Professional poker players aren’t considered to be the same as a standard gambler. They’re seen as skilled as playing cards, bluffing, working out their opponents, and so on. In the end, gambling is a part of playing poker in a professional manner. Yet we don’t always think of it this way. That’s not what we’re intending to look at today, either. We want to look at whether poker players do get involved in other forms of gambling.
The truth of the matter is that many poker players are also known for other gambling activity. Poker may be their primary source of income as professionals. Yet it is not beyond the bounds of normality for players to enjoy other games. Some have even lost large portions of their poker winnings on alternative gambling. It’s a big industry, so there was always going to be a crossover somewhere – especially as most poker games happen inside casinos.
Here, we’re going to look at some instances of poker players engaging in other forms of gambling. Let’s find out how big of a scene it is with these professionals.
Poker Players and Blackjack Games
If there is one sure-fire game that many poker players enjoy, it’s blackjack. Of course, this is another card game. Although it doesn’t have much to do with poker as far as the rules go, blackjack offers a comfortable alternative. Players receive cards and have to try and build a hand as close to 21 as possible. Going above that number sees them go bust. Yet, there is the potential to utilise certain skills and strategies with blackjack. That is something that poker players are familiar with already.
Professional poker players enjoy the challenge that the game sets out to them. When they play poker, they get to put their brains and skillset to the test. They get a certain euphoric feeling when that strategy pays off with a win, too. That same situation extends across to the blackjack table. It’s not like playing slots, where you only need to select a bet and then spin the reels. Certain systems and strategies can provide an upper hand with blackjack games.
In the online world, blackjack has been able to assist in making platforms successful, too. Back in 2006, PartyGaming reported a 65% in sales at the PartyPoker website. This came about from a mass of new poker players, but also vast growth in blackjack gaming. Doubtless, there was a certain level of crossover in effect at the same time.
It could also be the case that poker players know about the low house edge in blackjack. When playing a perfect strategy, this can be as low as 0.5%. Poker players are, without a doubt, good at strategies and such and blackjack is a nice way for them to put their skills to the test.
The truth is that poker players want to win as a way of showing off their skills. Blackjack is a beatable game, and they know this. Of course, you have to put the effort in to be able to beat the game. It involves a lot of strategy and game study.
Russ Hamilton is one such poker player who also engaged in blackjack during his career. The American gambler won the main event of the 1994 World Series of Poker. In that event, he took home $1 million in cash and his body weight in silver. He then went on to serve as a consultant for the Ultimate Bet poker server. Unfortunately, he committed fraud while working for the brand. In doing so, he cheated players out of $6.1 million.
Hamilton’s initial foray into gambling saw him partake in professional poker. Yet after playing in underground games in Detroit, he moved to Las Vegas, aged 36. While there, he joined blackjack tournaments as part of a team, enjoying success. It was only when those tournaments began barring professionals that he returned to poker.
Baccarat Is the Appeal for Some
Baccarat serves as another alternative card game for people to play. It’s another one that some poker players have taken to enjoying. Once more, it requires a certain level of skill to win money while playing. That is, again, what appeals to most poker players who choose to access it.
The game isn’t quite as requiring of strategy as blackjack is. Players don’t have to do anything with the cards dealt out. Instead, it is necessary to make bets on which hand they believe will be the better one. Either the player hand or the banker hand will win. A tie option is also possible, although this is very risky.
The most recent well-known instance of a poker player playing baccarat is that of Phil Ivey. In October of 2017, he lost a court bid to recover £7.7 million of baccarat winnings from a casino in London. He had played the game at Crockfords Club in the capital city back in 2012. Yet the casino owner, Genting, said he had utilised an illegitimate strategy while playing. Ivey maintained that the edge-sorting technique the casino accused him of was a fair one.
After the game that he had played netted him the £7.7 million, Ivey believed he would receive the money by wire transfer. Yet it never arrived. He did get his stake of £1 million back, though.
Ivey himself did not touch any of the baccarat cards in person. Instead, he persuaded the dealer to rotate the most valuable cards. This, Ivey said, was because he was superstitious. That is where Genting suggested the poker player was cheating. Ivey also had another gambler with him in Cheung Yin Sun. In the court of appeal, the judge said that both of them had interfered with the gaming process.
That isn’t the only instance where Ivey has played baccarat and not received his winnings, though. In 2016, a judge ruled that both he and Cheung would have to pay $10.1 million back to Borgata Casino. Ivey won that money in 2012 at the Atlantic City venue using the same technique. The damages include the $9.6 million they won while playing baccarat. A further $504,000 was what he won while engaging in craps, using the baccarat winnings for it.
While Ivey did countersue the casino, the court of appeal denied him the right to keep the money. His demands while in the casino included only using one deck of purple Gemaco Borgata cards. He also demanded that Cheung sit with him, and that an automated shuffling device was in use. Gemaco Borgata cards weren’t symmetrical when manufactured. This allowed Ivey’s friend to notice a flaw in them on the back. One edge had more of a geometric pattern on it than the other. The Borgata Casino served its lawsuit after it discovered the case by Genting.
What About Other Games?
It’s not difficult to understand why poker players enjoy blackjack and baccarat. They both utilise playing cards, which is what poker players use and so there is a certain sense of familiarity with alternate casino options like this. Yet what about other casino games beyond those with cards?
Well, there may be a small appeal there for slot machine bets. Yet most poker players know how much in favour of the house these games are. The likelihood is that poker players only bet small amounts on these games. Rather than playing to win, they play slots for a bit of alternative entertainment, perhaps between poker games.
Some poker players have highlighted their enjoyment when it comes to playing craps. This doesn’t involve cards, but instead offers up a dice game. Participants wager money on the roll of two die, with a table in action to place bets. The reason behind this is that it can provide more entertainment than slots. There’s more going on with wagers, dice rolling, and so on. At the same time, some poker players have highlighted the potential for quicker returns. Of course, the potential for faster losses is also present in the game.
It’s also the case that if playing this in a physical casino, there are various gamers active. They are all combining their efforts against the house in one game, so to speak. This sort of common bond that they all have when playing craps stands out. Slot games are much more of a solo attack with more of a house edge in play.
Alternative Poker Games
If you’re aware of casinos, they also tend to provide alternate types of poker to guests. This means options like Three-Card Poker, for example. It’s a popular game to play, and it is easy to learn as well. At the beginning of a game, you place a bet and receive three cards. Your goal in it is to beat the dealer’s hand. The only decision required is whether to play or fold your hand after you receive it. Three-Card Poker is a fast-paced game option, allowing many hands to play out in a short timeframe. Because the cards in the game need to make poker hands, it’s ideal for poker players.
You could also say the same about Ultimate Texas Hold’em. The clue is in the title of this one, because Texas Hold’em is a popular variety of poker to play. This Ultimate version is a little more complicated than the 3-Card version. More betting options exist within, while several betting rounds also exist. Yet poker players like games, which need strategy, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em offers this.
While we have noted slots earlier on, we haven’t spoken of video poker yet. This game combines the idea of poker with the thrill of slot machines. Jacks or Better is a great version of this to play, being one of the most popular options. It is like a machine version of draw poker. You have the chance to exchange cards to try and create a winning hand, too. What makes video poker more appealing than slots is the higher RTP rate it offers. This is likely to be a highlight for professional poker players to latch on to. Other versions of the game that are popular include Deuces Wild and All American Poker.
The final games that hold some appeal for poker players are Caribbean Stud and Pai Gow. The first of these offers a simple poker game, akin to Three-Card Poker. It’s played with five cards instead of three, though. Upon seeing your cards, you can either fold or place another bet. The difference with Caribbean Stud is that the house edge is quite high and poker players aren’t quite as forthcoming with it.
Pai Gow Poker is something altogether different from the rest. It uses a standard 52-deck of cards, and sometimes includes the joker. This card has its own rules and can also complete a straight or flush. In other instances, it operates as an ace card. The beginning of the game sees players receive seven cards. You have to group those into two separate hands, with the top hand featuring two cards and the bottom containing the rest. The five-card combination has to be better than the two-card hand. Both hands are then compared with the dealer’s hands to decide the winner.