1st Edition

Blackjack Mathematics for Non-Mathematicians

By Mark Bollman Copyright 2026
300 Pages 20 B/W Illustrations
by A K Peters/CRC Press

444 Pages 20 B/W Illustrations
by A K Peters/CRC Press

This book explores the mathematics behind the casino game of blackjack or 21, with consideration given to a number of game variations that have, at times, found favor in casinos or in casual play. The emphasis is on the mathematics that underlies the game; the intention of is to present the math at a level that is accessible to the educated citizen, one who can handle some algebraic manipulations... Read more

Preface, 1 Blackjack Rules and Basic Strategy, 2 Card Counting, 3 Side Bets, 4 Variations, 5 California Games, 6 Casino Promotions, Mathematical Background, Answers to Selected Exercises, References, Index

Biography

Mark Bollman is Professor of Mathematics at Albion College in Albion, Michigan, and has taught 121 different courses in his career. Among these courses is "Mathematics of the Gaming Industry," where mathematics majors carefully study the math behind games of chance and travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, in order to compare theory and practice. He has also taken those ideas into Albion's Honors Program in "Great Issues in Humanities: Perspectives on Gambling," which considers gambling from literary, philosophical, and historical points of view as well as mathematically. Mark has also authored Mathematics of Keno and Lotteries, Mathematics of Casino Carnival Games, Mathematics of The Big Four Casino Table Games: Blackjack, Baccarat, Craps, & Roulette, Basic Gambling Mathematics: The Numbers Behind The Neon, and Intermediate Poker Mathematics, by CRC Press.