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The Genting-owned Crockfords, London’s oldest casino, is withholding payment of £7.3m in winnings to poker pro Phil Ivey while it conducts an investigation into his two-night winning streak.
The casino has yet to explain the what, if anything, Ivey is accused of.
The Daily Mail on Sunday reported that the recently divorced Ivey had been playing Punto Banco, a skill-free variant of baccarat, when he struck the remarkable win streak.
From The Daily Mail:
Punto Banco is the favoured game of high-rollers.
The result is determined as soon as the cards are dealt – it offers marginally better odds than games such as roulette.
At first, Mr Ivey’s losses were heading towards £500,000 but he recovered, and at the end of the first night was £2.3 million up.
His winning form continued on the second night and by the time that he signalled he was ready to quit he had amassed £7.3 million.
Reports suggest that the investigation is focusing on Ivey’s mysterious female companion, whose membership at another affiliated casino has since been revoked. Her age was given as 35 with a residence in California. The paper describes her as a “beautiful Oriental woman”.
Ivey is one of the biggest money earners in the game of poker.
- Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com
