Ultimate Blackjack Tour

The Ultimate Blackjack Tour became more popular after making its television debut in 2006. The tournament series took place in locations including Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Paris and Aruba, with winners progressing toward a championship event.

More: Ultimate Black Jack Tournament Facts

The Format

The UBT used an elimination format intended to force action. Players with the lowest chip totals at designated points could be removed, preventing everyone from simply waiting until the final hands to make a move.

Television viewers could see the dealer's hole card, and every player had access to a secret bet that could be used at a strategic moment to conceal the wager from opponents.

The Players

The first season featured sixteen players, including personalities familiar to poker audiences as well as professional blackjack players. Names associated with the event included Annie Duke, Phil Laak, Freddy Deeb, Phil Hellmuth, Ken Einiger and Anthony Curtis.

Open tournament

The tour was designed so that ordinary players could enter by paying an entry fee or qualify through satellite events. Online tournament sites also offered routes toward qualifying events, helping make tournament blackjack accessible to a wider audience.