What’s the first thing that enters your mind when you think of MIT, the world-renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology: engineering genius, mathematical wizard, visionary, geek, hacker? If you chose any one of those, you would be correct. Mix them all together, add some smoke and mirrors, big-time anonymous investors, a dash of anarchy for good measure, and you get one of the best scams of all times–the MIT Blackjack Team–the ultimate in high stakes, genius-backed hacking! Infamy is nothing new to MIT. Some of the world’s wiliest hackers hailed from the hallowed halls of MIT; but when one gifted math professor and six gifted students banded together, they propelled organized hacking to dizzying heights and snookered organized gambling to the tune of millions! That was sweet music to the ears of millions who have left behind small fortunes in their quest to beat the casinos.
After school club
The MIT Blackjack team began as an after-school club held in campus classrooms where students assembled to apply their genius to card games, unwind (at least, by MIT standards), and have fun. The club eventually evolved into serious business. The team set up a complete underground system of casino mock-ups spanning apartments, warehouses, and classrooms scattered across Boston where they worked diligently to perfect their scheme. Before advancing to live play in the casino, each player had to pass a rigorous battery of tests encompassing all of the roles under simulated casino conditions, including distraction and harassment. Still, they were not ready for the big league until further honing their skills in Boston’s Chinatown before heading to Las Vegas.
Card Counting
Card counting, the heart of their system, is a proven winning technique. Blackjack odds offer the one opportunity for those with skill, dogged determination, and discipline to consistently beat the house. The casinos know that Blackjack is vulnerable (that smart, disciplined players actually have a fighting chance of winning), and that is why they ban the big winners and harass and threaten potential big winners.
Casino management further understands that it takes only one or two mistakes to turn a player’s winning system into a house win, and that is the only reason that they tolerate card counting–until it turns against them. They rely on human frailties, such as lack of discipline and distraction, to return the advantage to the house.
The MIT team used card counting as the foundation of their system; it was only one among a number of tools in their magical tool box, and even then, it wasn’t traditional card counting. It added a high-low system, based on the statistical probability of receiving high or low cards, and they added an additional technique for cutting the cards that further skewed the odds in their favor.
Team members traveled together, seemingly as total strangers. Each assumed one of a number of well-crafted fake identities, the teams included several types of players, each member playing a well-defined role. Anonymous investors provided the stake and expected a return on their investment. One such outing netted a 154% ROI after expenses. Transporting huge amounts of cash back and forth was another obstacle they overcame with ingenuity. Cash traveled in every conceivable manner: strapped to bodies, on “mules,” in hollow crutches, just to name a few.
High Tech vs Low Tech
Their reign spanned a good part of the 1990s when they traveled the casino circuit with total abandon. Their $400,000 winning weekend in Las Vegas is legendary. Casino technology was not yet at a stage where it could match wits with MIT genius. At least, it had not made its way to practical application in Las Vegas, Ironically, it would be low-tech sloppiness that brought the team down in the end.
The casinos had learned to deal with the card counters long before the MIT pikers hit the scene. When they identified a card counter, they would ensure that his play at the tables was a living nightmare, and should the card counter take the house for a large sum, they would immediately ban him. Technology in the 1990s had matured to a point where bad news traveled fast. When the card counter was detected at one casino, it became nearly impossible to escape detection at any other casino.
Profiled MIT Blackjack Team
Las Vegas casino bosses relied on a long-established profile of the Blackjack card counter, but since the MIT team ran counter to the profile, that also worked in their favor, helping them to escape detection. The profile assumed one lone card counter. The team’s nonchalant, seemingly random style of play also ran counter to the profile. But they were crazy like foxes–until they were no more.
Finally, sloppiness brought them to their knees. Eventually, they lost their discipline and their cool; the well-oiled machine built with the precision of a Swiss watch began to fall apart. They began to fraternize, and not just with the usual Las Vegas temptations, but with each other–in public. A total chance spotting of the teams relaxing and playing at a Las Vegas pool blew their cover. The tale of their unraveling wound its way back to the back streets of Boston before they finally disbanded. The odds had finally turned against them, and the stakes were far too high for even the geniuses from MIT.
The last remaining team player was escorted from the table with the parting words, “You can’t play here. You’re too good for us.”
Blackjack Team in the News
The tale of the MIT Blackjack Team doesn’t end with its demise. ABC, CNN, History Channel, and CBS’s 60 Minutes all picked up the story. Bringing Down the House : The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions (Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group, 2002), by Ben Mezrich, chronicles the escapades of the team from its inception to the end of the line through the eyes of team member, Kevin Lewis (not his real name). One enterprising former member currently offers seminars based on the system.
The final irony has yet to play itself out. Kevin Spacey is producing the movie version of the book, due to be released by MGM sometime in 2006. One has to wonder if the movie will help MGM recover its losses to the MIT Blackjack Team.
I liked the feedback on this:D ———————————- Dear Diary, It’s now 9: 20 pm and I have to go to sleep. I have school tomorrow. The girls are gonna show us around. It’s been going good here. I like it, the environment suits Ally and I. Jenny and Kylie said I could hang with their group. They filled Ally and I with the 411 at the school. Stephen & Jake Harper; Brothers, jocks, players, not someone you want to get involved with. Although, Jenny has a huge crush on Jake. Angie & Erick Leighton; Brother and sister. Erick is single, they said he would be perfect for Ally. Angie wasn’t single. She was dating Shawn Martinez. Dylan Thompson; One of The Harper Brother’s friends, player also. Kylie has a huge crush on him. Oh, and our table group. Angie and Erick, Ally and I, Kylie and Jenny, Josh Williams and Ryan Hill, Carly Davis and Angelica Carter. Now I’m gonna go to sleep and dream about what the next day will be like. xoxo, Sarah(: I gently closed my diary, stored it in my dresser, and shut out my lamp light. I layed down and closed my eyes, and drifted to sleep. ==== 6:30 AM Sarah’s Bedroom ==== I woke up to the sound of Paramore blasting through my alarm clock/ radio. I awoke and walked into my bathroom. [Did I mention I had my own bathroom? How cool!] I undressed out of my pajamas and took a shower. I got out and brushed my teeth, blah, blah, blah. I think you know the rest. The real thing was picking out a first day outfit. I settled on my skinny …
First may I say on behalf of Mike’s friends and family what an honor it is to have this cup presented in his memory. What can I say about Mike, or Feuilly as some of you knew him? He was much more than the opinionated sports fanatic that you knew from the forums. So much more. Otakubooty was very special to Mike. I remember us driving to Villanova University for a tiny anime con that OB was a part of. He pointed out members as they passed in the halls. Then there was Otakon and he knew even more members. The OB community was a very big part in his life. He appreciated all you kindred spirits. Mike moved to my home town when I was 7 and we became fast friends. He was the only son of two loving parents: Jerry & Kathy. We played Little league, Basketball and Football together. Any sport he didn’t actively take part in, he would watch avidly: Whatever the game, he would always bring his ‘Play to Win’ attitude. Unbeknownst to each other, we would both watch Voltron & Sailor moon in the early mornings before school. He liked the storylines and I liked the transformations of the Sailor scouts*Ahem* I mean Voltron. Mike was in honors all throughout High school and went on to Syracuse University . Midway through college he was diagnosed with leukemia, which was the start of his 5 year battle. Michael pulled out of college and received treatment that resulted in remission. He didn’t waste anytime going back to Syracuse and completing his education. While he was there he led an …
Bob Lipscombe, President of the NSW Teachers Federation, outlines teachers objections to the publication of school league tables and the reasons for the moratorium on NAPLAN tests.
BUY the SKLZ lightning Bolt Pitching Machine by clicking on the link below (You will be redirected to the Amazon.com product page)—- amzn.to The SKLZ Lighting Bolt Pitching Machine is designed to help improve hand-eye coordination. The micro-balls are roughly the size of American silver dollars, and are shot of the machine at various intervals. Pitching machines are not a perfect substitute for hitting live pitching, but they can serve their purpose in improving reaction times. A few notes – - The machine comes with a 4′ AC adapter (Which means you will likely need an extension cord) or you have the option of using 6 (six) C batteries (not included) – Comes with 6 blue laced and 6 red laced balls – Has adjustable height – but in reality it will need to e set on something (small table or bucket) since at the highest setting barely gets the ball off of the ground – The final 1-2 balls seem to stick within the machine and fire erratically – not too big of an issue, but sometimes it takes 30-60 seconds before they are launched. – Uses proprietary balls – again, each ball is roughly the size of a silver dollar, so you can just load up a bucket of spare baseballs. – The tube on the pitching machine doubles as a ball retriever – this works, but is not much of a positive. – The machine is very loud, and sounds like it could break-down at any moment – The entire casing is made of plastic – between this and the sound of the motor you wonder how long this thing will last – Claims …
bit.ly – A free $50 starting capital from world’s largest Poker School – Join & try poker without risking your own money! NO deposit required, check it out! Not open for US players. For US players free $50 please visit bit.ly . Also open to everyone else worldwide. The Professional Poker Tour (PPT) was a series of televised poker tournaments, spinning off from the World Poker Tour (WPT) television series. It billed itself as the first professional poker league, and was limited to players who have established themselves on the World Poker Tour, World Series of Poker, or major participation on the poker circuit. Matt Corboy was the lead commentator, with poker pro Mark Seif as color commentator and Kaye Han as floor reporter. The first season, taped in 2004-2005, began airing regularly on Travel Channel on July 5, 2005 and left the air in 2007. Events were telecast across five shows each. The first four shows were labeled as quarters, from 1st Quarter to 4th Quarter, reflecting early-round play in the event. The final six-player table was the fifth show of the cycle. The PPT was canceled after one season. Events that comprised the PPT in 2005 were integrated into the WPT schedule in 2007-08.
bit.ly – A free $50 starting capital from world’s largest Poker School – Join & try poker without risking your own money! NO deposit required, check it out! Not open for US players. For US players free $50 please visit bit.ly . Also open to everyone else worldwide. The Professional Poker Tour (PPT) was a series of televised poker tournaments, spinning off from the World Poker Tour (WPT) television series. It billed itself as the first professional poker league, and was limited to players who have established themselves on the World Poker Tour, World Series of Poker, or major participation on the poker circuit. Matt Corboy was the lead commentator, with poker pro Mark Seif as color commentator and Kaye Han as floor reporter. The first season, taped in 2004-2005, began airing regularly on Travel Channel on July 5, 2005 and left the air in 2007. Events were telecast across five shows each. The first four shows were labeled as quarters, from 1st Quarter to 4th Quarter, reflecting early-round play in the event. The final six-player table was the fifth show of the cycle. The PPT was canceled after one season. Events that comprised the PPT in 2005 were integrated into the WPT schedule in 2007-08.
Not all professional athletes make a lot of money such as those that participate in less traditional non revenue producing sports. In order to be able to be a professional athlete full time, many of these less popular athletes have to rely on the products and paychecks they receive from their sponsors and advertisers. Other athletes, that are in the limelight however, make a lot of money playing their sport and even more from their sponsorship deals. One of the first athletes to really do this was NBA player, Michael Jordan who used his basketball skills to promote several products as well as apparel, toys, products and even basketball videos with his name on them.
Wherever there is space to promote a sponsor, they will find a way to do it whether it is on the helmet of a professional NASCAR racer or in the form of a body tattoo to professional beach volleyball player Gabrielle Reece. Athletes are offered great package deals to promote a certain brand as a sort of spokesperson and in exchange they receive monetary and product compensation. For the lesser known athletes, this is very helpful to provide them with the extra income they need to be able to train full time. For other well paid athletes like professional baseball, basketball and football players it is just icing on the cake.
Michael Jordan was one of the first professional athletes to really be endorsed by various sponsors and he ended up making more from those endorsements than he did playing basketball. Certain businesses saw the total star power in Michael Jordan and knew he could make their product be noticed with him promoting it. One example was Gatorade which was a sports drink that had been around for quite a while but when they got Michael Jordan to endorse Gatorade, sales rose quickly and it became the top selling sports drink.
Now younger professional athletes that are making it to the big leagues see product endorsements as part of the package deal when they sign professionally. Many new athletes that are confident in themselves and their ability to sell items even hold out for multi million dollar contracts today. One example of that younger big time player is Le Bron James. He made it into the headlines for his basketball abilities saying he was the next Jordan when he was just a sophomore in high school playing in Akron, Ohio. Now he is one the biggest paid athletes with multiple endorsements.
The largest grossing professional athlete to receive the largest amount of endorsement deals in history is golfer, Tiger Woods. As an individual athlete, he is not paid by salary but rather by performance and how many big golf tournaments he wins. Because he has been such a high profile, successful and marketable player, his endorsements deals are earning him several million each year on top of his golf earnings. He also has lost several of these sponsors with the recent scandals of his many infidelities.
The shadow children, schools and families secretary Michael Gove outlines the parties plans to overhaul the “dumbed down” system of examinations and league tables to make them academically rigorous.