Phil Ivey sued by Atlantic City casino Borgata for alleged cheating

Phil Ivey’s alleged utilization of “edge-sorting” in Baccarat earned the nine-time WSOP bracelet winner almost $10 million in ill-gotten winnings based on a case filed Wednesday through the Borgata Hotel & Casino.

The suit alleges Ivey and Cheng Yin Sun used the technique to defraud the Atlantic City casino of $9.6 million this year. This lawsuit comes less than one year after Ivey sued London casino Crockfords for withholding his winnings from two Punto Banco sessions.

Ivey, who is very good at what he is doing, apparently used a method called edge-sorting to tilt the odds in the favor while playing baccarat in the Borgata. The lawsuit contends that Ivey knew of the defect with the handmade cards and was able to exploit that defect towards the tune of almost $10 million.

For all of his visits to the Borgata, Ivey specifically asked for purple Gemaco Borgata playing cards. Also, he asked for a dealer who spoke Mandarin Chinese, apparently for Yin Sun. By knowing of the defect and examining them, the Borgata says that Ivey gained an unfair advantage and cheated his way to the $9.6 million. On his last visit in October of 2012, Ivey was up over $3.5 million, but the casino claims he lost the majority of it on purpose so they won’t raise suspicion.

The lawsuit comes almost exactly twelve months after Ivey filed suit against Crockfords, a London casino. Ivey won nearly $11 million playing Punto Banco in August of 2012. The casino accused him of cheating and refused to pay for his winnings. Ivey admitted that he did read the cards, but that he didn’t cheat.

Ivey hasn’t commented on the suit, but its outcome could play a large role in the remainder of his career. Las Vegas casinos, as well as others round the U.S. and also the world, can become wary of Ivey and his tactics and never permit him to play. It would be a shame to see his brilliant career end by doing this. Here is a take a look at Ivey at his best – the top five plays of his career.