Everyone who has ever gambled has dreamed about having won so many chips that it becomes a hassle to even see over them while playing at the table, let alone attempt to carry them all to the counter to cash them in.
Phil Ivey lived that dream in a London Casino and won approximately $12 million; $12 million that the casino claims Ivey cheated to win. Now the case is headed to court.
Ivey, a world famous poker player, was playing punto banco when he made his disputed winnings. Punto banco, a form of baccarat that is particularly popular in the UK and Macau, is strictly a game of luck. There is no real strategy to the game. Two hands are dealt out; one representing the bank, the other representing the player. The goal of the game is to get the hand closest to nine.
The dealer plays out both hands based on a set of rules of when to add another card or stay pat, the player has no control over any aspect of the game other than betting on either the bank or player at the beginning. Due to the odds of the game being almost 50/50, the house has a very slight advantage, going on a run like Ivey did is very unlikely.
Crockfords' Casino claims that there was a flaw in the cards that allowed Ivey to cheat and know which cards were coming up next, according to Yahoo. Normally cards are disposed of after a day's play but the casino contends that Ivey convinced the dealer to keep them. An illustration from The Daily Mail details what the casino believes led to Ivey's winning streak.
In a statement Ivey defended his decision to take the dispute to court.
"I was given a receipt for my winnings, but Crockfords' has withheld payment," Ivey said. "I have no alternative but to take legal action."
Bluff Magazine's Lance Bradley told ABC News that Ivey had a spotless reputation and the idea of him cheating was almost unthinkable.
"There is nothing in his past that would hint at him being a cheater or unethical in any way," Bradley said. "People say he is arguably the best poker player in the world; but, really, there is no argument: he's number one. He's known both for his skill and his love of high-stakes games. He loves anything where there's some sexiness at stake."
Crockfords' maintains that they were bamboozled and has only returned Ivey's original stakes. According to The Daily Mail, the casino has experts pouring over hours of CCTV footage of Ivey's play hoping to find proof that the poker star cheated the casino.
