Houston Curtis: How I Got Banned For Life From The Golden Nugget Casino In Las Vegas

In 2007 I was in Las Vegas all week with my total manufacturing crew filming episodes for The Ultimate Blackjack Tour. We had been taking pictures at The Venetian, which was additionally the place I was staying.

Now, usually I didn’t play at The Venetian, however since I was taking pictures there anyway, I discovered my option to the blackjack tables the evening earlier than we had been set to tape our first episode. I didn’t actually have a line of credit score arrange at The Venetian, however what I did have was a ton of money on me simply in case an enormous poker sport broke out whereas I was there. I was carrying round near $300,000 on this ridiculous Dolce & Gabanna satchel which, regardless of its small dimension, was capable of comfortably match six $50,000 bricks with sufficient room left over for a pack of lifesavers.

My first evening on the town, despite the fact that I knew higher, I made a beeline for the high-limit tables and acquired in for $30,000. Half an hour later, when the vendor was accomplished counting all the cash and all the railbirds had come and gone, I positioned a fantastic white flag on the desk for my first $5,000 wager of the evening.

I was delighted when the vendor dealt me a blackjack on my first hand, which was instantly adopted by me splitting two eights in opposition to a six, catching a trey on the primary hand and a deuce on the second. So in fact, I doubled down on each arms, placing a complete of $20,000 in danger. The vendor went monkey, monkey for a bust and I was elated. If solely I had gotten up proper then and there and spent the evening partying my ass off at a membership, the hangover would have been a lot much less painful than what the on line casino had in retailer for me.

Normally I would have reserved a desk and celebrated my win, however like I stated earlier, The Venetian wasn’t my regular stomping floor. I had no RFB comp standing the place I’d be receiving my regular over-the-top Vegas expertise full with butler service and an countless provide of on line casino hosts stopping by to say, ‘hello.’ Hell, I didn’t actually have a marker there.

And despite the fact that I can be the primary to level out that another person’s bets don’t really alter your probabilities of profitable, when the man subsequent to me determined to make three min-bets, I nonetheless noticed it as an indication of unhealthy luck. It was particularly unhealthy as a result of I had simply pressed my $5,000 wager to $10,000.

Sure sufficient, like an indication from the playing gods telling me to run, the vendor dealt himself a blackjack. Determined to stop forward, I nonetheless discovered myself sitting there like a degenerate when the solar got here up.

As I noticed my employees heading to work on the present we had been taping that day, I determined to play another shuffle after which name it quits. Of course, I misplaced each single hand of that shuffle, placing me $275,000 within the gap! My Dolce & Gabanna satchel had been virtually totally drained.

That evening, desperate to get it again, I determined to play sensible and went to The Golden Nugget the place I had a marker and pre-negotiated phrases of their high-limit room that gave me two non-public tables all to myself.

I took out $20,000 on my marker and rapidly ran it as much as a web revenue of $150,000 in lower than 45 minutes. When I cashed out, I had each intention of heading again to The Venetian and going to mattress. That is, till I determined to take a seat down for only a few arms on the way in which as much as my room.

I made my approach over to the identical high-limit space as earlier than, working excessive from my win. Except this time, I was greeted by a bunch who let me know he want to take me to dinner throughout my keep, even asking me if I wanted tickets to any of the reveals. After some well mannered chit chat, I dove in head first, flat betting $5,000 a hand as if I had simply received the lottery.

In one other 45 minutes, the $130,000 was gone! I received $130,000 again, after which proceeded to dump all of it again to The Venetian!

After one other day of taping, I headed straight for The Nugget, this time calling them to have my tables roped off and prepared. I took them for one more $110,000 earlier than cashing out, making my approach again to The Venetian the place I had vowed to get some sleep.

I didn’t even make it to the elevators earlier than I had dumped all of it again once more.

After one other grueling day of manufacturing, my thoughts clearly on the six-figure gap in my pocket, I went again to The Nugget to dig myself out as soon as once more. This time I managed to e-book a $114,000 win. You can most likely guess what occurred subsequent. Like an absolute, sick, degenerate asshole, I went straight again to The Venetian and gave all of it again!

But this time I didn’t fall asleep. I was conscious and livid with myself. I wanted to play, however the venue I was enjoying in clearly appeared to matter. I headed again to The Nugget, however this time when I requested for my regular royal remedy, there was a protracted pause, adopted by a lot of whispering.

All of a sudden the CFO of Golden Nugget walked up, and he knowledgeable me that I was now not welcome to play on the property. I was fairly pissed off with this improvement, however nonetheless itching to play. I determined to modify it up and play craps, however when I requested for my marker the person stated, “I don’t think you understand Mr. Curtis. You are no longer welcome to play any game in this casino.”

To which I replied, “Even the slots?” Turns out that I had apparently received 1.7 million over the previous few years and had one way or the other by no means booked a loss. I turned one in all solely two guys on the time to ever be banned for extreme profitable!

Knowing there was no approach this man was going to present me entry to my marker, I began hounding him for a free meal. I had a buddy with me, and I wasn’t about to be ran out of a on line casino with out proving I may get one thing from them. Sure sufficient, they comped us on the buffet beneath the caveat that I go away The Nugget instantly after I was accomplished consuming.

I bought again to The Venetian on a full abdomen, however as you possibly can guess, I was removed from glad. I put my final $100 right into a video poker machine for a couple of spins whereas I talked to my buddy and tried to determine the place I was going to get ahold of additional cash after midnight on a Sunday.

And that’s when issues modified!

I hit a royal flush at video poker for $7,500. As I was ready to fill out the W9 (which was actually irritating given the small quantities I had been playing for), I turned to my buddy and stated, “It’s Custer’s last stand, let’s run it up!” He begged me to rethink by reminding me The Venetian had been nothing however unhealthy luck for me on that journey. This time I agreed and we moved the motion over to Caesars Palace.

I raced over to Caesars with my $7,500 nonetheless heat and sat down on the first high-limit blackjack desk I may discover. Like magic, I ran the $7,500 as much as $250,000 in lower than an hour! I was saved! Then, on my approach out of city my luck bought even higher as I dropped by the host desk at The Venetian. Apparently, I was such a degenerate donkey that they determined to present me again $15,000 in money as a thanks. I had one way or the other managed to win six figures on the blackjack tables 4 nights in a row, however wanted a fortunate spin on the slot machine to avoid wasting my total bankroll.

I was actually residing life on the sting and this turned a excessive curler second I will always remember. But if you wish to head to Vegas and get handled like a excessive curler, don’t do what I did. There are a lot smarter methods to get tons of perks out of Sin City than bringing a $300,000 bankroll and enjoying such as you’ve misplaced your rattling thoughts!

Instead, try this week’s video complement with particular visitor, on line casino host Steve Cyr. He’s the person behind the best-selling e-book, Whale Hunt In The Desert: Secrets Of A Vegas Superhost from Huntington Press. Steve was an entertaining and insightful visitor who talked about all the things from John Elway being a stiff, to one-upping me with a narrative even crazier than the one I simply shared. He additionally provides his high ideas for getting handled like a excessive curler in Vegas, and tips on how to reap the benefits of town throughout COVID-19.

As at all times, thanks for studying, and subsequent time you go to Vegas, keep in mind to remain sharp! Stay Kardsharp!

Houston Curtis, founding father of KardSharp.com and creator of Billion Dollar Hollywood Heist has lived a profitable double life as each a producer and excessive stakes poker participant for practically 30 years. His credit embrace government producing gambling-related TV reveals equivalent to The Ultimate Blackjack Tour on CBS, The Aruba Poker Classic on GSN and pioneering the poker tutorial DVD style with titles that includes poker legend Phil Hellmuth.

Barred for all times from Las Vegas Golden Nugget for “excessive winning” at blackjack, Houston is among the world’s most profitable card mechanics and sleight-of-hand artists of the trendy period. Curtis, who hardly ever performs in tournaments, received a 2004 Legends of Poker no-limit maintain’em championship occasion besting Scotty Nguyen heads-up on the last desk earlier than happening to co-found the elite Hollywood poker ring that impressed Aaron Sorkin’s Academy Award-nominated movie Molly’s Game.

Curtis now resides in Columbia, Missouri whereas sustaining workplaces in Los Angeles, and Phoenix, Arizona. In addition to working a manufacturing firm and impartial document label, Curtis additionally consults as a poker safety professional to shoppers throughout the globe looking for perception into grasp stage card dishonest techniques by way of superior sleight-of-hand method. In addition, Houston is now obtainable for in-person and on-line talking engagements, non-public sleight-of-hand instruction, and a wide range of media creation/manufacturing providers. Houston will be contacted immediately at stacked@kardsharp.com.