Casino Accuses Gambling Champ Phil Ivey of Cheating

A lawsuit from a casino accuses one of the world's highest-profile poker players of being a cheat—at least when it comes to baccarat. The Borgata casino of Atlantic City has sued Phil Ivey, claiming he won a total of $9.6 million through a scheme that violates New Jersey casino rules, reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Specifically, the lawsuit accuses Ivey of "edge sorting." It's complicated, but the suit says Ivey exploited a design flaw on the backs of the cards that helped him sort and arrange desirable cards, reports the Star-Ledger.

But for the scheme to work, the cards needed to be flipped by the dealer in particular ways, explains AP. Ivey allegedly accomplished this with the help of a Mandarin-speaking assistant, who convinced the dealer to do so out of "superstition." The casino finally put an end to Ivey's gambling after four sessions. Maybe it got wind of the legal fight he is currently in with British casino Crockfords: Ivey is accused of winning $12 million in essentially the same fashion at another form of baccarat called Punto Banco, notes the Review-Journal. (More Phil Ivey stories.)