result, talks about the game as if he is talking about a competitive combat sport.

Snyder unveils various tricks that even pros would be happy to add to their arsenal. He also provides various tips that existing elites use to gain an advantage over their peers. As is usual for such books, Blackbelt in Blackjack teaches counting and tracking strategies and backs them up with camouflaging techniques. Over the course of 21 chapters, Snyder remains focused on but one thing – teaching players how to win real money from the game.

Snyder has cemented his position in the Blackjack Hall of Fame thanks to his experience with the game and his valuable works, such as Blackbelt in Blackjack and the Big Book of Blackjack.