<p>The casino game everyone thinks they can beat. </p><p>Visit <a href="https://thisamericanlife.supercast.com?utm_id=lifepartners&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=shownotes">thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners</a> to sign up for our premium subscription.</p><ul><li>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)</li><li>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)</li><li>Act 2: Ira and Robyn go to the casino to try out their newfound card-counting skills. (5 minutes)</li><li>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)</li></ul><p>Transcripts are available at <a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/466/transcript">thisamericanlife.org</a></p><p><a href='https://www.thisamericanlife.org/page/privacy-policy'>This American Life privacy policy.</a><br /><a href='https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices'>Learn more about sponsor message choices.</a></p>