While most people pursue one career path, Richard Munchkin has lived several remarkable lives—and excelled at each one. Born Richard Jacobs in Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1955, he's a Hollywood film director who created over 20 action movies, a Blackjack Hall of Fame inductee, author of the legendary book Gambling Wizards, and co-host of the long-running Gambling With an Edge podcast. But above all, he's one of the world's most successful professional gamblers—a man who boldly claims: "I believe that every single game in the casino can be beaten."

And he's not bluffing. Munchkin has proven it by winning at blackjack, poker, video poker, slots, horse racing, roulette, craps, and even the Big Six wheel. His philosophy? "I walk into a casino, and I see opportunity everywhere."

For Australians familiar with casino gambling but perhaps sceptical that the house edge can truly be overcome, Munchkin's story offers both inspiration and a masterclass in what's actually possible with the right knowledge, discipline, and creativity.

Munchkin's gambling journey began remarkably young. At just three years old, he was already playing chess and gin rummy. By age 12, a family friend mentioned playing backgammon for money, and a light bulb went off. Throughout his teens, Munchkin honed his skills, and by the time he enrolled at Columbia College in Chicago to study Theatre Arts, he was making $100-$200 per week playing backgammon and poker—enough to put himself through university entirely on gambling winnings.

"I was playing backgammon with a dentist in a bar, and he told me that he had a way of beating blackjack," Munchkin recalls. "He explained card counting to me, and I thought it made sense."

For his 21st birthday, Munchkin treated himself to a trip to Las Vegas. Armed with perfect basic strategy knowledge, he played blackjack on the Strip and won a couple of hundred dollars. That trip changed everything.

After graduating with his BA in Theatre Arts in the late 1970s, Munchkin made a bold move: he relocated to Las Vegas and took a job as a blackjack dealer—and occasionally a pit boss—at The Castaways Casino. Most people would see this as their career. Munchkin saw it as graduate school.

While dealing cards to tourists, he was simultaneously learning to count cards himself. "After a few years, I was making more money playing blackjack than dealing it, in one quarter, the hours," he says matter-of-factly. "What could I do? I had to quit the job."

His initial plan was to use his gambling bankroll to finance a move to Los Angeles and pursue his dream of becoming an actor. But then he discovered something: professional gambling was far more lucrative than he'd imagined. Soon, acting became the side hustle.

In the 1980s, Munchkin moved to Los Angeles and pursued his entertainment career, but not quite as an actor. "I found that acting in film and television was nothing like my background in theatre," he explains. Instead, he made a successful transition to writing, producing, and directing.

Between 1987 and 1999, Munchkin wrote, produced, and/or directed more than 20 movies and television shows, primarily in the action-adventure genre. His credits include:

While these weren't Oscar contenders, they were commercially successful B-movies that developed a cult following. More importantly for Munchkin, they provided income to supplement his gambling—or perhaps it was the other way around. Throughout his Hollywood years, he never stopped playing professionally, travelling the world to scout gambling opportunities.

In 2018, he came full circle, starring as himself in Inside the Edge: A Professional Blackjack Adventure, a documentary about elite blackjack players. This time, he wasn't acting—he was showcasing his real expertise.

Munchkin's gambling career reached a new level when he met Alan Woods, a legendary blackjack master who would later become one of the world's most successful gamblers by using computer models to dominate horse race betting. Woods provided financial backing for Munchkin and recruited him to play on a team.

But the start was rough. "We played for three months, and I could not win," Munchkin remembers. "I got buried but discovered that I was doing nothing wrong. I was just running badly."

This is a crucial lesson for any aspiring advantage player: even when you have the mathematical edge, variance can crush you in the short term. Emotional control and a sufficient bankroll are essential.

Things improved dramatically when Woods taught Munchkin shuffle tracking—an advanced technique invented in the late 1970s that involves observing casino shuffles and predicting where certain cards will appear in the newly shuffled deck. This was cutting-edge advantage play at the time, and Munchkin mastered it.

He also became an expert at hole-carding: spotting the bottom cards of sloppy dealers. "There were so many casino games where you could just sit at first base and catch the dealer's cards," he says with a grin. "I would get barred on day shift and go right back on swing shift. Being out there and taking down casinos is part of the fun."

Eventually, Munchkin was making so much money from gambling that he didn't need his dealing job—or even his Hollywood income. "I realised that it's nice not need a day job," he says.

This is where Munchkin separates himself from typical advantage players. While most card counters develop tunnel vision—focusing exclusively on blackjack and ignoring everything else—Munchkin took a radically different approach.

"Card counters have tunnel vision," he observes. "They walk to a blackjack table, measure the card counting possibilities and ignore everything else. Me, I walk into a casino, and I see opportunity everywhere."

When asked about his philosophy, Munchkin makes a stunning claim: "I believe that every single game in the casino can be beaten. I have played winning games at almost everything."

Let's break down some of his conquests:

Blackjack

Obviously, his primary game is using card counting, shuffle tracking, hole-carding, and team play. Munchkin competed in Season 1 of the World Series of Blackjack in 2004 on the Game Show Network, bringing his skills to television.

Slots

"With slot machines, to beat them, you focus on the progressives," Munchkin explains. "If the machine has to hit by $30,000 and it is at $28,000, then it might be a play. A sign tells you if there is a point at which it must pay, and there are teams that do nothing but beat slot machines. They check the machines as if they are on a route."

Roulette

"You beat roulette by watching the speed of the wheel and being able to predict where the ball will drop. It's a learned skill, and you won't pick it up in your basement over the course of a week." He also mentions dealer signature—finding dealers who spin consistently, making the outcome predictable.

Craps

"I know people who have beaten craps... You can win at craps by controlling a single die. It's not easy to learn, but some guys do it."

Big Six Wheel

At the Sahara Casino (now defunct), there was a promotion where players could spin the wheel themselves. "People figured out how to make it land on the 50-to-1 spot. They kept spinning onto that until they got kicked out."

Baccarat

While Munchkin himself didn't exploit it, he has deep respect for the famous edge sorting play executed by Kelly Sun and Phil Ivey, who manipulated dealers into turning cards so patterns could be recognised. "Kelly is f *ing brilliant," he says admiringly. "She made millions and millions of dollars with that play."

Horse Racing

Munchkin makes strategic wagers based on information from knowledgeable sources and has found profitable angles in horse race betting.

Video Poker

He co-hosts Gambling With an Edge with video poker legend Bob Dancer, and has extensive experience finding positive-expectation video poker opportunities.

In 2002, Munchkin published what many consider his masterwork: Gambling Wizards: Conversations with the World's Greatest Gamblers. The book features in-depth interviews with eight of the most successful professional gamblers in history, including:

The book goes beyond strategy to explore how these champions think, how they manage risk, how they handle variance, and what separates winners from losers. Drawing on his background as a filmmaker, Munchkin brings exceptional storytelling skills to these interviews, creating narratives that are both educational and riveting.

"Get into the minds of the greatest gamblers of all time," reads the book's description. "Learn how they think, how they play, and how they've won millions."

For aspiring advantage players, Gambling Wizards is essential reading—offering insights you won't find in any strategy manual.

In the early 2010s, Munchkin teamed up with video poker expert Bob Dancer to launch Gambling With an Edge, a weekly radio show that evolved into one of the most respected gambling podcasts in the world. Broadcasting initially on KLAV 1230 AM in Las Vegas, the show quickly gained a cult following among advantage players.

For over 12 years, Munchkin and Dancer interviewed guests, discussed current gambling news, analysed new games, and shared strategies for gaining edges across virtually every casino game. The show's archives contain hundreds of hours of invaluable content from some of the sharpest minds in gambling.

Episodes have covered:

The podcast became required listening for serious advantage players worldwide. Though the show eventually concluded in 2023, Munchkin continues producing content with his new podcast, Life is a Gamble.

In 2009, Richard Munchkin received the ultimate honour for a professional blackjack player: induction into the Blackjack Hall of Fame. This exclusive club, housed at Barona Resort & Casino in San Diego County, California, recognises the greatest blackjack experts, authors, and professional players in history.

The Hall of Fame was launched in 2002, and Munchkin joined an elite group that includes legends like:

Inductees receive a unique perk: a lifetime complimentary room, food, and beverage at Barona Casino—in exchange for agreeing never to play at Barona's tables. It's the casino's way of honouring these legends while protecting their bottom line!

Munchkin's induction recognised not just his playing skill, but his contributions to gambling literature and education. When asked to comment on gambling, he said: "I have played winning games at almost everything." Few can make such a claim with legitimacy. Munchkin can.

What sets Munchkin apart from typical advantage players isn't just technical skill—it's mindset. Where others see insurmountable house edges, Munchkin sees vulnerabilities waiting to be exploited. Where others focus on one game, he studies them all.

His advice to aspiring advantage players:

1. Don't Limit Yourself "Card counters have tunnel vision... Me, I walk into a casino, and I see opportunity everywhere." Don't become so specialised that you miss other profitable plays.

2. Study Beyond the Basics. Advanced techniques like shuffle tracking, hole-carding, and edge sorting require serious dedication. "You won't pick it up in your basement over the course of a week." But the rewards are substantial.

3. Network Relentlessly Munchkin's biggest breakthroughs came from meeting people like Alan Woods, who taught him advanced techniques. The advantage play community shares information—be part of it.

4. Understand Variance. Even with a mathematical edge, you can lose for extended periods. "I got buried but discovered that I was doing nothing wrong. I was just running badly." Emotional control and proper bankroll management are essential.

5. Every Game Has Vulnerabilities. From the Big Six wheel to baccarat, Munchkin has either beaten it himself or knows someone who has. Approach every game asking "Where's the weakness?" rather than accepting conventional wisdom that it's unbeatable.

Australian gambling culture differs significantly from that of Las Vegas. Poker machines (pokies) dominate Australian casinos and pubs, while table games like blackjack have less prominence. Video poker machines—a staple of American advantage play—are relatively rare in Australian venues.

However, Munchkin's principles translate universally:

For Blackjack Players: Australian casinos like Crown Melbourne, The Star Sydney, and Treasury Brisbane offer blackjack. While rule variations differ from Vegas, card counting and basic strategy still work. Australian casinos tend to use Continuous Shuffling Machines (CSMs) more frequently, which eliminate counting opportunities—but not all tables use them. Scout carefully.

For Online Players: Many online casinos accessible to Australians offer video poker, blackjack, and other games where strategy matters. Munchkin's emphasis on game selection and hunting for promotions applies perfectly to online bonus hunting and cashback programs.

For Pokies Players: While traditional Australian pokies are purely random and unbeatable, Munchkin's insight about progressive slots applies. Some linked progressives in Australian casinos reach points where they become +EV plays. Teams exist that track these opportunities.

General Principle: Whether in Australia or Vegas, Munchkin's core lesson holds: Study hard, scout relentlessly, manage your bankroll properly, and always be looking for the edge.

At 71 years old (as of 2026), Richard Munchkin continues to gamble professionally, produce content, and share his knowledge. His contributions span multiple domains:

As a Player: Proven winner at virtually every casino game. As an Author: Created one of the definitive books on professional gambling. As an Educator: Taught thousands through his podcast and articles. As a Filmmaker: Produced decades of entertainment content. As a Hall of Famer: Recognized among the greatest blackjack minds in history

When Stanford Wong—himself a legend—was asked about Munchkin's strongest suit, he replied: "Richard Munchkin's strong suit is anything he wants it to be. Munchkin can do whatever he wants and be successful at it."

That's not hyperbole. It's the simple truth about a man who conquered Hollywood, beat every game in the casino, wrote a bestselling book, hosted a legendary podcast, and earned induction into the Blackjack Hall of Fame—all while maintaining the sense of adventure and fun that drew him to gambling in the first place.

For Australians interested in advantage play, Munchkin's story offers both inspiration and practical wisdom. The house edge can be beaten—but it requires dedication, creativity, and the willingness to see opportunities where others see only risk.

As Munchkin himself puts it: "Being out there and taking down casinos is part of the fun."

✅ Every game has vulnerabilities – Don't accept conventional wisdom
✅ Develop multiple skills – Card counting is just the beginning
✅ Network with other professionals – The best techniques are shared, not published
✅ Manage variance – You can be right and still lose short-term
✅ Scout constantly – The best opportunities aren't obvious
✅ Think creatively – Munchkin's success comes from seeing what others miss
✅ Study diverse games – Specialisation has limits; versatility creates options
✅ Maintain emotional control – Winning requires discipline, not just skill

For more information, check out Richard Munchkin's book Gambling Wizards or visit his archived content at the Las Vegas Advisor .