Most cash you've seen in a money match. First hand accounts
- Thread starter Handsumm
- Start date
Fatboy said:
This whole story has aired on the Dicovery Channel many times.
Archie had 66 Mill. and blew it. I can't imagine. But then again, I never would have won that much. I would have cashed out and quit gambling forever.
It is an incredible story though and they only tell a portion of it.
Freddy knows Archie .
At one time Archie had ALL the $5,000 chips from the Horseshoe in his box, about ten million worth. They had to buy some back from him. He had nearly ten million in boxes at other strip casinos, including Caesars, the Mirage and Treasure Island. He had even paid about four million in taxes to the Feds, so the money was all his. And it is true, it started with a million dollar pool score and another million playing heads up poker, all from Bobby Baldwin, President of the Mirage. Archie beat several top poker players heads up including Doyle, Chip Reese and Johnny Chan.
Biggest pool game I personally witnessed was when Jack Cooney played James Walden at Derby City in about 2000 for 100K. They played eight ahead One Pocket and it took three days for Jack to win. I know because I had a piece of Jack's action.
The biggest pool games ever were at The Rack in Detroit and in Baton Rouge at Flyboy's (Jimmy Spears) place.
Biggest pool game I personally witnessed was when Jack Cooney played James Walden at Derby City in about 2000 for 100K. They played eight ahead One Pocket and it took three days for Jack to win. I know because I had a piece of Jack's action.
The biggest pool games ever were at The Rack in Detroit and in Baton Rouge at Flyboy's (Jimmy Spears) place.
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About 15 years ago I'm playing in a late night golf game at a Chinese snooker club (private high end). Seven handed $1.00 a stroke nice friendly game. Goes all night and I get the best of it for about $300.00. These two gentlemen are not happy with the outcome and figure they can "cut me up" and ask if I would like to play 3 handed for $5.00 a stroke. This can get expensive but I like my chances and agreed. Well half a hour later they are at each others throats yelling at each other in Chinese and I'm just giggling going about my business. Well I'm able to plug a hole and now they are barking at each other for one of the guys to take a foul to clear the hole...otherwise they'll never get in and I'll brake the bank. Well they spend 1/2 a hour trying to hook each other and I'm making nothing but money. Finally one of the guys pulls up and pays me off and gives his friend the dirtiest look I have ever seen.
This image is burnt into my mind. They looked like 2 five year olds staring down each other in a playground. The other guy reaches into his pocket and pulls out the biggest single ball of money I have ever seen. Had to be 50K+ Big huge roll of 100's and 1000's (We have them in Canada). They now want to play each other $50.00 a stroke. That's $300.00 a foul! I tell them thank you and that I'll pickup the table tab. Grab a coffee and watch for the action. Two hours into it and the guy with the big wad is down about 22K. A friend of mine pulls up beside me to ask whats up. I tell him what just transpired. He then tells me...this is nothing. These two and two other Drug Czars play teams snooker for $100.00 a point and routinely exchange 50K a weekend.
Six months later there was a shoot up at the club...it was abandoned by the owner 8 weeks later. $100.00 a point and neither could run 20 points to safe their life. Must be why they played for so much.
This image is burnt into my mind. They looked like 2 five year olds staring down each other in a playground. The other guy reaches into his pocket and pulls out the biggest single ball of money I have ever seen. Had to be 50K+ Big huge roll of 100's and 1000's (We have them in Canada). They now want to play each other $50.00 a stroke. That's $300.00 a foul! I tell them thank you and that I'll pickup the table tab. Grab a coffee and watch for the action. Two hours into it and the guy with the big wad is down about 22K. A friend of mine pulls up beside me to ask whats up. I tell him what just transpired. He then tells me...this is nothing. These two and two other Drug Czars play teams snooker for $100.00 a point and routinely exchange 50K a weekend.
Six months later there was a shoot up at the club...it was abandoned by the owner 8 weeks later. $100.00 a point and neither could run 20 points to safe their life. Must be why they played for so much.
Let us not forget North Shore Billiards
Since the action at Lamberts in Baton Rouge was mainly Jimmy Spears and Jack Cooney only, I like to think the number 2 action joint after the Rack, in pool, was my place, North Shore Billiards in Chicago. There were more top players, playing on more tables, and for more money (and the players included Jimmy Spears and Jack Cooney) than anywhere else outside of Detroit. For Chrisake, Johnny Cannonball Lefty Chapman was the counter-man.
the Beard
As an aside, I finally got to talk to Archie Karas (on Harry Platis's phone at DCC) for the first time since I robbed him for 200k in PA. He accused me of bragging about the story all over the internet. Actually, I waited over ten years before I ever released the story to anyone.
jay helfert said:
Since the action at Lamberts in Baton Rouge was mainly Jimmy Spears and Jack Cooney only, I like to think the number 2 action joint after the Rack, in pool, was my place, North Shore Billiards in Chicago. There were more top players, playing on more tables, and for more money (and the players included Jimmy Spears and Jack Cooney) than anywhere else outside of Detroit. For Chrisake, Johnny Cannonball Lefty Chapman was the counter-man.
the Beard
As an aside, I finally got to talk to Archie Karas (on Harry Platis's phone at DCC) for the first time since I robbed him for 200k in PA. He accused me of bragging about the story all over the internet. Actually, I waited over ten years before I ever released the story to anyone.
Voodoo Daddy
One Pocket 101
Mid 90's in a smokey poolroom in Miami I witnessed a few high chip count ahead sets featuring Super Mario...most total chips at one time without the rail was 150K.
He doesnt play anymore...
He doesnt play anymore...
Seems like Dane and Stutterman would be pretty high up there.
p.s. this seems like an IRS agent's dream.
p.s. this seems like an IRS agent's dream.
Been at Myrtle Beach at River Hills Country Club. Where the Calcutta got over $1 million. I have seen matches that were for $10,000 per hole. I actually played in one for 6,000 a hole. We won 4-up.=)They got some great Texas Holdem' tourneys too. I think the buy in was like 5 dimes.
I once played this Martian on his spaceship for $4 billion/rack 9-ball. After I won the first 4,273 games to put me up about $17 trillion, he asked to have the gravity turned-off, said it was hurting his form. I agreed since it had been about 4 days since my last miss but insisted that since I had never been in a zero-gravity room, we would obviously have to up the stakes to $100 billion/rack or play for the entire $17 trillion to 1,000 ahead. He won the first game which made me EXTREMELY nervous. I went to shoot the 9-ball and it just floated off the table, giving him ball-in-his-three-finger-hand. I bore down and proceeded to win the next 1,001 games. I made a ball on the break every time and proceeded to break my personal record (5 consecutive days without missing).
After I got back to Earth, I gave the President $9 Trillion of it to cover the national deficit (gotta throw someone a gapper) and bought myself a new coffee-maker.
If you guys don't believe me, you're in luck. We actually traveled in time for the match so it all happens in three years. You can come watch me LIVE. Oh and in case you wanted to know, the President I gave the money to was Clinton. No war, we all get healthcare and the US Constitution is actually referred to when passing legislation.
After I got back to Earth, I gave the President $9 Trillion of it to cover the national deficit (gotta throw someone a gapper) and bought myself a new coffee-maker.
If you guys don't believe me, you're in luck. We actually traveled in time for the match so it all happens in three years. You can come watch me LIVE. Oh and in case you wanted to know, the President I gave the money to was Clinton. No war, we all get healthcare and the US Constitution is actually referred to when passing legislation.
Jude Rosenstock said:
You a 'playa' Jude!
jay helfert said:
Nope. Now that I have my new coffee-maker, I'm retired.
NittiFan said:
Wait, are you questioning the authenticity of my story? Clinton is President! I don't see why someone would find that unbelieveable.
You're right, you would think that would be up there, thats how Dane got his pool hall. lol. I've heard numerous stories of Stutterman at my home pool hall. They say he used to come in there every day with a grocery sack full of money looking for some big action. After Dane I heard he went to Atlanta and someone got most of it from him there, but who knows what you can believe in the pool world anymore?
In Olathe Ks
Its probably been about 10 years ago, I was in Shooters in Olathe, KS and whatched youngester take $40K off an older guy.
I sat with Roger Griffin, who I havent heard about in years. Somebody went over the the guys that was with the guy that was losing and told him that they better have their boy pull up.
They came back and said, "Why? He's lost more that this before!". I dont know who either of the players were but it was $400/rack 9-ball and they paid off after each game!
The one that lost I heard owned pool halls in St. Louis if that helps.
Ken
Its probably been about 10 years ago, I was in Shooters in Olathe, KS and whatched youngester take $40K off an older guy.
I sat with Roger Griffin, who I havent heard about in years. Somebody went over the the guys that was with the guy that was losing and told him that they better have their boy pull up.
They came back and said, "Why? He's lost more that this before!". I dont know who either of the players were but it was $400/rack 9-ball and they paid off after each game!
The one that lost I heard owned pool halls in St. Louis if that helps.
Ken
The highest amount for one game that I saw was $10,000 for one game of 9 ball on a 7' bar table!!!!!! Some of the witnesses said it was the most they'd seen for a single game especially on a 7' table. One of the players was running out and he got to the 7 ball and literally choked on a fairly easy cut shot in the corner just thinking about $10,000 riding on the 7,8, & 9.belmicah said:
ironman said:
i live in vegas and knew all the people involved, i'm NOT here to argue, and yes i have seen the TV show too, they played it up on his winnings, he really scored about 26-28mil , it all started with the 1.5 from Bobby B at the Rum Runner, a month before that he was playing 1 ball one pocket with Terry at Cue Topia every night, for $100/game. I played his speed at 9 ball but we didnt ever match up. terry worked ther graveyard and played while he was on the clock When I heard of his score I couldnt figure out how the hell he got backed, and why Bobby would go off like that, Archie was busted and a Guy loses 1,5M to a guy who is flat? Never made sense to me, Fred G. who owned Cue Topia said he had stake horses in Greece, and bobby had a shot to win $$$, he, bobby is too smart to lose that much $$$ to a busted guy. Wen it was over bobby went out side and broke his shaft, my friend John Canada still has it last i heard 6-7 years ago.
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