The Blackjack Apprenticeship Podcast

Johno returns to the BJA Podcast to join Colin and SD1 after winning another $100,000 playing blackjack part-time. The retired teacher shares what changed in his second 500 hours, from bigger bets and better game selection to having his fiancée join him at the tables. They discuss handling painful downswings, navigating casino back-offs, and learning when to walk away from a bad game. Johno also reflects on how card counting fits into retirement and why he plans to keep playing as long as he can.

Colin and SD1 sit down with BJA member Parcero to trace his path from a decade in nursing and casual basic-strategy play to disciplined advantage play. After months of rigorous training and a successful BJA Bootcamp test-out, Parcero says he grew an approximately $50,000 starting bankroll into the low six figures in just over 150 hours of play. Parcero explains how strict game selection, deck penetration, heads-up play, casino rotation, and consistent practice shape his high-EV approach. We also cover expanded deviations, backoffs and trespasses, preserving local games, and remaining disciplined through short-term variance. You can WATCH this interview on the BJA YouTube!

Colin sits down with SharpCookie, she shares how she went from discovering card counting almost by accident to becoming a full-time advantage player with more than $300,000 in profits. She discusses the intense training, emotional swings, team support, casino cover tactics, backoffs, and trespasses that have shaped her career. She also explains how her background in competitive sports prepared her for the discipline and uncertainty of blackjack, while emphasizing how much small details, continued practice, and a strong support system matter. Looking ahead, she hopes to use her growing Spanish-language platform to make professional card-counting education more accessible to players who cannot easily learn in English.Watch the video version of this interview on the BJA YouTube!

Colin and Joe748 are joined by BJA member Gilgamesh to share how a lucky first trip to Las Vegas led him from casual blackjack player to full-time advantage player. After training with BJA, attending a boot camp, and counting cards part-time while working long hours as an engineer, he left his $128,000-a-year career and committed to life on the road. He discusses the successes and failures of playing solo and on multiple teams, including a failed Vegas-focused bankroll, high-stakes team play, and the trust and culture required to survive major swings. Gilgamesh also explains why the freedom and control over his time have made the risk worthwhile, while cautioning that full-time advantage play is not the right path for most people. This is a VIDEO podcast, watch it on the BJA Youtube Channel

Joe748 and SD1 are back for a new mailbag episode to answer more questions from socials and the BJA community! They're discussing bankroll expectations, heat management, chip cashouts, wonging, ID requests, bet sizing, and whether advanced count systems are worth learning. Emphasizing that many decisions are situational: the mathematically optimal play is not always the best real-world move once heat, bankroll size, longevity, and casino relationships are considered. Catch the guys in video as well on the BJA Youtube channel!

Colin, SD1, and Joe748 discuss professional card counting income, burnout, team play, finding Stand 17 games, “flow of the cards” myths, superstitions, wonging in and out, and how new players should get started. They compare solo play and team play, emphasizing that teams can pool bankrolls and reduce variance but also create trust, conflict, and accounting problems. The guys also push back against superstition and bad gambler logic, stressing that card counting depends on math, perfect execution, strong tools, and a reliable support network. Editor note: The ByrnenDownTheHouse and ScottCao episode is in fact members only, but you can celebrate with Byrnen when he crossed 1 million dollar mark in BJA121 on Spotify or Apple.

Colin sits down with Max Rubin who share stories from a lifetime in gambling, tracing his path from growing up around casino cheating to becoming one of the most respected figures in advantage play. He talks about learning legal advantage techniques, discovering how casinos overvalued player losses in their comp systems, and turning that insight into the ideas behind Comp City. Max tells wild stories about comp hustling, roulette and blackjack teams, shuffle tracking, sound plays, casino countermeasures, and the culture of both advantage players and casino operators. This is also available in video on the BJA YouTube channel!

Joe748 and SD1 interview “Fish,” a surveillance agent with an AP background, about how casinos actually identify and evaluate card counters. Fish explains that most surveillance departments focus heavily on table games, mispays, weak dealers, and obvious AP indicators like refusing a name, taking key deviations such as insurance, mid-shoe buy-ins, and unusual chip behavior. He also describes how rundown decisions work, how much weight casinos give to flyers and facial recognition, and why many common camouflage tactics do not buy players nearly as much time as they think.

SD1 and Joe748 are joined by Colin to answer questions about bankroll requirements, optimal playing conditions, and advanced strategy decisions in card counting. The discussion covers whether a $10K bankroll is realistic, why bet spreads—not just deviations—drive most of a counter’s profit, and how casino conditions like table crowding or payout rules dramatically affect expected value. They also discuss practical tactics for maximizing EV, preserving local casinos, and avoiding unnecessary heat.

With 450 hours and counting in at the blackjack tables so far this year, BJA member and full-time card counter CurlyFry joins Colin and Joe748 to discuss: Betting $250 on a $2500 bankroll, Getting a cruise ship casino to change their rules, Getting backed off on a first date, Playing in Monte Carlo, the advantages and disadvantages of being a female AP and more! **Originally aired Nov 9th, 2022**

Joe748 and SD1 sit down with longtime card counter JoeMiner, who shares his 30‑plus‑year blackjack journey—from his early days in the 90s to his modern approach as a retired AP. Joe talks about how the game has changed, transitioning from double deck to 6 and 8 deck, how aging has affected his play, and how joining BJA reignited his passion. He recounts memorable backoffs, training challenges, and what it’s like to operate as an older counter in today’s casinos. Don't forget, we now have a BJA Podcast YouTube channel - @BJAPodcast. Head over and give us a subscribe to help the algorithm learn that we're worthy of promotion!

Joining Colin and Joe748 in episode 92 of the BJA podcast is full time card counter and Blackjack Apprenticeship member PirateAP. They discuss: Receiving pushback on going full time, Playing blackjack like a ploppy, Travel hacks, How to choose casinos when planning a trip, and more!