Five players who have beaten casinos big time
Every gambler has a goal. It is to make a profit. To do this, it is necessary to beat the casino, which is extremely difficult. A few lucky ones have been able to do it and snatch a big score. The following are five outstanding players who have beaten casinos big time.
No. 5 Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey is perhaps the most observant of the five. As a professional poker player, Phil Ivey also had a passion for baccarat. He’s beaten two casinos in Las Vegas. One institution Phil “cleaned out” for 9 million euros, the second – 12. But his winnings weren’t paid out. The fact is that Ivy had noticed the smallest flaws in the cards in the deal. Taking advantage of this omission, the player has repeatedly increased the original bank. The fraud was proved with the help of CCTV footage.
No. 4 Andy Bloch
Back in his student days Andy Bloch was developing strategies against casinos. He was first and foremost interested in mathematical methods of increasing the probability of winning. The result of a long work was a computer program which calculated moves in 6-card poker. Bloch used it in various online casinos and he made €1m fortune within six months. The inventor later switched to offline gambling. Andy now competes in real poker tournaments.
No. 3 Don Johnson
Stealth is a player’s greatest weapon. That’s the rule Don Johnson used to follow. In 2011, he was promoted to high roller status at a number of Atlantic City casinos. In addition to honorary status, Don was able to bet with certain bonuses or receive the opportunity for additional hands when the dealer made a mistake. Johnson made the most of the preferential treatment, often resorting to fraudulent schemes. His fortune for the year amounted to €5 million. The casinos later uncovered Don Johnson’s fraud, stripped him of his honorary status and permanently shut him out of such establishments.
No. 2 Billy Walters
In 1986, Billy Walters became the darling of fortune. He was able to pull off a big score at roulette. His fortune swelled to €3 million in just one night. It’s not a matter of luck, it’s an elaborate scheme. Within days, Billy hired specially trained people. They visited all the major casinos in Las Vegas and tracked down which roulette machines most often had certain numbers falling out. After analyzing the data, he noticed: one table more often the ball stops at 7, 10, 20, 27 or 38. It is not difficult to guess Walters further action. Betting on the designated numbers, the player brought the pot up to 3 million euros before the guards suspected a trick.
No. 1 Gonzalo Garcia-Pelayo
Gonzalo Garcia-Pelayo had a long career as a producer, but his real passion was casinos. He came up with a simple scheme: visit similar establishments, watch the roulette wheel, fix for himself the most frequent numbers. Gonzalo would then sit down at the table and bet on similar values. The method brought the player €1.5 million. Today, Garcia-Pelayo remains a regular at Las Vegas casinos.
As we can see, many players with the help of wit and observation were able to pull off a big score. However, the casino employs specially trained staff, who are trained to recognize fraudulent schemes. If a player’s suspicion of dishonesty is confirmed, they will be barred from the casino forever.