466: Blackjack

The casino game everyone thinks they can beat. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription. Prologue: Host Ira Glass and producer Robyn Semien get a blackjack lesson from Andy Bloch, who played for the MIT blackjack team. He teaches them the basics of card-counting, the technique that gives players an advantage against the house — enough of an advantage that most casinos will ask you to leave if they catch you doing it. (9 minutes) Act One: Jack Hitt tells the story of the Christian card-counting team featured in the documentary Holy Rollers, and why they see no contradiction in being devout Christians who spend their days in casinos. (18 minutes) Act 2: Ira and Robyn go to the casino to try out their newfound card-counting skills. (5 minutes) Act Two: Producer Sarah Koenig tells the story of a woman who sued the casino where she lost her inheritance, saying that it was to blame, not her. (25 minutes) Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org This American Life privacy policy. Learn more about sponsor message choices.

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466: Blackjack is an episode from This American Life.

This episode is 01:04:36 long.

This episode was published on Apr 26, 2026.

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