Phil Ivey is a behemoth in the poker world. With ten WSOP gold bracelets, live tournament winnings of more than $23.8 million, and equally impressive online poker stats, Phil Ivey is one of the first names and first figures that pop into mind upon mentioning the word poker.
However, the focus on his poker achievements was stolen from and averted to his liking for another massively popular card game and the trouble this has caused him. Ivey has been locked in a more than a four-year-long court battle with Atlantic City’s Borgata Casino over the amount of $9.6 million the player won for playing baccarat at the gambling venue.
The Borgata has been suing Ivey for violating its rules and the state’s gambling regulations by using the controversial edge sorting technique. By exploiting discrepancies on the backs of the cards he had played with at the casino, the player had been able to improve his edge against the house. For more than four years now, the Borgata has been trying to have its money back from the player. The player, in turn, has been trying to avoid a scenario in which he would have to part with the money he said he had won by the deployment of skill.
Ivey’s case has been in the spotlight from the very beginning. And the player’s status of a poker superstar is not the only reason for the huge media attention his court troubles have sparked. Over the years, baccarat has grown into one of the highest grossing (possibly the highest grossing) casino games in the world.
Last year, the amount of MOP119 billion ($14.9 billion) was generated in gross revenue from VIP baccarat in Macau, the world’s largest gambling hub. In Nevada, which held that title in the past, gross win from baccarat totaled $1.2 billion in 2016.
The game’s popularity has also been fueled by its representations in the pop culture. For instance, baccarat is one of the favorite pastimes of popular literary and later on film character James Bond.
But as any other casino game that allures players with unmatched thrill and promises for a big win, baccarat has often been the subject of those same players’ attempts to somehow cheat the house or at least find a way to improve their odds against it. Here are some of the brightest instances of baccarat-related scandals to have occurred in the past.
The Royal Baccarat Scandal
The Royal Baccarat Scandal was probably the biggest gambling scandal to have ever hit the British elite. It occurred in the late 1890s and had Sir William Gordon-Cumming, a Scottish landowner, decorated soldier, socialite, and close friend to the then Prince of Wales and later on King Edward VII, play a central role.
The future King was invited by British ship owner Arthur Wilson to stay at his country house Tranby Croft. Gordon-Cumming, too, joined the Prince’s party. On the very first night of their visit, they decided to play baccarat. One of the hosts informed the others that he had seen Gordon-Cumming cheat by adjusting his stake depending on his cards. Sir William won a significant amount of money that night. They played again next night, watching him more closely.
He was confronted by his companions and was forced into signing a pledge to never again lay his fingers on cards in order to avoid a greater scandal. All present parties agreed to never discuss that night’s happenings with anyone else.
As it can be suggested, word about Sir William’s alleged cheating endeavors spread like wildfire. Deeply insulted, the socialite brought his accusers to court for libel. Even Prince Edward himself was called in the witness box. Here it is important to note that gambling was illegal in Victorian England, so the participation of the heir apparent into a scandal of such nature was rather shocking.
The Cutter Gang Scandal
The Cutter Gang was a group of Asian players who devised and perfected a scheme that allowed them to victimize Las Vegas casinos and scam them out of millions of dollars. The most surprising thing was the fact that said scheme was not that complex at all. And here is how it worked.
In the first place, it should be said that baccarat was their logical choice of game as it allows for a single player to cut the deck before the cards are dealt. The cutter, a member of the gang, had a minuscule camera hidden in their sleeves that recorded the suit and the value of the cutting card. The player then excused themselves to relay the information recorded to their fellow gang members and to dispose of the device.
Multiple warnings had been issued about the group in Las Vegas and in other popular gambling destinations around the world. Eventually, the group was detained in 2011 at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. However, no solid evidence was found for its wrongdoing and members were later on released.
The Phil Ivey-Crockfords Casino Scandal
The Borgata court case has not been the only one Phil Ivey has been involved in over the use of edge sorting. In 2012, the player won £7.8 million for playing punto banco at London’s Crockfords Casino.
However, Ivey was refused his winnings, so he brought the gambling venue to court in search for justice. The casino argued that the player had violated its rules and had used a dishonest technique that improved his edge substantially.
The court case lasted for years and was concluded late in 2016 with a ruling that favored Crockfords. The casino was allowed to retain Ivey’s winnings and the court ruled that the player’s use of edge sorting indeed “amounted to cheating” and breached the provisions of the Gambling Act 2005.
