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Blackjack in Atlantic City may be the new kid on the block as far as blackjack is concerned, but it has become one of the preferred locations for expert card counters and blackjack players from all over the world. The casinos are luxurious and spacious and offer some of the best amenities to be found in any gambling location. Players who appreciate generous blackjack table limits as well as a variety of different blackjack games will truly appreciate Atlantic City blackjack.

Where The Sands Turn Into Gold

New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen immortalized casino gambling in his popular song, “Atlantic City” where he coined the phrase “where the sands turn into gold.” You can watch the YouTube video of the song:

Built right on the beachfront, the casinos of Atlantic City were destined to be a popular tourist destination from the very beginning.

In 1976 the people of New Jersey voted to allow casino gambling in the confines of Atlantic City. A similar measure to approve gambling throughout the state had been previously defeated, and the bill permitting casinos in Atlantic City only passed by a small margin. It did pass, however, and on May 26, 1978 Resorts International opened the first casino in Atlantic City.

There was never any doubt that blackjack would be offered in Atlantic City. Blackjack was going to be the primary card game. The casino operators in Atlantic City were familiar with running a successful blackjack pit. Many of the pit bosses and supervisors had learned the trade in Las Vegas. When they arrived in Atlantic City these blackjack bosses were looking for a way to increase the house’s edge over the player. They knew that blackjack presented some of the best odds in the casino for players, and they were determined to level the playing field. The way in which they did this literally changed the game of blackjack.

Atlantic City Blackjack And The Soft 17

Atlantic City was one of the first gambling jurisdictions to amend the rules of blackjack by forcing the dealer to hit a soft 17. For years in Las Vegas dealers have been forced to stand on all 17’s. The bosses in Atlantic City knew that having the dealer hit a soft 17 increased their edge, and this rule became a standard one in Atlantic City casinos.

A soft 17 is a hand of A-6. This means that there is no card in the deck which will bust the dealer on the next draw. In effect, the dealer gets a free card to try and improve their hand in order to beat those players who have a higher total than 17. This is a tremendous disadvantage to the player.

Despite the reduced player edge created by this rule, many professional blackjack players and card counters prefer to play blackjack in Atlantic City.

Blackjack’s Six Million Dollar Man

Atlantic City blackjack was rocked in 2011 by Don Johnson, a highly skilled blackjack player who won an amazing six million dollars at the Tropicana Casino during a single session. Johnson’s win is believed to be the highest single session win in blackjack history.

Don Johnson has made quite a name for himself as a blackjack player, but no one imagined what would happen when he arrived at the Tropicana in April of 2011. Johnson entered the high limit area and the blackjack pit boss approved his request to bet $100,000 per hand. Over the next 12 hours, Johnson decimated the Tropicana for almost six million dollars. The supervisor who approved his $100,000 limit was subsequently fired by the casino.

It didn’t take very long for the pit bosses to suspect that Don Johnson was a card counter. They watched him for most of the 12 hour session, but were unable to find any evidence that he was counting cards. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway because the state of New Jersey ruled many years ago that card counting is not illegal in a decision rendered by the state Supreme Court. Johnson won the money fair and square, and in the process made Atlantic City blackjack history.

Best Blackjack Casinos In Atlantic City

If you happen to be planning a trip to Atlantic City, here is a list of the best casinos to play blackjack:

  • Bally’s Claridge Casino. here is the link. In addition to a house edge that is low, the Claridge is the only casino at the time of this writing which offers late surrender at the blackjack table. Smart blackjack players choose the Claridge.
  • Tropicana Casino. visit here Ever since Don Johnson won six million at the Tropicana in 2011, the blackjack action has been hot and heavy. The Tropicana offers multiple variations of the game and table limits to accommodate all players.
  • Harrah’s Resort and Casino.See here. Harrah’s has been a leader in blackjack for many years and their Atlantic City casino follows this proud tradition. Players at Harrah’s are treated like royalty through the Total Rewards program which rewards players with comps for blackjack play.

These three casinos are the best choices for those who want to play blackjack in Atlantic City. There are fewer casinos than one will find in Las Vegas, but these three offer plenty of blackjack action for players of all skill levels.

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