Category: Poker (Page 1 of 4)

      A big-time lawyer’s wild and secret life in high stakes poker

      December 28, 2025 /

      The New York Times has published an in-depth profile of Thomas Goldstein and it’s worth a read for anyone who is interested in the world of high stakes poker.

      It’s a wild story of a man who was at the top of his game as a lawyer who had a successful practice arguing cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. He basically had it all. But then he got involved in the world of poker and found that his aggressive courtroom style translated to the game of poker. He could play without even looking at his cards, as he would go overboard bullying and bluffing other players.

      Goldstein went deeper and deeper, to the point that he was winning and losing tens of millions of dollars. The numbers here are just crazy. Of course he loved the lifestyle as well, as he indulged in having multiple sugar babies while concealing everything from his wife.

      Now he’s been indicted for tax fraud and mortgage fraud. Of course he’s fighting it, but the case has exposed his scret life, and the secret world of high stakes poker.

      Check it out!

      High Rollers, Lifestyle, Poker

      Cheating Concerns in High-Stakes Private Poker

      November 24, 2025 /

      cards chips and cigar

      Cheating is the last thing you should have to worry about at a high stakes private poker game. Perhaps that’s naive, but the minute anyone suspects a game may be rigged, then there’s a chance that poker game withers and falls apart.

      Recent news however suggests that cheating may be a real issue, particularly with some games run by the mob.

      If you’ve followed the NBA this season, you’ve probably heard the name Chauncey Billups—not for his coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to a surprise playoff push, but for the bombshell federal indictments that dropped on October 23, 2025, tying him to a sprawling gambling conspiracy.

      While the betting angle has rocked the NBA, with accusations of leaked injury reports and lineups for prop bets, the poker side is where things get truly cinematic, exposing how elite private games, often glamorized as playgrounds for celebrities and tycoons, are ripe for sophisticated scams.

      At its core, the allegations paint Billups as a key player (pun intended) in luring high-rollers to illegal, invite-only poker nights in luxury spots like New York lofts and Las Vegas suites. These weren’t your casual home games; stakes ran into the hundreds of thousands per hand, drawing in Wall Street execs, tech moguls, and fellow athletes who trusted the “NBA family” vibe Billups brought. But according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, it was all a setup orchestrated by organized crime associates who used sophisticated methods of cheating.

      Continue reading »

      High Rollers, Lifestyle, Poker

      Illegal gambling websites are still a problem

      April 17, 2023 /

      man with laptop

      Yesterday we explained how legal sports betting continues to gain popularity, but even with these trends, there are tons of illegal gambling websites out there. The problem with these sites is that you really have no idea which ones are legitimate, and you have little recourse when things go wrong.

      This article by Richard N. Velotta in the Las Vegas Review-Journal shines a light on the problem. Velotta explains how the American Gaming Association has made it a priority to encourage the public to bet responsibly with licensed operators and avoid illegal offshore websites. Despite this, illegal gambling websites continue to operate and can be difficult to track down and shut down. He describes the case of a Canadian gambler who has been unable to collect his winnings on a $225,000 jackpot he won playing blackjack on BetOnLine.ag, an internet domain in Antigua. Read the story and you’ll see the details.

      Why do betters still use illegal gambling websites?

      There are plenty of reasons why these sites are still in business.

      Firstly, you have to consider that betting hasn’t been legalized everywhere, so many betters are still shut out of the legal betting market depending on their state of residence or jurisdiction.

      Secondly, illegal gambling websites often offer better odds and higher payouts than their legal counterparts. This can be attractive to bettors looking to maximize their winnings, even if it means breaking the law. This also applies to local bookies.

      Continue reading »

      Casino Games, Casinos, Lifestyle, Poker, Sportsbooks

      Poker Movies: “Molly’s Game” (2017)

      May 10, 2022 /

      Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba in Molly's Game

      If you love poker, you probably enjoy the characters you meet along the way as well. Also, all the different setting from back room games with friends to upscale private settings. It’s part of the fun. Unless you’re one of those players who can’t control him or herself. High stakes poker, like any form of high takes gambling, can crush souls and ruin lives. The key is to enjoy the thrill of this intoxicating game without letting it destroy you.

      In “Molly’s Game” we get a glimpse into the world of private, high-stakes poker games in Los Angeles and New York. It’s a world filled with celebrities, athletes, beautiful women and plenty of booze and drugs. It’s a target-rich environment if you’re a smart and disciplined player. But for many others it’s a seductive trap that can often lead to a spectacular crash.

      Warning: spoilers will follow.

      Continue reading »

      High Rollers, Lifestyle, Poker

      Michigan cashes in on legalized gambling

      January 19, 2022 /

      detroit skyline

      As more and more states rush to get in on legalizing all forms of gambling, we continue to see success stories as state start to see the cash roll in. Detroit has had casinos for years, but Michigan expanded legalized gambling and added sports gambling to the mix, and the results have been very positive:

      Internet casinos, poker and sports betting in Michigan generated $1.4 billion in revenue in 2021, the first year online gambling was operational in the state.

      Internet casino gaming generated $1.1 billion in revenue while internet sports betting produced $292.2 million, according to numbers released Tuesday by the Michigan Gaming Control Board. Meanwhile, bettors wagered $3.7 billion at online sportsbooks last year.

      Michigan became the third state in U.S. history to generate more than $1 billion in annual revenue from online casino games and poker, and the first to do so in its first year.

      At some point states will start to cannibalize each other’s revenues, but with sports gambling most players are state residents. So each state is just adding to the overall pool of players. Let’s see how this trend plays out . . . Ohio will be joining the party in 2022!

      Casinos, Poker, Sportsbooks

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