Despite poker’s reputation as a game of skill and integrity, Mike Postle allegedly had a different approach. The father of WSOP, Benny Binion, would even deal brutal physical punishment to anyone caught cheating at his Horseshoe casino.
However, Postle was accused of cheating his way through a series of poker events at Stones Gambling Hall in California from late 2018 into 2019. How did he do it, and were the accusations true?
Today’s casino news shed light on Mike Postle’s cheating case. He was accused of using real-time information to claim several victories in the live-streamed poker games.
Mike Postle Scandal: Unveiling the Alleged Poker Cheating Tactics
Mike Postle is a native of Mississippi, USA. He worked as a dealer in Wisconsin before quitting in 2004 to start playing poker professionally online. Three years later, Postle competed in a Gold Strike World Poker Open $1,500 event in Tunica, MS, where Mike won $118,743 in prize money. He stopped playing poker online because of the 2011 Black Friday that shut down all the US online poker rooms.
After his daughter was born, Mike Postle relocated to California to continue his career with land casinos. In 2012, he won his second Gold Strike World Poker Open tournament, finishing 3rd in a $3,000 event for a $50,000 cash prize. He also won the Ante Up Magazine’s Poker Tour Player of the Year Award in 2015.
Mike Postle: Suspicious Winning Streak at Stones
In 2018, Mike Postle played live cash games in the Stones Gambling Hall, which extended into 2019. From July 2018, he won almost every single session of the low-stakes game, which amounted to about $250,000. For 14 months, he recorded a statistically impossible win rate, which made Veronica Brill curious. She was one of the host commentators at Stones Gambling Hall. Brill is a professional analytic analyst in the medical field.
Probably due to her analytical skills, Brill sensed foul play during the game for a long time but had nothing to back her suspicion. She only noticed that Mike Postle knew exactly what to play at the right time. He would fold where the hand was not in his favor and raise where he had the most advantage. It was as though he could see the players’ cards.
Brill notified the tournament director, Justin Kuraitis, of possible cheating, but her claim was promptly dismissed.
In September 2019, Brill watched Mike Postle closely. To her, his wins were “impossible,” and this time, she fully believed he was cheating. She raised concern and notified the director again, forcing him to take action. Subsequent investigations into the matter began to clarify Brill’s claim.
The Postlegate Cheating Exposed
The live games at Stones used RFID-embedded playing cards, a sensor that helps track each card. These sensors help the technical control room identify the information on each playing card, including its rank and suit. The sensors also give casino management and livestream supervisors information about a card facing down that has yet to be dealt with.
Investigators demanded the tournament’s live-streamed footage. They used it to analyze Mike Postle’s gameplay. The footage revealed how he managed to make the correct decision in every hand of the game. They saw how he consistently made the perfect bluffs, calls, folds, and raises. His decision-making accuracy was unbelievable. Another piece of footage showed him frequently looking down at his lap, where he possibly kept a mobile device for his cheating operation.
Several further examinations suggested that Mike Postle had possibly been receiving information about opponents’ playing cards during the course of the event. Others showed that he most likely had an electronic earplug through which his accomplice communicated with him. However, no one had concrete evidence.
Aftermath of Mike Postle and his Cheating Scandal
The poker community called for the board to ban Mike Postle from poker. The accusation led to a big-blown lawsuit. 88 players pressed charges. Several prominent media personalities also closely followed the case.
However, after a prolonged battle, people started losing interest, and almost all accusers dropped their charges. Mike Postle denied all allegations and was never convicted or considered a cheater.
How Casinos Prevent a Repeat of the Mike Postle Incident
To prevent cheating, many casinos install jamming devices that block any signal from entering or leaving their facilities. Some even use encrypted RFID chips, which cheaters cannot scan or track to obtain real-time information.
Also, casinos train their personnel to detect cheating patterns, no matter how subtle. The use of many CCTV cameras is now a must. Casinos need them to settle any dispute at various poker games table.
Additionally, casinos have strict penalties for any form of cheating. Lifetime bans from all casinos and criminal prosecutions scare cheaters off.
Security Revised
Mike Postle allegedly received information about opponents’ playing cards at Stones Gambling Hall. Some investigators said he used an electronic earplug to communicate with one of the production team members in the hall. However, there was no convincing proof that he cheated, so he was not charged with any crime.
The Mike Postle cheating scandal has only revealed the area casinos need to work on. With proper proactive measures, casinos continue to ensure free and fair gaming, preventing such a case from reoccurring. Visit Vegas Aces Casino for a hitch-free online casino gaming experience.
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