What can you tell us about John Patrick?
John Patrick was a well-known gambling author, instructor, and personality from the mid- to late 20th century, best remembered for his straightforward, no-nonsense books and videos teaching casino games like craps, blackjack, roulette, slots, video poker, and baccarat. He positioned himself as a professional gambler who stressed practical play over theory, often appearing on cable TV and producing instructional content.
Patrick represented the "old-school" era of gambling education — pre-internet boom, heavy on personality, TV appearances, and motivational-style advice rather than advantage play, computer simulations, or technical considerations. His fans appreciated the emphasis on discipline and bankroll protection, though detractors often viewed his advice as more recreational than profitable.
Patrick's blackjack books (such as John Patrick's Blackjack: So You Wanna Be a Gambler?) discussed card counting. He acknowledged its existence and even encouraged viewers in some instructional content to explore it, but he framed gambling more around money management and extending play time than long-term edge-beating. Some blackjack experts critiqued Patrick's strategies as basic, even inaccurate in spots, or at least not optimal for serious advantage play—sometimes lumping him in with other "system sellers" who prioritized entertainment over math.
Born and raised in West Orange, New Jersey, Patrick lived most of his life in the Garden State before relocating to Florida in the early 2000s. He was active in gambling education starting in the mid-1970s, around the time Atlantic City casinos were on a pace to open. He ran seminars that taught game basics and hosted a national cable TV show called "So You Wanna Be a Gambler!" (which aired on channels like the Financial News Network), taking live calls and breaking down strategies. He also produced numerous instructional videos and DVDs, including series on charting tables, specific games, and money management.
His approach focused on what he called the "Big 4": bankroll management, knowledge of the game, money management, and discipline. He advocated systems like regressing wins (pulling back part of a winning bet to lock in profit rather than always pressing) to help players last longer, and he broke down individual bets in detail. He developed or popularized things like the "Patrick system" for craps. He published upwards of 15 gambling books, many under his John Patrick: So You Wanna Be a Gambler brand. They often blended instruction with his personal philosophy on gambling discipline.
He maintained an online presence into the 2010s, including a Facebook page for "Gamble to Win by John Patrick," but he started fading from view just before the pandemic hit. A niece reported that he was still alive in 2021, but rumors of his passing have persisted. We couldn't find an obituary for him, though by now he'd be in his late 80s or early 90s. One thing's for sure: His content lives on through reprints, videos, and fan references.
