Kevin Lewis
Kevin Lewis is the main protagonist of the novel. Earning striaght A's, he is the typical M.I.T. grad student. He is modeled after a real life MIT student, Jeff Ma. "Shy, geeky, amiable" MIT grad Kevin Lewis, was, Mezrich learns at a party, living a double life winning huge sums of cash in Las Vegas casinos. In 1993 when Lewis was 20 years old and feeling aimless, he was invited to join the MIT Blackjack Team, organized by a former math instructor, who said, "Blackjack is beatable." Expanding on the "hi-lo" card-counting techniques popularized by Edward Thorp in his 1962 book, Beat the Dealer, the MIT group's more advanced team strategies were legal, yet frowned upon by casinos. Lewis details the intricacies of card counting. He is described as "a math-science whiz kid."
Jason Fisher
Jason Fisher, Kevin & Martinez's roommate. Never graduated from MIT to help his sister Josie; she became injured due to a car accident. He dropped out to help with her recovery. Being six foot one, two hundred and twenty pounds, he is built like a heavyweight boxer. Huge shoulders and a square head, he met Kevin at the gym after receiving help with bench pressing. He is part Chinese and part Brazilian. He is also modeled after a real-life person, Mike Aponte.
Jill Taylor
Jill Taylor, who is married to Dylan, joins the blackjack team when Martinez and Micky decide to expand or to bring in more money. Using the casino’s card counting stereotypes against the house, her stern business like appearance is useful in the casinos. Card counting just being a hobby for Jill, she makes plenty outside of Vegas. Although she came to enjoy this electrifying life, she and Dylan get into heated arguments of whether or not to leave. Dylan has an opposite personality from her, although at work he is also a strict businessman, he is easygoing and convinces Jill to stay on the team.
Micky Rosa
Micky Rosa is the resigned MIT professor that introduces the students into the world of gambling. He serves as the team's leader and founder, though at the same time, he funds another MIT blackjack team, which was one of the reasons he was kicked off the team. Being an extinct/dinosaur player, he can no longer play blackjack in the casinos. His fatherly character was inspired by John Chang, a MIT graduate.
Kianna Lam
Kianna,an extraordinary card counter, is part of the MIT blackjack team. She utilizes her sweet and innocent Asian lady image to her advantage. Taking blackjack as a hobby like other members of the team, she still isn’t distracted of her main life goal; electrical engineering. She along with Kevin are the only ones that truly regard Micky Rosa as a fatherly figure on the team.