Al Francesco
Childhood
Born in Gary, Indiana, Francesco developed an early fascination with card games. By his late teens, he was already a skilled player, regularly winning at Greek Rummy. His natural talent for gambling allowed him to earn around $5,000 per year—equivalent to an average annual salary at the time—before he even turned to professional blackjack.
Career
Francesco’s career took off after he moved to California in 1963, the same year Edward O. Thorp’s Beat the Dealer was published. The book mathematically proved that card counting could beat the casino’s edge in blackjack, inspiring Francesco to master the technique.
After initial success, casinos began banning him, forcing him to step away from the game for nearly eight years. When he returned, he adopted Lawrence Revere’s Advanced Point Count system, which gave him a renewed edge. However, casinos again caught on, leading Francesco to devise a groundbreaking solution: team play.
The Big Player Strategy
Francesco’s breakthrough came when he realized that while casinos tracked individual card counters, they struggled to detect coordinated team play. His system involved
Spotters—low–stakes players counting cards and signaling when the deck was favorable.
Big Players
High rollers would join mid-game, placing large bets only when the odds were favorable.
From 1971 to 1977, Francesco’s teams—sometimes with up to 22 members—won millions in casinos worldwide, including Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, and the Bahamas. Notable team members included Ken Uston, Bill Erb, and Blair Hull.
However, in 1977, Uston’s book The Big Player exposed their methods, leading to widespread casino countermeasures and the team’s eventual disbandment.
Personal life
Francesco used multiple aliases, including Frank Salerno and Frank Fisano, to evade casino detection. He lived in Richmond, California, and remained involved in gambling through private betting operations and horse racing. He passed away on February 3, 2024, at the age of 90.
Revenue
At its peak, Francesco’s team reportedly won millions from casinos. While exact figures are unknown, his strategies enabled consistent profits, inspiring future teams like the MIT Blackjack Team, which earned over $5 million in the 1990s using his methods.
Interesting facts
- Francesco’s team play concept was featured in Bringing Down the House and the movie 21.
- He was an inaugural inductee into the Blackjack Hall of Fame in 2002.
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Casinos eventually adopted multi-deck shoes and advanced surveillance partly due to his strategies.
Legacy
Francesco’s influence reshaped blackjack forever. His team-based approach became the gold standard for advantage play, adopted by famous groups like:
- The MIT Blackjack Team
- The Czech Team
- The Hyland Team
- The Greeks Team
His innovations forced casinos to evolve, making him one of the most impactful figures in gambling history.
Frequently asked Questions
While playing with his brother in Lake Tahoe, Francesco noticed that casinos tracked individual players but not coordinated betting. He developed a system where spotters signaled a high roller (the “Big Player”) to place large bets only when the count was favorable.
Ken Uston’s 1977 book The Big Player exposed their methods, leading casinos to ban team members and implement stricter countermeasures.
Yes, he shifted to managing private betting operations and exploring data-driven strategies in horse racing.
His team concept was replicated by famous groups like the MIT Blackjack Team, proving that coordinated play could still beat casinos despite increased security.
He proved that teamwork and deception could overcome casino surveillance, changing advantage play forever.
