Blackjack is the Secret to Long Life, Says 105 Year Old

Annie Asaro turned 105 over the weekend, and when a local reporter asked her secret, she said “just play blackjack”.

Long live blackjack!

Annie Asaro of Escondido, California turned 105 on Sunday. She says her secret is blackjack.

Tom Pfingsten, a human interest reporter with the North County Times, caught up with Annie Asaro, a longtime resident of Escondido, California, just a few days before she turned 105. They met at the Pala Casino, a USA blackjack casino where Asaro was already beginning to celebrate her big day by taking part in a slot tournament.

Asaro she is a regular at Pala, and a lot of folks there know who she is. Her birthday was even recognized at the award ceremony of the slot tournament.

When Pfingsten spoke to Asaro about her 105th birthday, he couldn’t help but ask the obvious question, “What’s your secret?” Asaro had an unexpected reply: “Just play blackjack,” she said.

Asaro was born in 1905, but she still hits the casino a few times a week. While she enjoys playing slots tournaments now and then, blackjack card games are her favorite.

She didn’t elaborate about why she said blackjack is the key to living a long life, but who can turn down advice from someone who has lived through the Great Depression and two world wars, but can still play and win casino blackjack?