Blackjack and Hollywood movies seem to go together like hands and gloves. Over the years the game has been used in a variety of blockbusters, including the biopic, 21.
Based on the famous MIT blackjack team, the film charts the group of mathematical geniuses rise from one of the world’s most prestigious universities to live casino floors across the world. Using their affinity for numbers, the team managed to win millions of dollars by utilising card counting techniques at the blackjack tables.
21 Inspires Millions to Chase 21
The popularity of films such as 21 is not only a sign that blackjack is a major part of pop culture, but that they also actually help the game flourish. Over the last five years the number of players playing blackjack has increased dramatically. Thanks to films such as 21, punters have been inspired to go online and visit desktop sites or portable platforms such as 32Red mobile casino to test their mettle.
In fact, this secondary point raises an interesting issue. Thanks to the growth of blackjack and the evolution of smartphone technology, it’s now possible to play a slew of games anytime, anywhere. Today’s blackjack player is less of a live grinder and more of a virtual competitor which suggests that a future remake of 21 would look very different.
Hollywood Exposes the Wonders of Mobile Blackjack
Instead of an all-star cast taking on the glitzy casinos of Las Vegas, the modern crew of math experts would all be huddled around their phones on a platform such as 32Red. Would this scene be as appealing to viewers as a battle inside a venue? Probably not, however, there’s no doubt that playing blackjack via your mobile is a much more lucrative proposition for the average player.
Because variants such Atlantic City blackjack, bonus blackjack and European blackjack have betting limits starting from $0.10 and are capable of racing through dozens of hands a minute, there’s a much greater scope for betting the odds via your iPhone or Android. However, when it comes to pure entertainment from a cinematic perspective, there’s no doubting live blackjack’s credentials.
Although it’s likely that mobile blackjack operators such as 32Red, Betfair and Titan would have come into being without films such as 21, there’s no doubt these stories helped push them to greater heights. Indeed, aside from showing audiences that blackjack can be a glamorous game, 21 also highlighted that with some skilful play the informed players can actually have the upper hand against the casino.
The Future of Blackjack Safe Because of Movies
Movies have the ability to infiltrate the masses like few other mediums can and there’s no doubt that 21 helped expose casual viewers to the wonders of blackjack. From both an entertainment and strategic point of view, 21 enabled audiences to learn about and, subsequently, play blackjack.
Moreover, without the influence of these films, online and mobile blackjack might not be as popular as it is today. Sure, the aficionados would enjoy the game in all its formats, but the casual gamer probably wouldn’t have. Because of this fact it’s clear that blackjack’s recent fortune, moreover its future fortunes, are invariably intertwined with Hollywood’s obsession with the game.