Blackjack Hall of Fame

When many people think of a Hall of Fame, they think about baseball, basketball and even rock-and-roll. Blackjack has its own Hall of Fame on the internet and it is the ultimate goal of players around the world to be inducted and have their names immortalized.

In the Beginning

In 2002, a group of blackjack experts conceptualized the Blackjack Hall of Fame due to the growing number of tournaments and televised events taking place on a regular basis. Among the first group of people nominated were blackjack experts, tournament winners, strategy guide writers and more. The public was allowed to vote for their favorite nominee over a time period of one month; once the inductee was selected, the Blackjack Ball, hosted by Max Rubin, celebrated the event.

The Inductees

Many blackjack players have their idols and their favorites, so it comes as no surprise that the current Hall of Famers are names that are known worldwide. They include Al Francesco, who was the founder of the team concept in blackjack. Peter Griffin, a mathematician who spent years studying the odds and statistics behind the game, was inducted a year later. Other members include Stanford Wong, Tommy Hyland and Arnold Snyder.

Changes to the Process

After several members had been inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame, the induction and nomination process underwent a huge change. In 2008, only the current members of the Hall of Fame were able to nominate new members; Wilbert Cantey, Herbert Maisel and James McDermott were the first group of Famers to be selected from within the Hall. These members receive a lifetime of free hotel rooms as well as food and beverage accommodations.

Though the cash prize associated with some of the world's largest blackjack tournaments is often enough to get people excited, the potential of being inducted into the Hall of Fame is yet another incentive for people to play their best at every game.