The BTC Blackjack Site Editorial Team – The Makers Behind the Magic
There’s a lot going on behind the scenes here at BTCBlackjack.ca. We may appear to have everything together; as if all this linguistic symmetry magically pours out onto virtual paper. As beautiful as that vision sounds, that’s obviously not the case. Hours upon countless hours of research and hands-on experience go into every page, every post, every editorial and review we write. Not that we don’t enjoy it, mind you.
The truth is, we have some rather fascinating jobs here, and we thoroughly enjoy every moment – well, most of them, anyway. It’s a gambler’s life, and that life comes with both risk and inevitable loss. However, as precision strategists, we all understand and accept the great responsibility of risk management. But I’m getting sidetracked…
Meet the BTC Blackjack Site Team
As a team, we are 5-strong. We’ve known each other for a lot of years – some far more than others. Joey and I (I’m, George, by the way) grew up together in a small town east of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and both went on to attend the Winnipeg College of Science and Technology. It was there we met Mike, who later introduced us to his cousin, Caroline. And then there’s Jana, who’s exuberance outshines us all. Her beauty encompasses mind, body and soul… (Okay, she’s my wife. I have to say that. But that doesn’t make it any less true!)
So, without any further ado, here’s a few words from each of us to better explain our backgrounds, roles, and what led us to collaborate on this website.
George Thomson – Co-Creator, Head Writer, Editor, ‘The Brain’
It’s me again! I’ll try to keep it brief this time. My name is George Thomson. I’m *mumbles something* years old. Originally from Manitoba, I moved to Vancouver, B.C. after college, where I met Jana. Six years and two children later, I was severely injured on the job. I spent nearly a year recovering at home, without much to pass the time. That’s when I discovered online blackjack, thanks to the recommendation of our friend Caroline (who you’ll meet in a moment).
It was late the 2000s, just about the time “live dealer” blackjack tables were getting interesting. A practical minded fellow, I knew I had to be smart about it, or this would become a very costly hobby. Eager to learn, I began studying blackjack odds, strategy charts, card counting – anything I could find to carve out an edge.
Fast-forward a few more years to the fall of 2013. It was October, and all I kept hearing was Bitcoin this, and Bitcoin that (mostly from my old friend Joey). BTC was going for $100 apiece then, and he convinced me to invest $1,000. Hardly two weeks into December, I sold it for a cool $10k. I was super happy about that! If only I’d known then… But what really came from that experience was a strong desire to learn more about crypto currency. Now, I only bet with crypto, and that’s what gave me the idea to build BTC Blackjack; to teach others what I, and the rest of the team, have learned over all these years.
About me, I’m a dog lover, and live with my wife and our two Labradors in a cozy house in Metro Vancouver. I love travelling and blogging about my expeditions. Here is one of my latest pieces about what’s special about our beautiful provinces. Hope you like following me along !
Joseph “Joey” Collins – Co-Creator, Writer, Editor, ‘The Motivator’
Hello world, my name is Joey. As you know (assuming you trudged your way through George’s prologue), he and I were best friends growing up in Selkirk. After college, he left for British Columbia, and I stayed in Winnipeg, but we never lost touch. It was I who convinced George to follow through on his big idea to build this website. He may be the brains, but I’m clearly the motivation behind BTC Blackjack. In fact, I’m the motivation behind most of George’s better accomplishments. I convinced him to go to college, to marry his wife, Jana, and to buy his first Bitcoin. When George came to me with the idea to build this website, I was all for it!
I’m only an occasional iGamer, but I’m a regular crypto trader. When I sold my first chunk of Bitcoin, I bought a new car. My second big sale paid for my house. Now I’m a full-time trader, part-time gambler, and dedicated contributor to the development of this website. I do not offer investments tips (sorry!), but I am the resident knowledge base for all things crypto currency.
Caroline Belanger – Researcher, Writer, Editor, ‘The Enthusiast’
Hey everyone! I’m Caroline, Mike’s younger, smarter, and far better looking cousin. I’m originally from Elora, a small town just outside of Toronto, Ontario. When I was a teenager, I moved to Winnipeg, where Mike introduced me to George and Joey. I suppose I’m the original “internet gambler” of the group. I’ve been dabbling in online casino games since I turned 18, and became a huge fan of Monica Reeves when I saw her on the short-lived Ultimate Blackjack Tour.
I was actually the one who suggested George take up iGaming when he was stuck at home, just as a way to pass the time. In turn, he introduced me to casino math and strategies. As for my contributions to BTC Blackjack, I do most of the background research on casino operators to make sure all the up-front information rings true. We all play, but as the regulatory know-it-all, I have the honor deciding which sites we’ll recommend, and which ones we won’t.
Jana Smith-Thomson – Writer, Chief Editor, ‘Mother Hen’
Hi, I’m Jana. I was born and raised in Edmonton, where George and I now live with our beautiful daughters, Sandra and Rose. I’ve followed George down a lot of paths over the years, and wouldn’t have it any other way. Thanks to him, I have plenty of experience in both gaming and crypto. Naturally, I became involved in the development of BTC Blackjack (mostly because George had no idea what he was doing, but don’t tell him I said that!)
Having I studied web development and marketing at Concordia University, and had a pretty good idea of what it would take to get this thing off the ground. I’m also the one everybody comes to with questions, which is how I earned the honorary title of ‘Mother Hen’. As chief editor, nothing gets published without my approval.
Mike Livingston – Researcher, Writer, Editor, ‘Legal Eagle’
Hello! I’m Mike, and I’m the ‘legal eagle’ (a.k.a. the real brain) of the group. Born and raised in Dauphin, MB, I moved to Winnipeg at 21 to study law at University of Manitoba. One fateful New Year’s Eve, I met Joey and George at a party, and we’ve been friends ever since. We didn’t stay in touch too much after college, but I couldn’t be happier to have gotten the call from George when they needed a legal expert for the website.
My experience with all this began in secondary school, when I wrote a thesis on the regulatory challenges of internet gambling. I’ve always been interested in the topic, partly because I come from a family that’s big on card games. I’ve been playing everything from Old Maid to Omaha since I was in the single-digits. I didn’t take an interest in crypto until late 2017, when Bitcoin skyrocketed into the 5-figure range. Now, I’m the most important (if not modest) person on the BTC Blackjack Team!