Ben Affleck Removed from Hard Rock Casino's Blackjack Table for Card Counting Skills
Las Vegas casinos enjoy it when celebrities play at their tables. These well-known individuals usually spend a lot of money, and their presence adds to the appeal of the venue, drawing in more people. Nevertheless, there's one thing that casinos detest more than welcoming famous guests - losing to them.
The Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas faced this exact scenario when actor, director, and screenwriter Ben Affleck dropped by to play some blackjack. He was in town with his wife Jennifer Garner for a short getaway before Affleck began shooting his next movie, where he will portray Batman. While enjoying a high-limit blackjack table, security suddenly stopped Ben from continuing to play.
The reason? Ben was allegedly caught counting cards. Consequently, the casino regarded him as an advantage player and prevented him from further partaking in the game.
The incident is presumed to have occurred rather unspectacularly. Contrary to what movies like "Rain Man" might lead you to think, counting cards is not a skill reserved exclusively for those with extraordinary intelligence. It requires careful observation, and a skilled counter can go unnoticed. Affleck, despite not being allowed to play blackjack there again, was still welcomed to continue playing any other game he wished. Some even reported that the entire situation was dealt with cordially.
In Your Face
It seems that Affleck wasn't too stealthy about his counting, which eventually led to his detection. As per Star Magazine, a warning was issued to Vegas casinos through the Surveillance Information Network stating that he was "suspected of advantage play."
"During his time at a table, Ben was asked numerous times to cease counting cards," a Las Vegas source informed the magazine. "However, he disregarded the requests. The casino personnel told Ben that he was being too conspicuous."
This is not the first time Affleck has found himself in the gambling news. A seasoned poker player mentored by Annie Duke and Amir Vahedi, Affleck won the 2004 California State Poker Championship, bagging a prize worth $356,000. He's also a regular at the World Series of Poker. Additionally, he's previously won sizable sums at blackjack tables, for instance, a purported $800,000 at the Hard Rock in 2001. He's also been connected to high-stakes, illicit poker games in the past.
Recent Conflict at a Casino
Clooney isn't the only celeb who's had a clash with casino authorities lately. In April, George Clooney got into a spat with casino boss Steve Wynn over dinner while discussing the Affordable Care Act. According to Clooney, Wynn labelled President Obama as an "asshole," prompting Clooney to retaliate with the same remark before leaving the restaurant. Both sides have debated the veracity of the events, with Wynn blaming Clooney's drunkenness, while the actor claims that the other eight people present at the table can confirm his rendition of the events.
The art of Card Counting
Card counting is a strategy adopted by blackjack players to outwit the casino. Players, through a range of complex systems, monitor the cards that have already left the shoe. This information allows them to assess the composition of the remaining cards. Savvy counters increase their bets when the remaining shoe favors them, and vice versa. However, many casinos now employ automatic shuffling machines to mitigate these techniques.
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