Lance Humble

His very name should tell you a little bit about this…

His very name should tell you a little bit about this professional blackjack player. Lance Humble believes that he could be the best at all things related to blackjack. He even wrote a blackjack book on the game and titled it The World’s Greatest Blackjack Book.

Some might take objection, but the truth is that Lance Humble really does know a lot about how to be successful at the game of 21.

Like many other professional blackjack players, Lance Humble is an entertaining character. Here is a closer look at the life of this blackjack master. You may even be inspired to follow in Humble’s footsteps as you play blackjack online.

About Lance Humble

The best sources of information about Lance Humble’s life are the interviews that have been published from time to time. He likes to talk, especially about himself, and has been generous with information about his background and evolution as a blackjack player.

Humble began playing blackjack in 1970 while teaching a college course in Toronto—Aspects of Gambling, for credit at York University. That puts him in good company: famous players such as Edwin O. Thorp and Lawrence Revere also came from academic backgrounds and were skilled in mathematics.

Thorp’s book Beat the Dealer had a major influence on Humble; he even incorporated it into his class. From there he mastered simple counts like the Dubner Point Count and became a popular instructor. One of his earliest students was Perry Burns, who was among the first to acknowledge making a living at the game and who ruled the Las Vegas junkets in the 1970s.

Burns convinced Humble to try Las Vegas; using the methods he had developed, Humble earned $650 profit on his first session and was hooked. When not playing, he wrote books. Playing Blackjack as a Business by Lawrence Revere greatly influenced him, and Humble approached blackjack in the manner Revere advised throughout his career.

Lance Humble Writes Blackjack Books

Books on blackjack can provide passive income; the most popular sell thousands of copies and have found new life on platforms like Amazon. Lance Humble’s The World’s Greatest Blackjack Book is one of these. He wrote it with Kenneth C. Cooper—Humble is credited with the mathematics and blackjack content, Cooper with the writing. The book was published by Doubleday, sold very well when many blackjack books were flooding the market, and remains a classic that still inspires players today.

Lance Humble Invents the Hi-Opt I and Hi-Opt 2 Card Counting Methods

One of Lance Humble’s lasting contributions is the Hi-Opt I and II card counting methods. We cover both here on Counting Edge. They are fairly sophisticated and aimed at players with some counting experience. Humble’s goal was to fine-tune existing systems for greater accuracy, which is why the Hi-Opt methods use concepts like the true count and extra computations in some situations. He stands as one of the legendary blackjack players who proved that a scientific approach works.

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FAQ

What is Lance Humble about?

This page expands on a blackjack or casino topic for recreational and serious players. Use it alongside practice drills and bankroll limits you set before you play.

What should I do first at the tables?

Learn basic strategy for your rule set, then add counting or bet sizing only when the foundation is automatic.