All language subtitles for Holy.Rollers.The.True.Story.of.Card.Counting.Christians.2011.1080p.WEB.h264-OPUS

I REALLY LIKE
THE CHURCH TEAM.

I REALLY ESPECIALLY LIKE
HOW WE GOT THE NAME
"THE CHURCH TEAM".

ONE OF OUR FRIENDS--
WHO DOES NOT HAVE ANYTHING
TO DO WITH CHURCH--SAID...

"WHAT ARE YOU GUYS--
LIKE, THE FUCKING CHURCH TEAM?"

HOW IT LOOKED FROM OUTSIDE

MUST'VE BEEN THAT IT HAD
MORE TO DO WITH CHURCH
THAN BLACKJACK.

SO, UH, THE LABEL
JUST KIND OF STUCK.

THE LABEL "CHURCH TEAM"
IS ONE OF THE REASONS

THAT ACTUALLY
SWAYED ME TO JOIN.

I KNEW THAT THERE WERE
GOOD, GODLY PEOPLE

WHO CARED ABOUT JESUS,
WHO CARED ABOUT INTEGRITY,

AND CARED ABOUT ME.

THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN
REASONS THAT I JOINED.

IT'S A BLACKJACK TEAM
THAT IS CALLED
"THE CHURCH TEAM".

THOSE TWO THINGS
GOING TOGETHER
NEVER GETS OLD.

**

THE IDEA OF BLACKJACK, UM...
STARTED WITH ME,

WITH JUST THE IDEA
THAT YOU CAN BEAT THE CASINO,

THAT YOU CAN LEARN A SYSTEM
THAT CONSISTENTLY WORKS

WHERE YOU KNEW
THAT YOU HAD THE EDGE

AND HAD THE ODDS
AGAINST THIS GIANT THING

THAT SEEMED SO BIG
AND UNCONQUERABLE.

MY FIRST REAL ENCOUNTER
WITH BEATING IT--

OR HOW TO BEAT IT
MATHEMATICALLY--

WAS THROUGH A BOOK
CALLED...

HOW TO MAKE $100,000
A YEAR GAMBLING.

AND I READ A CHAPTER
ABOUT HOW TO BEAT BLACKJACK.

IT TOOK ME ABOUT
FIVE MINUTES TO READ,

AND I SAID,
"HEY, I COULD DO THAT."

IS THIS BLACKJACK?

BLACKJACK.
LET'S DO IT.

THERE'S TWO THINGS
WITH BLACKJACK THAT MAKE IT
INTERESTING FOR ME.

ONE IS BEING SELF-EMPLOYED,

AND THE SECOND IS
THAT IT'S BLACKJACK.

I THINK NATURALLY
MY PERSONALITY IS--

I DON'T MIND
GETTING IN TROUBLE,

AND I LOVE
OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING.

AND CARD-COUNTING
IS EXACTLY THAT.

YOU'RE GETTING IN TROUBLE,
AND IT'S OUT-OF-THE-BOX.

WE JUST WANT TO PLAY
SOME BLACKJACK.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED
PLAYING BLACKJACK,

I HAD NO DREAMS
OR THOUGHTS

ABOUT IT EVER
GOING BIG AT ALL.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD
JUST BE ME,

AND I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE
A FUN SUMMER POSSIBLY.

I NEVER, EVER
IMAGINED BLACKJACK
BECOMING A BUSINESS,

OR BECOMING A COMPANY,

OR ME ACTUALLY
MAKING MONEY OFF OF IT.

HE TOLD ME HE'D BEEN
READING A BOOK ON IT,

AND, OF COURSE,
I'D JUST GRADUATED
WITH A MATH DEGREE,

SO IT SOUNDED
REALLY COOL

FROM AN ACADEMIC
STANDPOINT.

BEN WAS AT A PLACE
WHERE HE WAS WILLING

TO PUT HIS MONEY
TOGETHER WITH ME,

AND WE STARTED OUR FIRST
BANKROLL TOGETHER.

A GUY THAT I HAD TAUGHT HOW
TO PLAY BLACKJACK PREVIOUSLY

CAME TO US AND SAID,
"DO YOU MIND IF I PLAY
FOR YOU?"

AND WE SAID, "SURE."

I FLEW OUT TO VEGAS
ONE DAY.

HE MET ME THERE,

AND WE DROVE
BACK TO THE CASINO
IN A LIMOUSINE,

AND I WAS, LIKE,
"WHAT THE HECK
IS GOING ON?"

BEFORE HE KNEW IT,
HE TOLD ANOTHER GUY,

AND THOSE TWO GUYS
EACH TOLD ANOTHER PERSON.

WE HAVE FRIENDS
THAT TELL FRIENDS,

FRIENDS THAT TELL BOSSES,
FRIENDS THAT TELL
THEIR PASTORS.

I MET COLIN JONES
THROUGH THE WORSHIP
PASTOR AT MY CHURCH.

THE PASTOR SAID
THAT I SHOULD MEET
HIS BASSIST--

COLIN JONES.
I WAS STOKED.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE
THAT THERE WAS A TEAM
OF BLACKJACK PLAYERS

THAT WAS
ALL CHRISTIANS.

IT JUST SEEMED LIKE
GOD AT WORK.

THERE WAS ACTUALLY
A CHURCH PLANTING CONFERENCE
IN OUR TOWN.

THEY TOLD MY HUSBAND
AND SOME OF THE OTHER PASTORS

ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE DOING,

AND MY HUSBAND LITERALLY
HAD TO STOP THEM

AND CALL ME ON THE PHONE
BECAUSE HE KNEW
THIS WAS SOMETHING

THAT I WOULD BE
SUPER-EXCITED ABOUT.

WE WERE AT A COMMUNITY
GROUP FROM OUR CHURCH,

AND HE AND HIS WIFE
HAD TO SKIP OUT EARLY,

AND I WAS, LIKE,
"WHERE YOU GUYS GOING?"

AND THEY BOTH
LOOKED AT EACH OTHER,
AND FINALLY HE SAID,

"WELL, WE'RE KIND OF
TAKING SOME BLACKJACK
LESSONS."

AND I WAS JUST, LIKE,
"WHAT?! WHAT?!"

MY FRIEND MIKE FOSTER--

WHO I KNEW THROUGH
CHURCH PLANTING--

TOLD ME THAT
HE WAS A PROFESSIONAL
BLACKJACK PLAYER--

WHICH, OF COURSE,
MY INITIAL REACTION

WAS THAT HE WAS
MOST LIKELY ON CRACK.

IT'S SO FAR
INTO LEFT FIELD

TO THINK THAT SOMEONE
WOULD BE A PROFESSIONAL
BLACKJACK PLAYER,

LET ALONE HAVE
A WHOLE TEAM.

AND THE FACT THAT
EVERYONE WE KNEW

WAS IN MINISTRY
OF SOME SORT
WAS JUST AWESOME.

IF IT HADN'T BEEN
NAMED "CHURCH TEAM"

AND IT WASN'T
A BUNCH OF CHRISTIANS

AND PEOPLE SERVING
IN THEIR CHURCH,
HELPING PEOPLE

AND CARING ABOUT
THE COMMUNITY, I PROBABLY
WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT.

THESE PEOPLE THAT PLAY
BLACKJACK FOR US--

BEFORE BEING OUR EMPLOYEES,
THEY'RE OUR FRIENDS.

WE HAVE PEOPLE ON THIS TEAM
THAT ARE HELD TOGETHER

BY A MUCH BIGGER THING
THAN BLACKJACK.

WELCOME TO THE TEAM MEETING.

WE'RE GONNA EAT,
WE'RE GONNA TALK.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S, UH--
LET'S PRAY.

GOD, THANK YOU
FOR THE FOOD.

UH, LORD, WE THANK YOU
FOR THE TEAM,
OUR PEOPLE ON IT.

GOD, IT'S A GOOD THING
THAT YOU GIVE US, UH,

WAYS TO PROVIDE
FOR OUR FAMILIES

AND TO, UM, JUST MEET
THESE AWESOME PEOPLE.

SO, UH, AMEN.

THE CHURCH TEAM
IS AMAZING IN
A LOT OF WAYS.

I LOVE THE PEOPLE
ON OUR TEAM.

I LOVE WORKING WITH THEM,

I ENJOY HANGING OUT WITH THEM,
LIVING LIFE WITH THEM

AND TALKING ABOUT FAR DEEPER
THINGS THAN BLACKJACK.

ONE OF THE CRAZY THINGS
IS HOW MANY PEOPLE ON OUR TEAM

ACTUALLY ARE PASTORS
AND CHURCH PLANTERS.

TO BE INVOLVED IN MINISTRY
USUALLY TAKES A LARGE
AMOUNT OF TIME,

AND IF YOU HAVE
THIS OPPORTUNITY

TO FLY TO VEGAS
FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS

AND MAKE AS MUCH
AS YOU NEED

TO LIVE OFF OF
FOR A MONTH IN THREE DAYS,

THEN YOU CAN SPEND
THE REST OF THE MONTH

SHEPHERDING THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE A PART OF
YOUR CHURCH.

Computer voice:
AMELIORATE. AMELIORATE.

AMELIORATE.

I HAVE TO SAY
THIS WORD.

AMELIORATE.
AMELIORATE.

AMELIORATE.

"TO MAKE
OR BECOME BETTER."

THIS GOSPEL AMELIORATES
DISTRESSING SYMPTOMS.

AMELIORATE.

I PASTOR A CHURCH
CALLED SEVEN HILLS.

I'M TRYING TO START
A BUNCH OF CHURCHES

HERE IN
CINCINNATI, OHIO.

THE BEST WAY TO
TELL PEOPLE HOW BIG
YOUR CHURCH IS--

IF SOMEONE ASKS,
YOU JUST TELL THEM,

"WE'RE RUNNING
UNDER 500 RIGHT NOW."

IT HAPPENS TO BE TRUE
IF YOU HAVE 15 PEOPLE.

( singing, lyrics indistinct )

I WAS IN A TRANSITION,
TRYING TO FIND A WAY

TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME
AND ENOUGH INCOME
TO START A CHURCH,

AND LOOKING FOR A JOB
THAT WOULD DO THAT.

AND I COULDN'T
FIND ANYTHING.

THEN MY FRIEND TOLD ME
ABOUT THIS BLACKJACK THING

AND THAT,
THROUGH HIS PASTOR,

THEY WERE GONNA LEARN HOW TO
PLAY BLACKJACK PROFESSIONALLY.

SO, BLACKJACK BECAME
AN OPTION SUDDENLY.

PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTED
TO CONTROVERSY.

THAT'S ONE REASON
I AVOID TALKING ABOUT
WHAT I DO OR A LIVING,

AND I PLAY
ON A BLACKJACK TEAM,
AS MOST OF YOU KNOW.

AND, NATURALLY,
THAT RAISES A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

FIRST OFF, HOW COULD
A CHRISTIAN PLAY BLACKJACK?

ALL THE MORE,
HOW COULD A PASTOR DO THAT?

YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE SECRETS
ABOUT WHAT YOU DO,

ESPECIALLY AS A PASTOR,
BUT AS A CHRISTIAN
ON THE WHOLE.

SO, IT'S BEEN HARD
TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT

BECAUSE IT'S A LONG
CONVERSATION.

YOU TALK TO SOMEONE
FOR AN HOUR,

YOU THINK THEY'RE WITH YOU,
AND THEY HAVE A BUNCH
OF NEW IDEAS

THAT CROP UP IN YOUR HEAD
THAT YOU ALREADY DEAL WITH.

IT'S IRRITATING TO HAVE TO
KEEP EXPLAINING THE SAME THING
OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

SO, MY TEMPTATION
TO NOT TALK ABOUT IT
IS MORE FOR THAT REASON

THAN FOR SOMEONE
LOOKING DOWN ON ME
OR WHATEVER.

THE REASON THE CAMERA CREW
IS HERE IS THEY WANT TO DO
A DOCUMENTARY

ABOUT OUR BLACKJACK TEAM.

ONE THING THAT MAKES
OUR TEAM VERY DIFFERENT

IS THAT WE'RE MAINLY,
ALMOST ENTIRELY,
MADE UP OF CHRISTIANS,

AND OUR MOTIVATION
FOR WHAT WE DO

IS THAT WE'D SEE
THE KINGDOM GO FORTH.

AND THE WAY
WE TRY TO WORK

IS IN A WAY
THAT GLORIFIES GOD.

WHAT I'M HOPING
WILL COME OF THIS

IS THAT PEOPLE WILL SEE

THAT THE GOSPEL ABSOLUTELY,
POSITIVELY

CHANGES EVERYTHING,

AND THAT REDEMPTION
CAN CREEP

INTO THE MOST
UNEXPECTED PLACES.

COME ON IN, GUYS.

MY NAME IS KEN REED.
I'M DIRECTOR OF TABLE GAMES

AT FANTASY SPRINGS
IN CALIFORNIA.

GREW UP IN ATLANTIC CITY--
THAT'S WHERE I STARTED.

AND, UH, 28 YEARS LATER,
I'M STILL DOING IT,

SO I DO ENJOY IT,

AND BUSINESS
HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME.

AND I'VE MET A LOT OF
INTERESTING PEOPLE,

A LOT OF
INTERESTING CUSTOMERS.

HEY, SHELDON.
WHAT'S UP? SMILE.

THE BEST PART
ABOUT YOU IS,

YOU'LL BE HERE
TOMORROW, TOO.

( laughs )

I'VE BEEN ACTUALLY
VERY FORTUNATE.

FROM CAESAR'S
TO GOLDEN NUGGET
TO FOXWOODS--

I'VE WORKED IN THREE
OF THE BIGGEST PLACES
IN THE WORLD AT THAT TIME.

I THINK I'VE SEEN IT ALL,
BUT I SAY THAT,

AND THEN NEXT WEEK
I SEE SOMETHING ELSE
AND I SAY, "OH, MY GOD."

SO...

( chuckles )

I DON'T EVEN KNOW
IF I SHOULD GET INTO IT.

TO BE A GOOD CARD-COUNTER,
YOU'VE GOT TO BE PATIENT.

LET'S JUST PUT IT THAT WAY.

ALL IT TAKES
IS A LOT OF PRACTICE.

YOU CAN'T DO IT OVERNIGHT.

IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING
WE'RE ON THE ALERT FOR 24/7

IN ANY CASINO.

AND, OF COURSE,
IF I CATCH YOU COUNTING CARDS

OR SURVEILLANCE,
WE JUST ASK YOU TO LEAVE.

I MEAN, HELL, WE'VE GOT
A WHOLE BOOK OF CARD-COUNTERS
IN THE OFFICE

FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

BOTTOM LINE IS,
CHEATERS ARE EVERYWHERE,

IN ANY CASINO IN THE WORLD.

IT'S THE NATURE
OF OUR BUSINESS.
WE GOT THE MONEY.

AND IF YOU GOT THE MONEY,
SOMEBODY'S GOING TO TRY
TO TAKE IT.

( laughter and chatter )

COOL, GUYS.

WELCOME TO THE,
UH, MEETING.

TWO YEARS AGO,
FROM BASICALLY
THIS MONTH,

WE HAD OUR FIRST
MEETING HERE.

AND WE SAT HERE
UP FRONT,

AND THERE WAS
NINE PEOPLE,

AND WE WERE,
LIKE, "HOLY CRAP.

THAT'S A LOT
OF PEOPLE."

JUST TO LET YOU
KNOW WHERE WE'RE
COMING FROM,

THIS IS, LIKE,
REALLY AWESOME

FOR US TO BE
A PART OF THIS.

WE'VE GOT
FIREFIGHTERS,
NURSES,

PEOPLE
PLANTING CHURCHES,
PASTORING CHURCHES,

WATCHING KIDS,
MOTHERS, FATHERS,
WHATEVER--

ALL PEOPLE
THAT ARE A PART
OF THIS TEAM.

WHO'D EVER THINK
THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE?

AND IT'S, LIKE,
I'M WORKING
MY DREAM JOB,

AND IT'S BECAUSE OF,
LIKE, YOU GUYS HERE.

IT'S BEEN ANOTHER
GOOD QUARTER.

ANY GUESS ON HOW MUCH
WE TOOK FROM CASINOS IN 2007?

900,000.

900,000, 1.2, A MILLION,

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BOOM!

( cheers and applause )

$1.58 MILLION TAKEN
OUT OF CASINOS THIS YEAR.

I'M EXCITED, UM,
TO TAKE MORE MONEY
FROM CASINO NEXT YEAR.

FOR THOSE OF YOU
THAT HATE CASINOS,
WE'RE DOING OUR PART.

( applause )

**

Mark: EVERYBODY HATES CASINOS
ON OUR BLACKJACK TEAM,

BUT I HATE CASINOS.

IT'S A BLACK HOLE.

THEY JUST SUCK GOODNESS
OUT OF THE WORLD.

I HATE 'EM.

* ...ON THE LOOSE *

* WITH SOME BAIT
AND A NOOSE *

* TO TRAP THE RAT
WHO STOLE HIS LOOT... *

I'VE NEVER PLAYED ANY TYPE
OF CARDS OR BLACKJACK--

GAMBLING--I'VE NEVER
DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT
BEFORE THIS.

ORIGINALLY, I CAME
FROM A VERY CONSERVATIVE
CHRISTIAN BACKGROUND.

I WAS TOLD, "DON'T CUSS,
DON'T HAVE SEX,

"DON'T GAMBLE,
LIKE, DON'T SHOOT SOMEBODY,

AND, LIKE, YOU'LL BE
A GOOD PERSON."

I HAVEN'T SHOT ANYBODY.
HA HA HA!

MY FIRST DAY OF TRAINING
IS THE FIRST TIME

I EVER STEPPED INTO
A CASINO IN MY LIFE.

I WAS PAINTING HOUSES
AT THE TIME,

AND WANTED TO SHOOT MYSELF.

I WAS DESPERATE.
MY OLD ROOMMATE FORD--

HE WALKED IN ONE DAY
INTO OUR APARTMENT

AND SAID, "MARK,
I'M GONNA PLAY BLACKJACK."

AND I SAID,
"FORD, YOU'RE AN IDIOT."

AND I TURNED AROUND
AND WALKED OUT OF THE ROOM.

AND I WAS, LIKE,
"THIS GUY'S SO STUPID.

LIKE, WHAT A DUMB
THING TO DO."

AND NOW, A YEAR LATER,
HERE I AM.

PROBABLY THE BIGGEST
MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE DO

WOULD BE THAT YOU HAVE TO BE
A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO DO IT

OR A MATH WHIZ.

THIS IDEA THAT YOU HAVE
TO BE A GENIUS TO BE
A CARD-COUNTER IS FOOLISH.

IT HAS A LOT TO DO
WITH PRACTICE AND REPETITION
AND MASTERING IT

THAN IT HAS TO DO WITH JUST
HAVING AN INCREDIBLE ABILITY

TO UNDERSTAND
THESE COMPLEX CONCEPTS.

SO, THE GAME OF BLACKJACK
IS ACTUALLY PRETTY SIMPLE.

YOU HAVE A DEALER,
AND YOU HAVE PLAYERS,

AND THE PLAYER WINS
BY BEATING THE DEALER,
OR THE HOUSE.

SO, THE GOAL OF THE GAME
IS FOR THE TOTAL SUM
OF YOUR CARDS

TO BE AS CLOSE TO 21
AS POSSIBLE

WITHOUT ACTUALLY GOING OVER.

SO, IF YOUR TOTAL IS HIGHER
THAN THE DEALER'S,

YOU WIN YOUR BET.

BUT IF YOUR TOTAL
IS LOWER THAN THE DEALER'S,

YOU LOSE YOUR BET.

SO, YOU PLAY
ROUND AFTER ROUND,

AND MOST PEOPLE END UP
LOSING ALL THEIR MONEY

OUT OF THEIR WALLETS,

AND PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY
JUST GO BROKE,

LOSING THEIR ENTIRE
BANK ACCOUNTS

BECAUSE THE HOUSE
WILL ALWAYS WIN...

UNLESS YOU CAN TURN
THE HOUSE ADVANTAGE
INTO YOUR ADVANTAGE

BY COUNTING CARDS.

HOW YOU DO THAT IS
REALLY JUST USE YOUR BRAIN.

WHILE PLAYING,
YOU HAVE TO KEEP
A RUNNING TALLY

OF THE CARDS
THAT HAVE BEEN PLAYED

BY ASSIGNING THEM A VALUE
OF +1, -1, OR 0.

SO, FOR EVERY 10
OR FACE CARD,
YOU SUBTRACT ONE,

FOR EVERY CARD NUMBERED
2 THROUGH 6, YOU WOULD ADD ONE,

AND THE MIDDLE CARDS--
7, 8 AND 9--ARE NEUTRAL,

SO YOU DON'T HAVE
TO DO ANYTHING.
AND WHEN THE COUNT IS HIGH,

YOU KNOW THERE'S MORE
FACE CARDS THAT ARE LEFT
IN THE DECK,

AND THAT'S WHEN THE ODDS
ARE ACTUALLY IN YOUR FAVOR,

SO YOU WOULD BET HIGH,

BECAUSE YOU'RE MORE LIKELY
TO GET A BLACKJACK

OR TWO FACE CARDS
THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

AND IT'S ACTUALLY
REALLY THAT SIMPLE,

BUT THERE'S KIND OF A LOT
OF OTHER SMALLER THINGS

THAT I DIDN'T REALLY MENTION,

LIKE YOU HAVE TO MEMORIZE
TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT CHARTS,

DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF DECKS
LEFT IN THE DISCARD TRAY,

YOU HAVE TO KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT TO BET
BASED ON THE COUNT,

AND YOU HAVE TO DO ALL THIS
KIND OF IN YOUR HEAD

WHILE NOT LOSING TRACK
OF THE COUNT OR MAKING
ANY OTHER MISTAKE.

I THINK WHAT
CONVINCED ME TO JOIN

WAS REALLY JUST MY STRONG
SENSE OF ADVENTURE.

LIKE, I JUST WANT
TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT
THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON.

HOPEFULLY,
AT SOME STAGE--

LIKE WHEN MY BOYS
ARE ALL TEENAGERS,

THEY'LL LOOK BACK
AND THINK IT'S COOL,

MAYBE LISTEN TO DAD
A LITTLE BIT MORE

'CAUSE HE'S NOT JUST
SOME DRY, BORING GUY.

IT REALLY FULFILLS
JUST MY URGE TO
GET OUT THERE

AND DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT FROM THE NORM.

I STARTED PLAYING
EARLIER IN THE YEAR,

AND I PLAYED
FOR ABOUT A FOUR-
OR FIVE-MONTH PERIOD,

AND THEN SLOWED DOWN
DRAMATICALLY

SO I COULD WORK
ON AN ONLINE BUSINESS.

WE DO A COUPLE OF
OTHER BUSINESSES.

UM, I ACTUALLY SELL
A NUTRITIONAL PRODUCT
CALLED THE FEAST.

I'VE PICKED UP A LOT
OF MATERNITY JEANS.

THESE HAVE THE BRAND-NEW TAG
ON THEM THAT SAYS $68.
I GOT THEM FOR 12.

I DECIDED TO HOP ON
THE INTERNET AND LOOK UP
"NOSE FILTERS"

AND SEE IF THERE WAS
SUCH A THING.

AND LO AND BEHOLD,
I FOUND THESE.

THE PROBLEM IS, IF YOU CUT IT,
YOU'LL LOSE THEM BACK
IN YOUR NOSE,

AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING.

WE DO A LITTLE BIT
OF EVERYTHING,

BUT I LIKE IT LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES,

WE GET TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME
WITH EACH OTHER, WITH OUR KIDS.

OKAY,
COME OVER HERE.

PUT SOME MONEY
IN THERE.

I AM A PASTOR.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY I HAVE
A COMPLETELY CLEAR
CONSCIENCE ABOUT IT.

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I THINK,
"I WONDER IF I REALLY SHOULD
BE DOING THIS."

BUT I FEEL LIKE
I'M OKAY WITH IT,

AND I FEEL LIKE GOD'S
OKAY WITH IT.

AND IF I EVER FELT LIKE
GOD WASN'T OKAY WITH IT,
I'D STOP.

I LOVE THIS PICTURE.

HE HAS A LOT OF
GOOD PICTURES.

THIS IS BEN.

HE'S VERY PERSISTENT.

WHATEVER HE DOES,
HE NEVER GIVES UP.

HE GOES 100%.

HERE YOU GO--IT'S HIM.
HERE. OH, MY GOODNESS.

HE WANTED TO GO FOR
POSSIBLE MEDICAL FIELD.

NURSE FIRST,
AND THEN MAYBE DOCTOR.

HE MAJORED IN THAT.

AND THEN THIS BLACKJACK.

AFTER THAT, I DON'T--

I'VE NEVER HEARD
ANYTHING ANYMORE.

MY MOM--HMM.

SHE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND IT.

WELL, HE KEEP TELLING ME
THAT IT'S NOT--

WHAT DO YOU CALL
THOSE THINGS?

GAMBLING?
GAMBLING.

THAT'S WHAT HE SAID.

AND I TRIED
TO UNDERSTAND.

MAYBE IT'S
NOT GAMBLING.

IT'S WORK?

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT WORDS YOU WOULD USE.

I FEEL LIKE,
IN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY,

AND JUST THE COMMUNITY
AT LARGE, FOR THE MOST PART,

GAMBLING IS NOT NECESSARILY
VIEWED AS A POSITIVE THING.

FAMILY MEMBERS OR FRIENDS
JUST CAN'T GET OVER THE HURDLE

THAT IT'S CASINOS,
AND CASINOS ARE DIRTY PLACES,

AND CHRISTIANS SHOULD HAVE
NO ASSOCIATIONS WITH CASINOS.

I'VE SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE
WRESTLE AND ACTUALLY SAY,

LIKE, I AM SENDING
PEOPLE TO HELL.

CHRISTIANS LIKE TO MAKE
EXTRA RULES

TO TRY TO HELP US,
TO SAFEGUARD US.

BUT IT ENDS UP JUST BEING
LOTS OF RULES

AND LOOKING LIKE
WE'RE ALL UPTIGHT,
WHICH WE ARE.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS
MY MOM TOLD ME

WHEN I TOLD HER
WHAT I WAS DOING

WAS THAT SHE'D RATHER
HAVE ME SELL COCAINE
FOR A LIVING

THAN PLAY BLACKJACK.

I JUST HEARD THAT
HE WAS PLAYING BLACKJACK,

AND I THOUGHT, "OH, MAN."

MY FATHER-IN-LAW CALLED
ASKED WHAT I DID

ON DAYS THAT I WASN'T
SUBSTITUTE-TEACHING,

AND I SAID,
"WELL, ACTUALLY,

I'VE BEEN DOING SOME
SHORT-TERM INVESTING."

AND I SAID,
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN,
INVESTING?"

AND THAT KIND OF
GOT INTO IT,

AND FINALLY HE ADMITTED
TO PLAYING BLACKJACK,

AND HE SAID,
"IT'S NOT GAMBLING,
IT'S NOT GAMBLING."

I SAID, "YES, IT IS."

I ARGUED FROM,
YOU KNOW,

JUST THE LAZINESS
OF IT--

"YOU'RE JUST NOT,
YOU KNOW--"

JUST--I ARGUED
FROM THE SPIRITUAL--

I BROUGHT THE BIBLE
INTO IT.

THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION
IS PEOPLE THINK

THAT YOU'RE WALKING DOWN
A ROUTE THAT IS REALLY DARK

AND REALLY DANGEROUS.

YOU THINK OF
GAMBLING ADDICTION,

YOU THINK OF ALL
THE REALLY BAD STUFF

THAT KIND OF
GOES WITH IT,

FROM JUST BEING
IN A BAD ENVIRONMENT.

EXPLAINING WHAT WE DO
TO SOMEONE TO THE FULL EXTENT

CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM
A COUPLE OF HOURS TO WEEKS,

'CAUSE PEOPLE COME BACK
WITH MORE QUESTIONS.

"AREN'T YOU WORRIED
THAT YOU'LL BE TEMPTED
TO START GAMBLING,

"AND YOU'LL JUST
GET ADDICTED?

WHAT ABOUT
THE SLEEZE FACTOR?"

AND I'LL SAY,
"75-YEAR-OLD WOMEN

NEVER TURN ON TO ME."

AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH
ALL I PLAY WITH.

"SO, ISN'T THAT ILLEGAL?"

EVERYBODY,
FOR SOME REASON,

THINKS ADDITION
AND DIVISION
IS ILLEGAL

WHEN YOU GO
INTO A CASINO.
I DON'T GET IT.

BUT IT'S JUST IGNORANCE
ON THEIR PART.

I DON'T MEAN THAT
IN A BAD WAY,

BUT THEY LITERALLY
JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND

HOW THE TEAM IS SET UP,
WHO IT'S RUN BY,

WHO ITS MEMBERS ARE,
AND HOW THE MATH WORKS.

Ben: SO,
HOW DOES IT ALL WORK?

THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT
CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE.

THERE'S THE PLAYERS,
THE MANAGERS,

AND THEN YOU HAVE
THE INVESTORS.

AND HOW IT WORKS IS,
THE INVESTORS GIVE
ALL THEIR MONEY

TO THE MANAGERS.

AT TIMES, WE'VE HAD AMOUNTS
TOTALING UP TO $1.5 MILLION,

AND WE CALL THIS
THE TEAM BANKROLL.

AND IT'S THE MANAGERS' JOB--
THEY TAKE THIS MONEY

AND THEY DISTRIBUTE IT
TO THE BLACKJACK PLAYERS
THAT THEY'VE TRAINED.

THEN THE PLAYERS TAKE
THIS MONEY TO THE CASINOS,

AND THIS IS WHERE
THEY COUNT THE CARDS,

AND HOPEFULLY THEY WIN
LOTS OF MONEY.

BUT HERE'S THE DEAL--
THE PLAYERS DON'T GET
TO KEEP THE MONEY

BECAUSE THE MONEY
BELONGS TO THE TEAM,

AND THEY GET PAID
AN HOURLY WAGE,

AND IT DOESN'T MATTER
IF THEY WIN OR LOSE.

THEY GET THE SAME
KIND OF PAY RATE.

WHENEVER THE TEAM WINS
A TOTAL OF $100,000,

AS FAR AS PROFIT,

WE CALL IT
"CLOSING A BANKROLL".

SO, THE MAIN GOAL
OF THE TEAM

IS TO CLOSE AS MANY
BANKROLLS AS POSSIBLE,

AND WHEN THEY DO CLOSE ONE,
THE PROFITS ARE SPLIT UP

AMONG THE MANAGERS,
THE PLAYERS AND THE INVESTORS,

AND EVERYONE'S HAPPY.

SO, IN A LOT OF WAYS,

IT'S STRUCTURED JUST LIKE
ANY OTHER BUSINESS,

BUT, THEN AGAIN,
IT'S KIND OF NOT.

I BELIEVE IN THE TEAM,
I BELIEVE IN THE MONEY
THAT IT MAKES,

I BELIEVE IN THE SYSTEM,
AND, BECAUSE OF THAT,

WE HAVE VIRTUALLY
ALL OF OUR LIQUID ASSETS

TIED UP IN
THE BLACKJACK TEAM.

WE'VE TAKEN OUT
A HEFTY SUM

ON A 0% INTEREST
CREDIT CARD,

AND, UH, POPPED IT
IN THE BANKROLL.

WE CASHED OUT ALL
OF OUR I.R.A.'s

AND ALL OF
OUR 401k PLANS
FROM OLD JOBS,

AND CONSOLIDATED
EVERYTHING,

AND, YEAH,
FULL-TILT--

GET EVERY CENT
IN THERE YOU CAN.

IN THE END, I ENDED UP
TAKING OUT A HOME EQUITY LOAN

JUST TO PUT
MORE MONEY INTO IT.

I THINK IT'S SUCH
A SURE THING.

ONCE YOU SEE THE MATH
AND UNDERSTAND HOW
EVERYTHING WORKS,

IT'S JUST--
I THINK IT'S DUMB
TO NOT INVEST.

AT FIRST, MY THOUGHT
OF BEING LAZY AND--

AND JUST HAVING FUN--

REALIZED THAT, HEY,
THEY'RE WORKING HARD.

AND SO, THEN,
JUST KIND OF SLOWLY,

COLIN AND BEN BOTH--
JUST THEIR HARD WORK

KIND OF WON US OVER
OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

INITIALLY, WE INVESTED,
LIKE, $5,000.

I HAD TO WIN HER OVER
AT THAT POINT.

I SAID, "HEY,
WE'RE PRETTY STRAPPED.

"WE OWN THIS PLACE HERE,
AND WE DON'T HAVE
A LOT OF MONEY

LEFT OVER AT
THE END OF THE MONTH."

SO, WE TOOK OUT
A HOME EQUITY LOAN.

WE INVESTED, I THINK,
150 AT ONE POINT.

WE'RE UP TO 200,000.

IT SLOWLY GREW ON US,
SO WE'RE--

SHE'S STILL THINKING
THAT IT'S WRONG.
( laughs )

AND SHE'S--YOU KNOW,
WE'VE BEEN MARRIED
31 YEARS, SO...

( line rings )

HELLO?

HEY, MAN. IT'S ME.

HEY, BEN.
WHAT'S UP?

AH, PRETTY GOOD.

SO, HAVE YOU
HEARD THE NEWS

ABOUT THE BANKROLL
ENDING?

YEAH.

Woman: WHOOOO!

YEAH, I SUPPOSE
IT KIND OF IS, HUH?

**

WHEN WE CLOSE A BANKROLL,
IT MEANS WE'VE REACHED
OUR GOAL OF $100,000.

WHEN THAT HAPPENS,
INVESTORS GET PAID OUT,

MANAGERS GET PAID OUT,
PLAYERS GET PAID OUT.

WE CELEBRATE.
WE GO OUT TO DINNER.
IT'S THE BIGGEST EVENT WE HAVE,

WHEN WE CLOSE A BANKROLL.

WE ALL GET PAID,

WE ALL ENJOY KIND OF, LIKE--
HEY, HIGH-FIVE.

WE DID THIS TOGETHER.

IT'S JUST A HUGE RUSH.
IT'S LIKE WINNING THE LOTTERY.

COLIN CALLED ME UP,
AND HE'S, LIKE,
"SO, WHERE ARE YOU AT?"

AND I WAS, LIKE,
"UH, I'M UP ABOUT 50 GRAND."

"WHAT?! YOU'RE UP 50 GRAND?"
I WAS, LIKE, "YEAH."

"OH, MY GOSH!
I THINK WE JUST CLOSED
TWO BANKROLLS IN A WEEK."

( line ringing )

HEY, UH, I WAS
CALLING WITH SOME
GOOD NEWS FOR YOU.

YEAH, THE BANKROLL
CLOSED.

IT DID.

IT IS THE MOST
EXCITING THING

WHEN YOU CLOSE A BANKROLL

BECAUSE THERE'S THIS
ENERGY AND ADRENALINE

WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT
YOU MADE ALL THIS EXTRA MONEY.

IT'S GONNA BE
A NICE, FAT CHECK.

I AM SERIOUS.

YEP.

THANKS, EVERYBODY,
FOR COMING AND FOR
CELEBRATING WITH US.

AND GO, BANKROLL 12
THROUGH 27 IN 2008.

RIGHT!
WHOO!

ORIGINALLY, I KEPT MY CASH
IN THAT BOOKSHELF,
BEHIND THE BOOKS.

I HAD MY BIBLES
AND COMMENTARIES
ON A LOWER SECTION

SO THAT, UH, YOU KNOW,
IT'D BE BEHIND THE BOOKS
THAT NOBODY EVER READ.

BUT, UH, YEAH,
NOT SO SECURE.

I GOT A SAFE SINCE THEN
FROM MY CHURCH.

SO, UH, THIS IS
MY INNER SANCTUM.

THIS IS WHERE, UH,
I KEEP MY MONEY.

SHH, DON'T TELL ANYBODY.

WHEW!

HERE'S ALL MY MONEY.

UH...YEAH.

40, 60, 70, 80.

80 GRAND THERE.

THAT'S 5.

AND THAT'S, UM, 2.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH
JUST MONEY.

CARRYING LARGE AMOUNTS
OF CASH IS JUST PART OF
WHAT WE DO.

I'LL NEVER FORGET
THE FIRST TIME I WENT
TO A CASINO WITH $800,

AND I THOUGHT
THE ENTIRE WORLD
WAS STARING AT ME.

I KNEW THAT I HAD $800
IN MY POCKET.

I THOUGHT
EVERYONE ELSE KNEW IT.

YOU WALK THROUGH
THE PARKING LOT,
LOOKING BEHIND YOUR BACK,

AND IT WAS A RUSH.

ONE YEAR LATER, WE'RE TAKING
$80,000 IN OUR POCKET,

AND YOU DON'T EVEN NOTICE.

AT FIRST, IT'S,
LIKE, "SOMEBODY'S
GONNA MUG ME."

BUT THEN...

I LOOK AT, LIKE,
WHAT I'M WEARING.

MY SHOES HAVE
HOLES IN THEM.

NOBODY LOOKS AT ME
AND SAYS, "THAT GUY'S
GOT MONEY."

NOBODY'S GONNA
MUG ME, YOU KNOW?

IT'S REALLY WEIRD
HAVING MONEY IN YOUR FREEZER

OR, YOU KNOW,
TUCKED UNDER YOUR MATTRESS.

THIS IS A COMPANY
COMPLETELY BUILT ON TRUST.

THEY PUT THOUSANDS,
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS--

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
PASS THROUGH MY HANDS.

I COULD'VE STOLE
A LOT OF MONEY.

MAYBE I DID.
MAYBE I HAVE,
I DON'T KNOW.

MAYBE IT'S INVESTED
SOMEWHERE. THEY'LL
NEVER KNOW, THOUGH.

TRANSPORTING AND CARRYING
THE MONEY, THOUGH,

IS A VERY BIG ISSUE THAT
WE DEAL WITH ON OUR TEAM.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO CARRY.
IF YOU JUST THINK OF
POCKET SPACE,

IT ENDS UP BEING
QUITE AN ISSUE--
JUST GETTING THROUGH AIRPORTS.

YOU KIND OF
HAVE TO SNEAK
THE MONEY THROUGH.

I HAVE THESE
LEG STRAP THINGS.

THEY JUST KIND OF
GO AROUND YOUR CALF,

AND YOU CAN BASICALLY
GET WHATEVER--

SOMETHING LIKE
40,000 TO 50,000--

IF YOU'VE GOT
BAGGY PANTS ON--
STRAPPED IN THERE.

THERE'S ALMOST THIS IMPRESSION
THAT IT'S ILLEGAL.

I'VE BEEN STOPPED
THREE TIMES
AT THE AIRPORT

AND TOLD, "WHAT'S
IN YOUR POCKETS?
EMPTY YOUR POCKETS."

THE IMPRESSION IS IF YOU HAVE
MONEY, YOU'RE A DRUG DEALER.

THIS IS FROM
THE PENNSYLVANIA
STATE POLICE.

THEY STOPPED ME
BECAUSE THEY THINK
I DEAL DRUGS.

I DON'T.

I USUALLY CARRY IT
IN MY BAG WHEN I LEAVE HOME,

CHECK IN TO
THE TICKET COUNTER,

AND THEN I MAKE
A STOP IN THE BATHROOM

AND TRANSFER IT ALL
INTO MY WAISTLINE.

OR, IF IT'S SUMMERTIME
AND I'VE GOT CARGO SHORTS ON,
I'LL LOAD THOSE UP.

THEN I JUST HEAD
THROUGH SECURITY THERE,
AND I DON'T GET STOPPED.

WE'RE DEALING
WITH BETTING HANDS

AND WINNING OR LOSING
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS.

YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT
THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE,
SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU,

TWO OR THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT
THAT A NORMAL PERSON MAKES
IN AN ENTIRE YEAR.

YOU'RE PUTTING THAT
ON THE LINE KIND OF
AT THE TABLE.

THE THOUGHT OF LOSING $40,000
IN AN HOUR AND A HALF--

IT'S, LIKE, "OH, MY GOSH.
THAT'S MY SCHOOLTEACHER'S
SALARY."

YOU HAVE TO DIVORCE YOURSELF
FROM WHAT IT REALLY IS,
OR ELSE YOU'LL GO CRAZY.

I LOVE THAT THERE IS
$111,000 IN HERE...

AND A BUNCH OF SAND.

IT'S CRAZY TO SAY THIS,
BUT I HAVE LOST
ALL OF MY, LIKE--

I STOPPED LOOKING AT THAT
AS MONEY.

WHEN I SEE $100 BILLS,
SOMETIMES I FORGET

THAT I COULD ACTUALLY
BUY SOMETHING WITH THEM.

I JUST LOOK
AT A $100 BILL,

AND THINK, "OH,
THAT'S ONE OF THOSE
BLACKJACK THINGS."

IT'S REALLY WEIRD,
BUT IT'S LIKE
MONOPOLY MONEY.

I USED TO THINK
ABOUT MONEY DIFFERENTLY.

MONEY WAS A BIG DEAL
AT ONE TIME.

AND NOW MONEY IS JUST MONEY.

( phone dialing )

( line ringing )

( indistinct )

DO ME A FAVOR.
PUT 119 ON MY
SCREEN, PLEASE.

WILL DO.
THANK YOU.

THE FIRST TIME I WENT
INTO A CASINO,

I WON $500, AND, BOY,
THAT SETS THE HOOK.

I SWEAR I SEE THAT
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.

SOMETIMES STUPIDITY
IS A BEAUTIFUL THING,

'CAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
I WAS DOING, NOT AT ALL.

THEY REMEMBER THAT FIRST TIME
ALL THE TIME.

AND I SEE THAT A LOT.
IT'S ALMOST UNCANNY, LIKE.

AND THEN I SEE THEM
TEN TIMES AFTER THAT,

AND THEY'VE GOT
LONG FACES SOMETIMES.

**

I THINK ALL CASINOS
ARE WRONG

IN THE FACT THAT
THEY MISLEAD PEOPLE

AND THEY GIVE PEOPLE
THE HOPE THAT THEY'RE
GONNA BE ABLE TO WIN,

AND, OBVIOUSLY,
THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

THE CASINO KNOWS THAT
THEY HAVE THE STATISTICAL
ADVANTAGE,

WHICH BASICALLY SOUNDS TO ME
LIKE THEY'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE
OF THE DISADVANTAGE.

AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT BLACKJACK
IS THAT WE GET TO TURN THAT
ON ITS HEAD

AND SAY, STATISTICALLY,
IF I PLAY LONG ENOUGH,
I'M GOING TO WIN.

I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY TAKE
FROM THIS CASINO'S PROFITS.

AND I GET A STRANGE
AMOUNT OF PRIDE OUT OF
BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE
ONE OF THE MOST NOBLE THINGS
A PERSON CAN DO IN THE WORLD,

BUT AT LEAST WE CAN
LIBERATE THE MONEY
FROM THE CLUTCHES

OF THOSE WHO WOULD USE IT
FOR ILL PURPOSES.

I MEAN, THAT'S A START.

I THINK WHAT MAKES ME
ANGRY ABOUT CASINOS IS
THAT THEY'RE HYPOCRITES.

THEY GIVE THE IMPRESSION
THROUGH ALL OF
THEIR ADVERTISING

THAT IT'S A PLACE
FOR FUN AND FOR WINNING.

BUT THEN YOU GO INSIDE,

AND ANYONE THAT HAS
A CHANCE OF WINNING

THEY'LL REMOVE
FROM THEIR PROPERTY.

YOU GET KICKED OUT.
IT'S THEIR JOB
TO KICK YOU OUT,

AND THEY DON'T THINK TWICE
ABOUT--THAT THERE'S ANYTHING
BANKRUPT ABOUT THAT.

THEY HAVE ALL THESE SIGNS,
LIKE, "COME AND WIN.
PLAY BLACKJACK.

WIN BIG.
GET RICH INSTANTLY."

SO, I'LL SHOW UP AND START
GETTING RICH INSTANTLY,

AND THEY'RE, LIKE,
"YOU'RE NOT WELCOME
HERE ANYMORE.

IF YOU COME BACK,
WE'LL ARREST YOU."

IT'S, LIKE, "WHY? I'M JUST
GETTING RICH INSTANTLY.

"YOU ADVERTISED
TO GET RICH INSTANTLY.

WHY ARE YOU, LIKE,
KICKING ME OUT OF HERE?"

DID YOU GET
THE MONEY BACK?
NOT YET.

KEEP WORKING AT IT.

I'M GREG MEANS.
I'M THE CASINO MANAGER

FOR PJ POCKETS CASINO.

YOU CAN DO A LOT OF DAMAGE
AS A CARD-COUNTER

TO A SMALL CARD ROOM
LIKE THIS,

AND SO WE'RE ACTUALLY
VERY VIGILANT THAT--

YOU KNOW, KEEPING AN EYE
ON THOSE THINGS.

IF I GET A NEW PLAYER
THAT COMES IN,

AND I'VE NEVER SEEN
THIS PLAYER BEFORE,

AND THEY START PLAYING,
YOU KNOW, DECENT MONEY,

OR THEY BUY IN FOR
A DECENT AMOUNT OF MONEY,

WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA TAKE
A LOOK AT 'EM AUTOMATICALLY.

NOTHING HAPPENS HERE
FOR VERY LONG

THAT WE DON'T
FIGURE IT OUT.

WHENEVER I GO INTO A CASINO,

THERE'S THE ANTICIPATION.

I KNOW I'M DOING SOMETHING
THAT'S FROWNED UPON,

AND THEY'RE GONNA FIND OUT.

I JUST SEE THE BLACK DOMES
ON THE CEILING.

IT'S, LIKE, YEAH,
SOMEBODY CAN SEE ME.

IF THEY'RE NOT LOOKING,
THEY SHOULD BE.

I'M TOTALLY CERTAIN
THERE ARE PEOPLE WATCHING ME,

AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS
THAT I TRY TO GET USED TO,

AND SOMETIMES I JUST
HAVE TO TELL MYSELF,

"NO, THERE'S NO WAY
THEY'RE ONTO ME YET."

SURVEILLANCE.

OKAY, THANK YOU.
GOTCHA.

CARD-COUNTERS TEND TO PLAY
REALLY BIG AMOUNTS OF MONEY

WHEN THE SHOES ARE GOOD,

AND SO YOU END UP
WITH SOMEONE WHO CAN WIN
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS,

AND IT MAKES IT A LOT HARDER
TO OFFSET THAT MONEY

WITH THE SMALLER PLAY
IN THE ROOM.

WE'VE BEEN REALLY DILIGENT
AT MAKING SURE

THAT WE DON'T PLAY GAMES
WITH THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE.

WE TELL THEM, "LOOK,
I DON'T WANT YOUR
BLACKJACK ACTION.

YOU CAN PLAY WHATEVER
ELSE YOU WANT TO PLAY."

WE'RE POLITE ABOUT IT
AND STUFF LIKE THAT,

BUT YOU'RE GONNA
GET CAUGHT.

GETTING KICKED OUT
OF CASINOS IS...

JUST PART OF THE JOB.
YOU GET USED TO IT.

IT CAN BE FRIENDLY,
IT CAN BE NOT SO FRIENDLY.

I HAVE BEEN KICKED OUT
OF A LOT OF CASINOS.

I THINK I'VE BEEN BACKED OFF
OF EVERY CASINO I'VE BEEN TO.

I DON'T KNOW--HUNDREDS.
I'VE BEEN KICKED OUT OF
THE BOYD CASINOS

AROUND 30 TIMES.

THE FIRST TIME
I GOT BACKED OFF,
IT WAS REALLY EASY.

I JUST WALKED IN, AND SHE
WALKED UP TO ME, SMILING,

AND SAID, "HI, MARK."
I WAS, LIKE, "HI,
WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS."

SHE'S, LIKE,
"YOU CAN'T PLAY BLACKJACK."

AND I WAS, LIKE, "REALLY?"

SHE'S, LIKE, "YEAH.
YOU'RE A CARD-COUNTER."

I WAS, LIKE...

"YES, I AM. OKAY.
SEE YOU LATER."

I APPROACH CASINOS
WITH THE THOUGHT
IN MIND

LIKE I'M HERE
TO GET KICKED OUT.

AND IF THEY DON'T,
THEN, HEY, THAT'S
COOL FOR ME.

MY PHILOSOPHY
WHEN I GOT INTO BLACKJACK

WAS JUST PLAYING
TILL THEY KICK YOU OUT.

I WALK IN AND PLAY
AS HARD AND AS FAST
AS I CAN

UNTIL IT'S OVER.

I'M CONVINCED.
I'VE SEEN ENOUGH.

YEAH, HE'S GONNA GET
BACKED OFF TONIGHT.

TYPICALLY, GETTING
THROWN OUT OF A CASINO

IS NOT LIKE YOU SEE
IN THE MOVIES...

UNLESS YOU END UP GETTING
ARRESTED AND THROWN IN JAIL.

BUT THAT'S ONLY HAPPENED
TO ME ONCE.

BACK-OFFS ARE USUALLY
A LOT MORE MILD

THAN MOST PEOPLE THINK
GOING INTO THIS WHOLE THING.

I'VE BEEN WATCHING
YOU PLAY A LITTLE BIT.
YEAH?

YEAH. WE DECIDED WE DON'T
WANT TO TAKE YOUR BLACKJACK
ACTION ANYMORE.

OH, REALLY?
YEAH.

BUT, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,
YOU'LL GET PEOPLE

THAT ARE TAKING EXTRA PRIDE
IN THEIR JOB,

AT FINDING OUT THAT
YOU'RE A CARD-COUNTER.

IF WE HAVE CONCERNS,
THEN WE'LL EITHER HAVE
SURVEILLANCE WATCH,

OR DO WHAT WE GOTTA DO.

THEY'LL THREATEN
TO BACK-ROOM YOU.

THEY'LL TRY
TO INTIMIDATE YOU.

THE BETTER YOU ARE AT IT,

THE WORD KIND OF
GETS OUT THAT...

LOOK, FANTASY SPRINGS
KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

SO, STAY AWAY.

THEY'VE GOT THEIR OWN
LITTLE NETWORK--
TRUST ME ON THIS.

WE JUST SAY,
"PLEASE LEAVE."

AND THERE'S--
THEY KNOW. THEY KNOW.

I'VE NEVER HAD
AN ARGUMENT WITH
A CARD-COUNTER YET.

NOT ONE.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY
GO IN THE BACK ROOM YET,

AND I'M SURE
I NEVER WILL.

**

THERE ARE ALL SORTS
OF STORIES WE HAVE

OF DRESSING UP IN COSTUMES
AND PLAYING--

ALL TO PLAY IN A CASINO
WITHOUT THEM FIGURING OUT
WHO I REALLY AM.

I'VE DRESSED UP AS AN INDIAN
WITH A TURBAN,

A SUIT AND A BEARD
DOWN TO HERE,

AND COLIN DRESSING UP
AS A COWBOY.

I WAS--AS THE ULTIMATE
MOCKERY OF ALL CASINOS--

DRESSED UP AS
AN M.I.T. PROFESSOR,

WHICH IS WHERE CARD-COUNTING
ORIGINATED FROM.

AND COLIN WAS DRESSED UP
AS A GANGSTER.

THAT'S JUST
PART OF THE GAME.

SO, WE'RE HEADING
TO SNOQUALMIE CASINO.

IT'S OPENING NIGHT,
SO THERE'S GONNA BE
TONS OF CHAOS.

SO, WE'RE GONNA PLAY
SOME BLACKJACK, MEET UP WITH
SOME OTHER TEAM MEMBERS,

AND THEY'LL HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT'S GOING ON TONIGHT.

I THINK I REALIZE
THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN BEN AND I--

WHEN I DRESS UP
FOR A CASINO,

MY GOAL
IS TO BLEND IN.

WHEN BEN DRESSES UP
FOR A CASINO, HIS GOAL
IS TO STICK OUT.

THERE'S GONNA BE
LOTS OF PEOPLE
DRESSED LIKE THIS--

I GUARANTEE IT.

HEY.

I THINK THEY'VE BEEN
THE MOST CREATIVE TEAM.

UM, BEFORE,
WE'VE HAD SOME TEAMS IN--

IT'S JUST BEEN
STANDARD PLAY.
IT'S BEEN NO DISGUISES.

IT'S JUST THE TEAM
SPREADING APART
ON THE CASINO FLOOR

WHERE YOU PUT THE PIECES
TOGETHER AND FIND OUT
WHO ALL IS THERE WITH THEM.

SO, AS FAR AS THE CHANGING
OF APPEARANCE

AND THE EXTRA EFFORT,
AS FAR AS THE THEATRICS,

I THINK THAT'S
A BEN-EXCLUSIVE TRAIT.

HE CAN PULL OFF
THE DRUNK YOUNG RICH KID.

HE CAN PULL OFF WHATEVER
YOU NEED TO PULL OFF.

AND I THINK HE CAN GO
UNDETECTED FOR A BIT OF TIME
AT MOST PLACES.

I KNOW THEY TRAVEL,
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE
HIT EVERY CASINO OR NOT,

BUT ONCE YOU HIT A PLACE,
EACH TIME YOU HIT IT AGAIN,

YOU'RE MORE AND MORE
QUICKLY IDENTIFIED BECAUSE
THEY'RE USED TO YOU.

AND, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE
CHANGING APPEARANCE, THERE'S
STILL THINGS ABOUT YOU.

IF YOU LOOK LIKE THE GUY
WE THINK YOU ARE,

WE START CHECKING FOR TATTOOS,
WE'LL WATCH THE PLAY,

AND WE'RE ALL OVER IT.

**

I WALKED IN AND STARTED
LOOKING FOR PLAYERS.

IT WAS JUST PACKED.

I SAW DAVID DRURY FIRST.
IT WAS PRETTY FUNNY.

HE LOOKS LIKE
HE'S 60 YEARS OLD.

DAVID HAD THE FULL
REPUBLICAN GARB--

A SWEATER VEST,
A WHITE HAT

THAT HAD THE REPUBLICAN
ELEPHANT ON IT.

IT EXPLAINS WHY
I HAVE A LOT OF MONEY,

AND IT EXPLAINS WHY I'M
REALLY BAD AT TIPPING.

AND PEOPLE DON'T WANT
TO TALK TO ME, EITHER,

SO IT'S KIND OF
AN ADDED BONUS.

COLIN'S WAS OKAY.
I THINK HE PULLED IT OFF.

ONE OF THE THINGS
WITH THE COSTUME IS...

YOU WANT PEOPLE TO EITHER
JUST NOT RECOGNIZE YOU

OR KIND OF WRITE YOU OFF.

THEY DON'T EVEN THINK OF YOU
AS A CARD-COUNTER

'CAUSE THEY SEE YOU
AS A JANITOR

OR, YOU KNOW,
WHATEVER I AM.

I WALKED RIGHT PAST PEOPLE

THAT HAD MET ME
AT OTHER CASINOS,

AND THEY HAD NO IDEA.

SO, I MEAN, I THINK
MY OUTFIT DID THE JOB,

IN THAT IT WAS, LIKE,
SO EXTREME.

( laughter and chatter )

YEAH, GET THIS GUY.

HE'S GOT THE GRIME
ON THE HANDS.

SO, WHAT ARE
THE RESULTS?

I WON 1,000.

GOOD, YOU MADE UP
FOR MY LOSS. THANKS.

YOU LOST 1,000?
HA HA!

IT WAS A GOOD NIGHT.
IT WAS FUN.

BUT, YOU KNOW,
NOT WHAT WE EXPECTED,
THAT'S FOR SURE.

BUT THAT'S THE THING
WITH CASINOS--YOU NEVER
KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

LIKE, THEY BACKED OFF
AND 86'D, LIKE, THREE PEOPLE,

ESCORTED THEM
OFF THE PARKING LOT.

THEY SPOTTED PEOPLE
FROM NOWHERE,

THEN LET ME PLAY
THE WHOLE TIME.

THEY LET COLIN PLAY
THE WHOLE TIME.

WE RUN THE TEAM. THEY DON'T
EVEN KNOW WHO WE ARE.

IT WAS WORTH IT.

BUT IT JUST--IT COULD'VE
BEEN A LOT BETTER.

MOST OF
THE CARD-COUNTERS--

THEY ALL THINK THEY
CAN BEAT THE CASINO.

BUT EVEN THE BEST
CARD-COUNTER AT DAYS
WILL GET BEAT.

LOSING AT BLACKJACK

IS SOMETHING MOST PLAYERS
NEVER, EVER GET USED TO.

YOU LOSE ABOUT 45%
OF THE TIME THAT YOU
WALK INTO A CASINO,

AND THEN YOU WIN
THE OTHER 55% OF THE TIME.

YOU CAN WALK IN
AND HAVE A STRING OF WINS
OR A STRING OF LOSSES,

AND THE IMPORTANT THING IS,
OVER TIME,

THAT AVERAGES OUT TO BE
STILL A NET POSITIVE.

BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH
VARIANCE IN THE GAME,

THERE'S THESE
HUGE FLUCTUATIONS.

THERE WAS ONE TIME
IN MINNESOTA--

I THINK I WAS UP 100,000,

AND GAVE MOST OF IT BACK
BEFORE THE END OF THE SESSION.

THE MOST I EVER LOST
IN A SESSION

WAS AT HARD ROCK
HOTEL AND CASINO
IN LAS VEGAS,

AND I LOST ABOUT $86,000
IN THREE HOURS.

I'LL NEVER FORGET
THE SINKING FEELING YOU GET

FROM DOING WHAT YOU KNOW
IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO
MATHEMATICALLY,

AND JUST NOT SEEING IT WORK.

WHEN I START TO LOSE,
I'M, LIKE, "OHH."

BUT I'M, LIKE, MATH--
I HAVE TO PRAISE
THE CHAMPION MATH,

'CAUSE I KNOW
THIS IS MATHEMATICS
AND NOT MYSELF.

I'D NEVER EXPERIENCED
A LOSS LIKE THAT,

AND I JUST KEPT HAVING
ALL THIS DOUBT ABOUT MYSELF.

LIKE, AM I DOING
SOMETHING WRONG?

AM I SURE I'M ON
WITH MY COUNT?

I'LL GO REVIEW
MY STRATEGY CHARTS

TO MAKE SURE I WASN'T
MAKING ANY ERRORS THERE.

WHEN YOU LOSE
AT BLACKJACK,

IT SHOWS YOU HOW
EMOTIONAL YOU ARE.

YOU QUESTION WHETHER
YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT.

YOU QUESTION WHY
YOU'RE NOT WINNING,

UH, BECAUSE
YOU EXPECT TO WIN.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE
AN ADVANTAGE PLAYER,

SO YOU SHOULD HAVE
THE ADVANTAGE,

AND SOMETIMES
IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT WAY.
SO, IT CAN BE TOUGH.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE
CONFIDENT IN YOURSELF

AND CONFIDENT
IN YOUR PLAYING ABILITIES
AND THE TRAINING YOU HAVE.

RISK AND PLAYING WELL
AND PLAYING RIGHT

IS GOING
TO INVOLVE LOSSES,

AND YOU JUST HAVE TO BE
ABLE TO CALCULATE THAT RISK

AND BE ABLE
TO DEAL WITH IT.

( overlapping chatter )

THERE IS GENUINELY
SOMETHING, LIKE...

NOT UP TO PAR
ABOUT THE TEAM.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S
NOT A WINNING TEAM,

AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT WE THINK PEOPLE
ARE STEALING.

IT JUST MEANS
IT'S NOT UP TO PAR.

MAYBE THINGS GOT LAX,

WE GREW TOO FAST,
WHATEVER. I DON'T KNOW.

Ben: AS WE STARTED
TO REALIZE THIS,

WE REALIZED THERE ARE
PEOPLE ON THIS TEAM

WHO WE CANNOT INCENTIVIZE

BECAUSE THEY ARE
NOT ON THIS TEAM FOR
THE PURPOSE OF THIS TEAM.

HENCE, THERE IS A QUESTION
THAT COMES DOWN TO INCENTIVE--

"ARE YOU DOING WHAT'S
BEST FOR THE TEAM?"
THAT'S THE QUESTION.

AND I THINK EVERYONE CAN SAY
THAT THEY'RE NOT 100%.

SO, OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE IT
A HIGHER PERCENTAGE
IN THE FUTURE.

WE WANT SOMEONE
TO WANT THE TEAM TO WIN,

NOT TO DO SOMETHING THAT
JUST INCENTIVIZES HIMSELF.

SO, UNFORTUNATELY,
THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE ON
THE TEAM IN THIS CIRCLE NOW,

AND WE'RE KIND OF
MAKING THE CIRCLE SMALLER,

AND HOPEFULLY EVERYONE
CAN SHUFFLE IN.

AND WE WANT TO SEE
EVERYONE BE ABLE TO MAKE
THAT TRANSITION.

THAT IS, LIKE,
THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS,
OUR MANAGER TOLD ME,

"YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU HAVEN'T PLAYED
FOR A LITTLE BIT NOW,

"AND BEFORE WE CAN
LET YOU PLAY AGAIN,

YOU'LL HAVE TO
COME OUT AND RETEST."

THAT'S WHAT I'VE
BEEN PREPARING FOR

OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS,

AND THIS WEEKEND,
I'LL BE RETESTING

AND BE FULLY BACK
ON THE TEAM.

I'M PLANNING ON PLAYING
A WHOLE LOT.

RUNNING COUNT?

18. 19.

IT WAS, UH, 22 WHEN
THE ROUND STARTED,

AND IT WENT TO 21, 20.

THEN IT WENT BACK TO 21.

JEEZ.

I NEVER DID FEEL REALLY
SUPER-COMFORTABLE

THROUGH THE PROCESS.

I ALWAYS FELT LIKE,
IS THERE SOMETHING
I'M FALLING SHORT ON?

IS THERE SOMETHING
I DON'T HAVE AS WELL
AS I SHOULD?

BUT, I DON'T KNOW--
SOMETIMES I GUESS
I QUESTION--

IF I'M THIS ANXIOUS
ABOUT IT,

I WONDER HOW OTHER
TEAM MEMBERS ARE.

THEY'RE EITHER
WAY SMARTER THAN I AM,

YOU KNOW, AND THEREFORE
MORE CALM ABOUT IT,

OR THEY'RE JUST NOT
LETTING ON THAT THEY'RE
MAKING MISTAKES.

UH, WHAT COUNT DOES 13
HIT AGAINST A 3?

OH.

SORRY.

SO, WHAT'S
THE RUNNING COUNT?

TEN.

9, 10, 11.

YEAH, SHOULD BE--
SHOULD BE 11.

Colin: IT'S FRUSTRATING
BECAUSE...

I'VE SAID
THE SAME THING TO HIM
PROBABLY SIX TIMES

IN THE LAST THREE
OR FOUR DAYS,

AND, UH...

IT DOESN'T SEEM
LIKE THERE'S ANY PROGRESS.

IT'S, LIKE,
THE SAME MISTAKES.

HEY.
HEY.

SO, MORE OF THE SAME?

OH, MAN.
THAT'S...ANNOYING.

DO YOU KNOW
WHERE HE IS NOW?

HE'S NOT HERE.

I CAN'T REALLY
EVEN IMAGINE

ANY NEWS BEING GOOD
AT THIS POINT.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S
GAME OVER, BASICALLY.

( baby crying )

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

OH. IT'S WEIRD.

YESTERDAY I WAS
MORE AGGRAVATED
THAN I AM TODAY.

I THINK IT'S BECAUSE
YESTERDAY I TOLD COLIN--

I WAS, LIKE, YOU KNOW,
"I TALKED TO GOD
ABOUT THIS."

AND I'M, LIKE,
"ALL RIGHT...

MAYBE YOU HAVE SOMETHING
ELSE PLANNED FOR ME."

BUT I KNOW MY STUFF,
I KNOW THE NUMBERS,

I KNOW THE CHARTS,
I KNOW THE CORRECT
DECISIONS

AND HOW TO
FIGURE EVERYTHING.

BUT I KEEP HAVING
BASIC MESS-UPS.
AND THEY ARE.

I JUST--MAN, IT'S
SO CONFUSING TO ME.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT
TO MAKE OF IT,
AS FAR AS--

I KNOW YOU'VE
PUT WORK INTO IT,

AND THAT'S WHAT'S
HARD FROM OUR END.

IT'S, LIKE, WE'D
LOVE NOTHING MORE

THAN TO BE ABLE
TO PASS YOU, BUT--

AND FOR SOME REASON,
THERE'S SOME BASIC...

SOMETHING THAT'S
JUST MISSING

EVERY TIME I SIT DOWN
WITH YOU GUYS,

WHICH, APPARENTLY,
MEANS PROBABLY EVERY TIME
I'M IN A CASINO,

I'M MISSING STUFF.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT
TO TELL YOU, AS FAR
AS IMPROVEMENT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT
IT WOULD TAKE FOR YOU

TO TEST OUT
AT THIS POINT.

I THINK THE BEST
THING FOR US TO DO

IS, LIKE,
ON THE RECORD,
PUT YOU ON INACTIVE.

OFF THE RECORD...

YOU'RE BASICALLY, LIKE,
DONE BEING A PLAYER.

MY INSTINCT RIGHT NOW
IS, I CAN'T SEE IT
SWINGING BACK.

YOU KNOW? HOW DO YOU
FEEL LIKE IT'S GONNA BE

WITH, YOU KNOW,
THE WIFE AND STUFF?

WE'VE BEEN MARRIED
12 1/2 YEARS,

AND WE JUST KNOW
IF SOMETHING--

THIS ISN'T THE FIRST--
ANYTHING WE'VE BEEN THROUGH.

SO, IT MIGHT JUST
VERY SIMPLY BE SOMETHING
I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO DO.

I MEAN,
IT'S NOT MY THING.

YEAH, KIND OF
A STRANGE WEEK,

AND A STRANGE WAY
TO END IT, BUT...

I GUESS THAT'S THAT,
YOU KNOW?

THAT'S THAT.

WELL,
THAT'S DONE WITH.

WHY?

JASON'S GONE.
WHAT?

JASON LEFT.

I DON'T THINK
HE'S COMING BACK.

WHY?

I WISH I COULD JUST SAY,
"OH, WELL, WE'VE BEEN
HAVING BAD LUCK."

BUT IT'S BEEN
DISCOURAGING FOR ME

TO COME TO THE POINT
AND SAYING,

"NO, WE'VE KIND OF
GOT OURSELVES INTO A HOLE

BECAUSE WE'VE CREATED
KIND OF A POORLY-TRAINED
BLACKJACK TEAM."

THEY SAY, LIKE, ONE OF
THE MOST DANGEROUS THINGS

FOR A NEW BUSINESS,
OR FOR A YOUNG BUSINESS,

IS TO GROW TOO QUICKLY.

FROM LAST JANUARY
THROUGH MAY,

WE WON, LIKE, $800,000
IN FIVE MONTHS,

AND SO WE'RE, LIKE,
"OH, THIS TEAM'S AWESOME.
IT'S UNSTOPPABLE."

AND THEN IT TOOK TEN MONTHS
OF US JUST THINKING,

"OH, WE'RE JUST HAVING
A BAD RUN AT THINGS."

AND NOW, TEN MONTHS LATER,
IT'S, LIKE,

"NO, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT
A BAD RUN OF THINGS."

IF THE TEAM GOES ON THIS WAY
FOR VERY LONG,

IT'S INEVITABLE
THAT WE'LL GO BANKRUPT.

WELL, THE TEAM'S STATUS
HAS BEEN PRETTY POOR.

WE'VE UNDERPERFORMED
IMMENSELY.

I DIDN'T THINK
WE WERE GONNA MAKE IT
THROUGH THIS BANKROLL.

I THOUGHT WE WERE
GONNA SHUT THE DOOR.

AND, FOR MY OWN
PERSONAL INVESTMENT,

I WANTED US
TO SHUT THE DOOR.

Man: YOU WERE
SCARED FOR IT?

WELL, YEAH.

THAT'S ALL
THE MONEY WE HAVE,

IS IN THIS STUPID
BLACKJACK TEAM.

WE CAN TRUST
PEOPLE'S INTEGRITY.

I DON'T THINK PEOPLE
ARE STEALING.

BUT SOMETHING'S
NOT WORKING,

'CAUSE OUR TEAM
ISN'T WORKING.

( alarm buzzing )

THE PLAN IS BELTERRA,
GRAND VIC,

UP TO CHICAGO.

I'M VERY EAGER TO TRY
TO PERFECT THIS THING

AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

IDEALLY, I WOULD LIKE
TO GET A MINIMUM

OF TEN HOURS IN.

THAT'S GONNA BE
PRETTY TOUGH.

CHICAGO'S NOT A VERY
CARD-COUNTER-FRIENDLY CITY.

MY MENTALITY IS,
WHEN I GET INTO A CASINO,

I'M GONNA BURN IT DOWN.

I ALWAYS HAVE GOAL.
LIKE, FOR AN HOUR,

I WANT TO MAKE $10,000.

**

READY FOR THE NEXT CASINO.

WHEN I GO TO THOSE CASINOS,

I EXPECT TO GET NO MORE
THAN HALF AN HOUR IN.

IT'S NOT REALLY
WORTH A DRIVE

UNLESS YOU'RE ABLE
TO STICK IT OUT.

THIS COULD POTENTIALLY
BE A DISASTER.

BUT I GUESS WE'LL FIND OUT.

WE NEED SOME HOURS
IN HERE...

UM...PRETTY BAD.

SO, I'M GETTING
A PLAYERS' CARD MADE UP FOR ME

WITH SOMEBODY ELSE'S
NAME ON IT.

I'VE NEVER
DONE THAT BEFORE.

THIS IS KIND OF
EXPERIMENTING.

I'VE HAD AN INCREDIBLE
WINNING STREAK.

WE JUST NEED, LIKE,
ANOTHER 380,000,

AND WE'LL CLOSE UP
THE BANKROLL.

IF I COULD PLAY
TILL 3:00 IN THE MORNING,

THAT'D BE AWESOME.

IF I COULD PLAY
TO 4:00 IN THE MORNING,

EVEN COOLER.

LAST TIME WE CAME HERE,
I GOT BACKED OFF
PRETTY SEVERELY.

THEY WANTED
TO BACK-ROOM ME,

AND I CAUSED A BIG SCENE,

AND I FAKED A PHONE CALL
TO MY ATTORNEY.

HEH. AND I WAS, LIKE,
"MY ATTORNEY SAYS

"TO PUT MY ARM UP IN THE AIR
AND WAVE AT THE CAMERA

"AND THEN PUT THEM
STRAIGHT BY MY SIDE

AND WALK TO
THE FIRST EXIT."

OH, MAN.
THAT'S MY LAST PLACE TO GO.

SO, ANYWAYS,
CONGRATULATIONS, GUYS,

FOR BANKROLL--
WHATEVER NUMBER THIS WAS.

14.
14.

TWO BANKROLLS,
TWO MONTHS--NOT BAD.

AS A TEAM, IN THREE WEEKS,

WE TOOK $140,800
FROM CASINOS.

MR. DUSTY WISNIEW
MADE $3,076.

WE GOT MR. BRAD CURRAH,

WHO MADE $4,801.

( cheering )

WE GOT MR. DRURY,

WHO MADE $5,893
IN THREE WEEKS.

AND WE'VE GOT
MR. BENJAMIN ADY,

WHO MADE $7,421
IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

IN THREE WEEKS.

ALL RIGHT.

I THINK,
AFTER SIX MONTHS OF LOSING,

POSITIVE VARIANCE
HAS KIND OF KICKED BACK IN.

NOW THAT THERE'S SOME
SERIOUS PLAYER INCENTIVE--

LIKE, EVERY TIME
WE COME TO ONE OF
THESE BANKROLL DINNERS,

WE DON'T JUST GET
A FREE MEAL. I JUST GOT
A CHECK FOR TWO GRAND.

SO, LIKE, DOUBLED MY PAY,
EFFECTIVELY.

( imitates explosion )

THAT'S PRETTY SWEET.

SO, 4,800 BUCKS
IN THREE WEEKS--

I THINK I WORKED
20-SOME HOURS,

OR MAYBE 30 HOURS.

NOT EVEN THAT MUCH.

IT'S PRETTY WEIRD.
WHENEVER YOU'RE
CLOSING BANKROLLS,

IT'S HARD TO REMEMBER
THAT THERE WAS A TIME WHEN
YOU WEREN'T CLOSING BANKROLLS.

WHEN THE BANKROLL
CLOSES FAST,

AND, LIKE,
IT GOES OVER,

IT'S NOTHING BUT,
LIKE, YOU KNOW--

CHING! CHING! CHING!

WE HAVE MONEY FLOWING
OUT OF OUR EARS IN THOSE TIMES.

THEN, OF COURSE, WHEN YOU'RE
NOT CLOSING BANKROLLS,

IT'S, LIKE, TOTALLY LAME.

I'M CONVINCED
WE'RE GONNA CLOSE
MORE BANKROLLS.

IT MAKES ME FEEL
BETTER ABOUT...

THE WHOLE IDEA
OF THE TEAM.

I DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE
THERE'S A HUGE MENTAL SHIFT
THAT'S HAPPENED.

THERE'S A LOT MORE
INCENTIVE

TO PLAY EFFICIENTLY
AND WIN.

IT'S JUST SO GOOD.

THERE'S A POTENTIAL
OF A GREATER CHANCE

OF SOMETHING GOING
WRONG BECAUSE OF IT.

IT'S, LIKE,
IT'S TOO GOOD.

I THINK THAT, LIKE,
ON A COMMUNICATION LEVEL,
IT'S HEALTHIER.

AND, IN A LOT OF WAYS,
WE HAVE REALLY
QUALITY PEOPLE.

AND, UH,
THAT'S REALLY COOL.

I THINK THAT IT IS
A LITTLE BIT ODD--

JUST A COUPLE
OF NEW GUYS

THAT NONE OF US
REALLY KNOW.

MAN,
I'M PARANOID NOW.

I REALLY FEEL
UNCOMFORTABLE HAVING AN
UNBELIEVER ON THE TEAM.

IT'S NOTHING
AGAINST HIM AT ALL.

I REALLY LIKE
THE GUY A LOT.

BUT I THINK THAT MAKES
THE WHOLE, LIKE, THING
VOLATILE TO ME.

IT'S JUST
KIND OF FREAKY.

THERE'S A SENSE
OF TRUST

THAT IS ALMOST
IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE

WITH PEOPLE IN GENERAL
THAT YOU KNOW WELL.

BUT IT'S KIND OF EASY
TO READ PEOPLE WHO ARE,
LIKE, BELIEVERS.

LIKE, YOU KIND OF
GET A FEEL FOR
WHO THEY ARE.

UM, I THINK IT'S TOUGH
WITH UNBELIEVERS.

IT'S REALLY HARD.

I WISH IT COULD
JUST BE, LIKE...

THE SAME OLD PEOPLE
ALL THE TIME.

I JUST DON'T KNOW
IF IT'S THE SMARTEST,
LIKE, MOVE,

FOR, LIKE--

LIKE, THIS IS
A GOOD IDEA,
LET'S DO THIS.

YOU KNOW?

YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE
CHURCH TEAM THING--

LIKE, YOU GUYS
ARE IN OUR HOMES,
YOU'RE AROUND OUR KIDS,

WE MAKE INTIMATE BUSINESS
DECISIONS WITH YOU.

OUR GOAL--LIKE,
JUST SO YOU GUYS KNOW--

LIKE, ISN'T TO
JUST CREATE, LIKE,

A WHITE, ANGLO-SAXON,
CHRISTIAN TEAM.

LIKE, THAT WAS NEVER
OUR PURPOSE.

BUT THOSE HAPPEN TO BE,
IN A LOT OF WAYS,

THE TYPES OF PEOPLE
WHO WE SHARED VALUES WITH,

WHO WE SHARED,
LIKE, COMMONALITY
AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH,

AND WHO WE TRUSTED.

IT IS A HUGE PART
OF OUR LIFE

AND, LIKE,
WHAT WE ARE ABOUT.

AND THE BUSINESS--
LIKE, THERE'S NO LINE FOR US.

IT'S NOT, LIKE,
HERE IS CHRISTIANITY
AND HERE IS BUSINESS.

SO, FOR US, IT'S KIND OF
LIKE ONE AND THE SAME.

SO, FOR THAT MATTER,
WE'VE FOUND THAT, LIKE,
THE BEST PARTNERS FOR US

HAVE BEEN PEOPLE THAT SHARE
A LOT OF OUR VALUES.

SO, THAT WAS
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE

THAT WE DECIDED TO TRAVEL
ALONG THIS BLACKJACK ROAD WITH.

( indistinct chatter )

THE PRIMARY THING
THAT HOLDS OUR TEAM TOGETHER

IS RELATIONSHIPS,
NOT BLACKJACK.

THE PEOPLE THAT PLAY FOR US

PLAYS FOR US BECAUSE
WE KNOW ABOUT THEM

AND WE'RE FRIENDS WITH THEM,

AND WE CARE ABOUT THEM
AND THEY CARE ABOUT US.

THEY'VE PRAYED OVER ME,
I'VE PRAYED OVER THEM

AND THEIR FAMILIES
AND THE THINGS GOING ON
IN THEIR MINISTRIES.

THAT'S LIFE. LIKE,
THAT'S RELATIONSHIPS
TO US--

IT'S, LIKE, JUST SEEING
THE MINISTRIES THAT
THESE PEOPLE ARE DOING

AND FEELING LIKE I HAVE
SOME PART IN IT.

I KNOW THAT,
AS A CHRISTIAN,

LIKE, PEOPLE IN THE FAITH
ARE CONSIDERED FAMILY,

AND I REALLY
TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY.

THEY CHALLENGE ME
IN MY FAITH,

AND THEY CHALLENGE ME
IN LIVING LIFE WELL

AND NOT PLAYING
BY THE RULES THAT
SOMEBODY ELSE SET UP.

Ben: WE DO HAVE THAT
KIND OF COMMONALITY

WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS
ON THE TEAM.

WE REALIZE WE HAVE SOULS.

AND, ULTIMATELY, WE WORK.

AND DO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE OF
THE STATE OF OUR SOUL,

NOT TO BUILD AN EMPIRE

AND NOT JUST BUY MORE STUFF.

BLACKJACK MAKES
PEOPLE REASSESS
WHAT CHRISTIANITY IS,

AND IN A GOOD WAY.

MY WIFE AND I ALWAYS
SAY THAT WE WANT TO
LIVE IN THE GRAY...

BECAUSE IN THE GRAY,
YOU'VE GOT TO QUESTION
WHO YOU ARE

AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

I HATE THE THOUGHT
OF BEING TO A POINT

WHERE I JUST GET
SLAPPED ON THIS LABEL--

"OH, YEAH,
THAT'S A CHRISTIAN.

"HE'S A GOOD GUY,
HE READS HIS BIBLE

AND, LIKE, WHATEVER--
GOES TO SOUP KITCHENS."

IT'S MUCH DEEPER.
IT'S ABOUT WHO YOU
REALLY ARE INSIDE.

I'VE LEARNED A LOT
FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE
ON THE TEAM,

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
THAT THEY HAVE ON THINGS.

AND I THINK THAT...

THAT MAKES US WHAT WE ARE.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE
WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS

WITHOUT--
WITHOUT WHO WE HAVE.

RUNNING COUNT.
NINE.

SO, TONIGHT WE'RE GOING
TO THE EMERALD QUEEN,

AND THAT'S WHERE
WE'RE DOING A RETEST

OF ALL THE PLAYERS
ON THE TEAM.

IT'LL BE THE SAME
AS ALWAYS.

WE'LL REQUEST A COUNT
BY GIVING A SIGNAL.
YOU GUYS GOTTA PASS IT.

WHEN THE TEAM WAS SMALL,
PEOPLE USED TO COME
ALONGSIDE OF US,

THEY'D PLAY WITH US,
AND WE'D BE ABLE
TO WATCH THEIR GAME,

SEE THEM IMPROVE.

AFTER WE GOT TEN PEOPLE,

WE'D JUST TEACH THEM
HOW TO PLAY,

THEN SEND THEM OFF
ON THEIR OWN--

ASSUME THEY KNOW
AND LEARN THINGS,
BUT THEY DON'T.

SO, WE SEE THESE TESTS--
THE CRAZIEST THINGS--

WE'RE, LIKE, "OH, MY GOSH.
HOW DID THEY NOT LEARN THAT?"

WELL, THEY WEREN'T
HANGING OUT WITH US, YOU KNOW?

'CAUSE THERE'S
TOO MANY OF THEM.

WE CAN'T JUST PAY YOU
A LOT OF MONEY,

AND YOU RUN AROUND CASINOS
LIKE A HIGH-ROLLER.

YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND
EVERY ASPECT OF THE GAME

AND TAKE YOUR JOB
AS SERIOUSLY AS ANY OTHER JOB.

THE LAYOUT OF EMERALD QUEEN IS,
THERE'S TWO MAIN PITS--

WHICH YOU GUYS CAN PLAY
BOTH OF THOSE.

THE MORE YOU GUYS
PASS THE COUNT,

THE MORE
WE WON'T ASK FOR IT.

I DON'T THINK
ANYONE WILL FAIL.

THAT WOULD BE REALLY BAD

IF WE SAW PEOPLE
PLAYING THAT BAD.

THEN THERE'D BE
A LOT OF PROBLEMS.

**

NOW PEOPLE REALIZE--
HEY, FIRST THINGS FIRST.

IF THIS BUSINESS IS GONNA WORK,
PEOPLE NEED TO PLAY
PERFECT BLACKJACK, PERIOD.

OR ELSE THE WHOLE THING
FALLS APART.

( sighs )

HOLY CRAP. IT'S SO WEIRD
HOW BAD THEY PLAYED.

THEY MUST'VE BEEN JUST
FREAKING OUT OR SOMETHING.

I MEAN, WHAT THE HECK?

OH, MAN,
THIS IS GONNA BE FUN.

JEEZ, THERE'S A LOT
OF PEOPLE HERE.

THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS
WE NOTICED THAT NEED IMPROVING.

AND, FOR THAT MATTER,
I THINK ALMOST EVERYONE--

WHAT WE REALIZED UNIVERSALLY
IS THAT WE'RE NOT DOING
THE BIG BET SPREAD

UNTIL WE SOLVE A LOT OF KINKS
IN EVERYONE'S GAME.

I THINK PEOPLE--
THEY HAVE THE CONFIDENCE
OF A CARD-COUNTER, OF COURSE,

AND THEY'RE JUST USED
TO BEING ABLE TO FEEL
THEIR WAY THROUGH THINGS.

WE CAME UP WITH A LOT
OF PEOPLE WHO, IF THEY WERE
TO ACTUALLY DO THE MATH,

I THINK WOULD'VE MADE
DIFFERENT DECISIONS.

BUT THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO
IS WHEN YOU RUSH THROUGH IT,

YOU DON'T DO THE MATH,
AND THEREFORE YOU DON'T
MAKE THE CORRECT DECISION.

REALLY, LIKE, THE BEST THING
WOULD BE TO GO HOME RIGHT NOW

AND SEND US AN EMAIL--
KIND OF, LIKE, YOUR ACTION PLAN

FOR WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
TO MAKE WHATEVER WE OBSERVED
DISAPPEAR

AND BETTER FOR THE NEXT TIME.

THE PROCESS WE'RE
GOING THROUGH NOW--
THERE WILL BE MORE TEST-OUTS.

WE'RE GONNA BE DOING
A MONTHLY TEST-OUT

REQUIRED FOR EACH PERSON--
NOT IN SEATTLE.

BUT THERE IS GONNA BE
MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT,

WHICH IS MUCH NEEDED FOR US
AND WAY OVERDUE.

SO, THESE THINGS--
IN THE PAST,

WE'VE BEEN REALLY BAD
AT LETTING THINGS
SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS.

THAT IS GONNA BE
A THING OF THE PAST NOW.

THERE'S GOOD NEWS
AND BAD NEWS ABOUT IT.

THE BAD NEWS IS
OUR TEAM IS SO--

FOR THE LAST YEAR,
HAS BEEN SO BAD

THAT WE'RE PERFORMING BEYOND
WHAT YOU COULD EXPECT

FROM A BLACKJACK TEAM.

THE GOOD NEWS IS,
IF WE FIX IT,

WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE
TO WORRY ABOUT A YEAR
AS BAD AS THIS LAST YEAR.

I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT
TO HEAR ANY DATA.

BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY
THAN THE FACT THAT WE'RE
STILL IN THE NEGATIVE,

IS THAT,
WITH THAT MANY HOURS,

IT'S STATISTICALLY
IMPOSSIBLE

TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN

WITH LEGITIMATE
CARD-COUNTING.

SO, THEN THE QUESTION
IS, LIKE, HOW THE HELL
DID THAT HAPPEN?

SO, I TRIED, LIKE,
RUNNING A SIM

OF, LIKE, TEN BET
MISTAKES PER HOUR

AND FOUR PLAYING
MISTAKES PER HOUR,

UM, AND THE TEAM--
INSTEAD OF PLAYING
100 ROUNDS AN HOUR,

LIKE, 60--

AND PLAYING ALL THE WAY
TO A TRUE -5.

THAT BRINGS IT TO, LIKE--

YOU KNOW, LIKE,
A 15% CHANCE OF
SUCH POOR PERFORMANCE.

AND IT'S, LIKE,
COST US, YOU KNOW,
$4 MILLION,

THEORETICALLY,
IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.

THOSE NUMBERS
ARE SO CRAZY.

BASED UPON YOUR
CALCULATIONS,

WHAT HAPPENED IS,
LIKE, LITERALLY
IMPOSSIBLE.

THE FACT THAT
WE CAN'T EXPLAIN
THE DATA STILL--

NO, WE CAN'T. I FEEL
LIKE WE CAN'T EXPLAIN IT.

YOU CHANGED EVERYTHING
TO THE MOST RIDICULOUS
PROPORTIONS,

AND, EVEN THEN,
IT WAS, LIKE,
A 15% POSSIBILITY.

IT STILL DOESN'T
MAKE SENSE TO ME.

LIKE, SOMETHING'S OFF
SOMEWHERE.

( drill whirring )

WE'RE ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT
ANYTHING WE WANT, RIGHT? HA!

I JUST KNOW THAT,
LIKE, WE WERE DOWN.

YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY
TALKED TO BEN AND COLIN

ABOUT HOW FAR DOWN WE WERE.

BUT THE LAST I HEARD,
WE WERE DOWN 450,000.

AND...

FOR THE FIRST TIME,
I WAS REALLY GLAD THAT THEY--

THAT MY INVESTMENT
WASN'T IN THE BANKROLL.

HOLY COW.

IT JUST SEEMS
A LITTLE CRAZY

TO BE DOWN $450,000...

IN A MONEY-MAKING VENTURE...

WHERE YOU PLAY GAMES.

( laughs )

COLIN SENT OUT
THIS BIG, LONG EMAIL--

LIKE, "HEY, WE'RE GONNA
HAVE TO HAVE SOME CHANGES.

"THERE'S SOME LACK OF
HEALTH ON THE TEAM.

"THERE'S A 1-IN-10,000 CHANCE
THAT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE
RIGHT NOW, WHAT'S GOING ON.

WE NEED TO, LIKE, FIGURE OUT
WHAT'S GOING DOWN."

AND I JUST EMAILED BACK,
SAYING, "YOU THINK SOMEONE
MIGHT BE STEALING?"

WHY DON'T YOU GO
SHOW THEM WHERE
YOUR BED IS?

OKAY.

FIRST OF ALL,
OUR TEAM IS GETTING KILLED.

ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS
ABOUT IT WAS IT MADE US
EXAMINE OUR BUSINESS MODEL

AND THINK THROUGH--
WHAT ARE THE WEAKNESSES?

AND, OF COURSE, THE FIRST
THING WE THINK THROUGH IS--

YOU KNOW, IS SOMEONE
STEALING FROM THE TEAM?

THE WAY OUR BUSINESS IS
CURRENTLY,

THEY ACTUALLY COULD
GET AWAY WITH IT.

THAT'S ONE OF THE FLAWS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

IT IS ONE OF
OUR STRENGTHS AS WELL,

'CAUSE PEOPLE KNOW
THAT WE TRUST THEM.

AND I THINK,
FOR ALL OF OUR PLAYERS,

THAT'S A POWERFUL THING.

I REALIZE THAT TRUST
IS A VERY BIG ISSUE

WHEN YOU'RE HANDLING
THIS KIND OF MONEY.

AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH
SEASONS OF NOT TRUSTING
PEOPLE ON THE TEAM,

TO BE QUITE FRANK
WITH YOU.

IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

HOW COULD PEOPLE TRUST
EACH OTHER TO THAT EXTENT?

I RECOGNIZED
THE GRAVITY OF--

OH, MY GOSH.
ANYONE CAN FUDGE
THESE NUMBERS.

ANYONE CAN MAKE UP
THE NUMBERS.

THEY CAN SAY
THAT THEY PLAYED
FOR FOUR HOURS

WHEN THEY PLAYED
FOR ONE,

THAT THEY LOST
TEN GRAND WHEN
THEY LOST NOTHING,

AND JUST TAKE MONEY.

THE WAY THAT THE TEAM GREW--

THROUGH CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS--

I THINK IT'S ABOUT
THE ONLY WAY THAT THE TEAM
COULD'VE GROWN TO THIS POINT

AND REALLY FEEL LIKE
IT'S SECURE.

Ben: THERE ARE TIMES
WHEN ME AND COLIN SIT AROUND

AND WE SAY, "ALL RIGHT,
WHO DO YOU THINK

IS MOST LIKELY
TO STEAL FROM US?"

IT'S EASY TO THINK, YEAH,
SOMEONE COULD BE STEALING.

BUT WHENEVER I RUN DOWN
THE INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS
ONE AT A TIME,

I HAVE VERY LITTLE DOUBT.

IF WE WERE TO FIND OUT
SOMEONE WAS STEALING,

I THINK THE BIGGEST FACTOR
THAT WOULD COME INTO PLAY

IS NOT THE FACT
THAT THEY STOLE MONEY,

BUT IT'D BE THE COMPROMISE
IN THE RELATIONSHIP
THAT TOOK PLACE.

REALLY, I HAVE TO TRUST
OTHER TEAM MEMBERS.

I SUPPOSE IF I DIDN'T,
IT WOULD PROBABLY DRIVE ME
KIND OF CRAZY.

I FEEL LIKE TRUSTING FRIENDS
IS JUST A PART OF LIFE,

AND I FEEL LIKE,
IN A LOT OF WAYS,
IT'S NOT THAT DIFFICULT.

WE'VE PUT EVERYTHING
WE HAVE ON THE LINE
IN THIS GAME.

WE'VE BORROWED TO
INVEST IN THIS TEAM,

AND I TOTALLY TRUST
WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

Shirley: CAN SOMETHING HAPPEN?
ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, PEOPLE SIN.
IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

BUT I TRUST THE PEOPLE
ON OUR TEAM.

( kids chattering )

YOU WANT A STRAWBERRY.

CAN I HAVE
A STRAWBERRY?

HEY, LISTEN--YOU GUYS CAN
HAVE ONE STRAWBERRY EACH.

SO, PRETTY MUCH,
WHAT HAPPENS IS...

BRAD CURRAH CALLS ME UP,

AND HE'S, LIKE,
HEMMING AND HAWING.

HE'S, LIKE, "THERE'S A THING
I FEEL I SHOULD TELL YOU.

BUT I FEEL PRETTY STUPID
SAYING IT."

I'M, LIKE,
"DUDE, JUST SAY IT."

AFTER HE SAID IT, I WISH
HE WOULDN'T HAVE SAID IT.

SO, UH, TWO DIFFERENT
PEOPLE CAME TO ME

AND SAID,
"BENJAMIN IS STEALING."

THEY WERE CERTAIN
THAT HE WAS STEALING MONEY.

IT'S NOT REALLY MY IDEA.
THEY JUST TOLD ME

BECAUSE THEY WERE CONCERNED.

Man: AND HOW DID
THEY KNOW?

UM...I DON'T KNOW
IF I SHOULD SAY.

BENJAMIN WAS SAYING
THAT BRAD CURRAH

HAD ACCUSED HIM
OF, APPARENTLY,

STEALING MONEY
FROM THE TEAM,

AND, WHEN ASKED
FOR AN EXPLANATION

OR A JUSTIFICATION
FOR THAT VIEW,

BRAD CURRAH REPLIED,
"I CAN'T TELL YOU."

SO...I'D BE
INTERESTED TO KNOW--

FROM BRAD CURRAH'S
POINT OF VIEW--

WHAT JUSTIFIED
THAT ACCUSATION.

I GOTTA THINK ABOUT THIS.
IS IT OKAY TO SAY THIS?

I HAD TWO PEOPLE COME TO ME

AND TELL ME THAT
THEY WERE CERTAIN THAT
HE WAS STEALING MONEY.

AND I SAID,
"HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?"

AND THEY SAID,
"THE HOLY SPIRIT TOLD ME.

SOMETIMES, WHEN I PRAY,
THE HOLY SPIRIT
TELLS ME THINGS."

I'VE WORKED WITH BRAD A LOT
OUTSIDE OF THE BLACKJACK TEAM,

AND, AT FIRST, LIKE,
HE WEIRDED ME OUT,

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
HE'D SAY THESE THINGS, LIKE...

"OH, UM...GOD TOLD ME
TO PLAY THAT SLOT MACHINE.

SO I DID, AND THEN I WON,
LIKE, $5,000."

BRAD HAS A SPIRITUAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

THAT I DON'T HAVE
OR UNDERSTAND.

OR HE'S CRAZY.

UM...

AND, IN THIS CASE,
HERE'S THE THING--

LIKE, I WASN'T WILLING
TO WRITE HIM OFF.

I TOTALLY TRUST BRAD,
AND I HAVE GOOD
REASON TO.

SO, I BELIEVE
THAT HE BELIEVES
WHATEVER HE SAYS.

Man: DO YOU HAVE REASON
NOT TO TRUST THAT HE WOULD
BE HEARING FROM GOD?

UH...I DON'T--

I DON'T REALLY HEAR
FROM GOD...IN THAT WAY.

GOD HAS TOLD ME
ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

HE'S TOLD ME
A LOT OF THINGS.

UM...HE'S HAD ME DO THINGS
THAT I WOULD NEVER DO,

AND, LIKE,
IT TURNS OUT AMAZING.

IF YOU ASK SOMEBODY
TO GO INTO THE TRUE ESSENCE
OF WHAT WE SAY...

I MEAN, YEAH,
I BELIEVE I HEAR FROM GOD.

I BELIEVE THE LORD
SPEAKS TO ME.

BUT IF YOU PUT THAT ON CAMERA,
PEOPLE ARE, LIKE--

IT'S JUST, LIKE, TOUGH
HOW DEEP YOU GO INTO THAT.

IT WAS REALLY WEIRD.
NOT ONLY IS HE NOT A CHRISTIAN,

HE'S, LIKE, ONE OF THE MOST
STRONGEST OPPONENTS AGAINST IT.

IT'S FUNNY, BECAUSE
HOW DO YOU TELL SOMEBODY
WHO DOESN'T BELIEVE IN GOD

THAT GOD TOLD YOU
THAT THEY'RE STEALING?

IT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT
THAT HE'S NOT A CHRISTIAN

'CAUSE IT MAKES IT SOUND
LIKE WE'RE SINGLING HIM OUT
'CAUSE HE'S NOT A CHRISTIAN.

UM...

IF I HAD TO, LIKE,
MAKE A BET,

I WOULD SAY YEAH,
PROBABLY.

SO, YEAH.
I WOULD SAY THAT HE WAS.

YOU KNOW, BENJAMIN ADY'S
AN INTERESTING GUY,
TO SAY THE LEAST.

OBVIOUSLY, HIS KIND OF,
LIKE, SPIRITUAL, UM,

MENTAL, POLITICAL--
UM, JUST A LOT OF
HIS STANCES--

AND THIS IS
WHAT I TOLD HIM--
ARE VERY UNIQUE.

IN A TEAM ATMOSPHERE,

WHERE, LIKE, A LOT
OF UNITY AND TRUST

AND OTHER THINGS ARE,
LIKE, HIGH VALUES,

IT CAN, LIKE--
AND I THINK IT DID--

REALLY, LIKE,
COMPROMISE IT.

IT MADE IT SO THAT
THERE WAS LESS TRUST,

THERE WAS LESS
FEELINGS OF UNITY,

THERE WAS LESS PRIDE
IN WANTING THE ENTIRE
TEAM TO SUCCEED.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE MADE
THE RIGHT DECISION.

BUT THE REASON WHY
BENJAMIN ADY WAS FIRED

WASN'T BECAUSE
HE WAS STEALING.

UM, ULTIMATELY,
IT WAS BECAUSE...

HE DIDN'T FIT
THE PROFILE OF OUR TEAM.

I DON'T EVEN--
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT'S
THE RIGHT WAY OF SAYING IT.

ANYTIME THAT I'VE HAD
TO EXPLAIN TO SOMEBODY

HOW OUR TEAM WORKS--

LIKE, WHEN I'VE
BEEN ARRESTED--

BASICALLY,
LAW ENFORCEMENT--
THE FIRST THING THEY ASK IS,

"HOW DOES YOUR EMPLOYER
KNOW YOU'RE NOT STEALING
FROM HIM BLIND?

HOW DO THEY KNOW
YOU REPORT YOUR WINS
AND LOSSES ACCURATELY?"

AND I'VE ALWAYS ANSWERED,
"WE'RE ALL CHRISTIANS."

AND THAT CAN BE
REALLY SHALLOW.

BUT, AT THE SAME TIME,
PEOPLE ALWAYS GO...

"OH, THAT MAKES SENSE."

THE PROBLEM IS,
WHAT HAPPENED
WITH BRAD CURRAH

AND BENJAMIN ADY--
IT'S NOT MEASURABLE.

WE CAN'T PROVE IT.
IF WE COULD PROVE IT,

THEN WE WOULD SAY
WHAT TOOK PLACE IS TRUE.

BUT WE CAN'T.

YOU KNOW,
WE ALL WANT TO BE NICE
AND LOVE EACH OTHER,

BUT THE TRUTH HURTS
SOMETIMES, AND THAT'S
JUST THE WAY IT IS.

SO, TO SOME PEOPLE,
BRAD CURRAH'S, LIKE,
A LUNATIC.

HE'S A PSYCHO-CHRISTIAN
FUNDAMENTALIST

WHO THINKS
HE HEARS FROM GOD.

UH, AND HE MIGHT BE THAT.

AT THE SAME TIME,
BRAD MIGHT--

HE MIGHT BE LEGIT.

AND EVEN LOGICALLY,
IN MY MIND--

LET ALONE THEOLOGICALLY--

IT MAKES SENSE THAT BRAD
COULD HEAR FROM GOD,

AND GOD COULD SAY,
"HEY, THIS THING--
WHICH IS OF VALUE--"

THE CHURCH TEAM,
OUR TEAM--

"IT'S BEING COMPROMISED
BY A PERSON.

HERE'S WHO,
AND HERE'S HOW."

THAT'S, IN SHORT,
WHAT TOOK PLACE.

ARE YOU--ARE YOU GOOD?

YEAH, I'M GREAT.
I'M EXCITED.

**

TODAY WE'RE GONNA
BAPTIZE LISA.

EVERYBODY SAY,
"HI, LISA."

( cheering )

LISA WILL EXPLAIN
A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT HER STORY.

BUT IN FEBRUARY,
LISA DECIDED TO FOLLOW
CHRIST AS LORD OF HER LIFE.

SO, TODAY WE'RE
FOLLOWING UP WITH THAT
VIA BAPTISM.

IN THE FAMILY OF GOD,
THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

IS THAT COOL.
All: YEAH.

LISA, YOU'VE BEEN
BAPTIZED IN CHRIST.

AND NOW YOU'RE RAISED
IN NEW LIFE.

( cheering )

IT STARTED TO WEIGH ON ME--

LIKE, DIFFERENT WORLDS,
'CAUSE THEY'RE SO FAR APART.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

MY LIFE IS SPENT
WITH PEOPLE I LOVE

AND PEOPLE WHO I THINK
CARE ABOUT SOMETHING

THAT I BELIEVE IS GREATER
THAN OURSELVES.

AND THEN I GO TO A CASINO,
WHERE IT'S, LIKE--

THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE.

YEAH, IT JUST SUCKS.

THAT TRANSITION GETS OLD.

GOING TO BAPTIZE SOMEONE,
AND THEN GO GAMBLE?

POETIC JUSTICE.

Flight attendant:
IT'S OUR PLEASURE TO
WELCOME YOU TO LAS VEGAS...

( continues indistinctly )

THE BIGGEST ISSUE I RAN INTO
IN THE LAST YEAR,

REGARDING THE NATURE
OF WHAT BLACKJACK IS,

IS, AS A CHRISTIAN,
I THINK THAT WHATEVER
WE PUT OUR HANDS TO

SHOULD BRING OUT MORE VALUE
IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT SHOULD BE LEFT BETTER
THAN WHEN I FOUND IT.

AND MY PROBLEM
WITH BLACKJACK IS...

IT, IN ITSELF, DOESN'T
ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING.

WHAT I'VE WRESTLED IS...

I HAVE A CONVICTION.
I REALLY BELIEVE THAT STRONGLY.

SO, THERE'S TWO POINTS
OF CONFLICT.

ONE--DO I APPLY
MY CONVICTION

TO EVERYBODY ELSE
ON THE TEAM?

AND THEN TWO--
AM I EVEN RIGHT?

MAYBE IT'S FINE TO HELP
CREATE A BUSINESS

AND SUSTAIN A BUSINESS
WHERE GUYS CAN JUST GO DO
WHATEVER THEY FEEL LIKE.

BUT I NEVER CAME IN HERE
THINKING THIS WAS THE WAY
I WANT TO LIVE.

I WOULDN'T SAY
I'VE LIVED LIKE THAT,

BUT I'VE ENDORSED A COMPANY

THAT AFFORDS THAT LIFESTYLE
TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

IT'S BEEN A POINT
OF WRESTLING

THAT I REALLY CAN'T
COME TO GRIPS WITH.

I DON'T REALLY LIKE
LAS VEGAS VERY MUCH.

IT'S TOO SELF-AWARE.

NOT QUITE KENTUCKY.

I KNOW FOR SURE, FOR MYSELF,
I CANNOT LIVE ON BLACKJACK

AND SAY THAT WHAT I'M DOING
IS A WORTHY PURSUIT,

A RIGHTEOUS
OR A FULL PURSUIT.

I THINK MAN WAS MEANT
TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING WAY--

WAY MORE TANGIBLE
AND SIMPLE

THAN JUST ROBBING CASINOS
AND MAKING A BUNCH OF MONEY

AND GETTING AWESOME COMPS.

( laughs ) I THOUGHT
I WAS GONNA BE...

BRUSHING OFF COBWEBS,
FIGURATIVELY.

BUT THERE'S COBWEBS THERE.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE
TO PLAY BLACKJACK

BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T CLOSED
A BANKROLL IN A WHILE.

SO, IT'S, UH, TIME TO MAKE
SOME MONEY TO PAY THE BILLS.

SO, THIS IS KIND OF
A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR US,

EVEN THOUGH WE USED TO
DO IT ALL THE TIME.

BUT THAT'S THE WAY
WE EARN OUR MONEY--

IS, UH,
AT THE BLACKJACK TABLE.

WE JUST HAVEN'T GONE
IN A WHILE.

BUT WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY
PLAY A LOT OF BLACKJACK

AND NOT GET MUCH SLEEP.

I ALWAYS TRY AND BRING THESE
BECAUSE I'M A NEW PERSON.

YOU WON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE ME.
IT'S LIKE I'M SOPHISTICATED.

**

( lyrics indistinct )

50. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

ALL RIGHT, THERE IT IS--
$50,000.

WHEN I COME OUT, I'LL HAVE
A STACK OF ENVELOPES THAT HIGH.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

I LOST $11,200.

I GOT BACKED OFF
IN JUST ABOUT AN HOUR.

SO, WE'RE ON TO
THE NEXT PLACE.

I'M DOWN ABOUT 24,000,

AND I'VE ONLY BEEN ABLE
TO PLAY ABOUT TWO HOURS

BETWEEN THE TWO CASINOS.

* AND I WANTED YOU
TO MAKE IT *

* THE CAMERA'S STANDING BY *

* SO I COULD CAPTURE
HALF THE RAPTURE *

* AND I SAVED UP
ALL MY MONEY *

( lyrics indistinct )

* WITH A GRAND ENGRAVING,
SILVER PLATING *

* SO THAT IF YOU
EVER FEAR... *

UH, WE'RE DOWN--

I DON'T EVEN KNOW--
LIKE, 50,000.

* IF THE BOTTOM EVER DROPS *

* OR YOUR TIED UP
WITH THE COPS *

* DON'T BE SCARED,
BEWARE *

* THE THINGS
THAT NEVER MATTERED *

I MIGHT EVEN CRY IF,
UH, I WALK IN

AND THEY BACK ME OFF.

* AND I WANTED YOU
TO MAKE IT *

* WITH THE CAMERA STANDING BY *

I'M NOT THAT SURPRISED
BY TONIGHT.

IT DEFINITELY WENT BAD.

I MEAN, NOT AS BAD
AS IT CAN GO,

BUT DEFINITELY ON
THE WORST SIDE OF THINGS.

ONE OF THE WORST-CASE
SCENARIOS IS YOU SPEND
THIS WHOLE WEEKEND,

AND YOU LOSE MONEY.

IT'S, LIKE, YOU KNOW
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO WIN,
YOU SHOULD WIN.

IF YOU MAKE ENOUGH TRIPS,
YOU WILL.

BUT THEN A LOT OF YOU
IS WONDERING,

WELL, WHAT IF I JUST WOULDN'T
HAVE GONE ON THE TRIP?

LIKE...

UH, MAYBE IT WOULD'VE BEEN
BETTER IF JUST STAYED HOME.

I WOULD'VE SPENT TIME
WITH MY FAMILY

AND GOT A BUNCH
OF STUFF DONE,

AND HAD MORE FUN.

INSTEAD, I WENT ON THIS TRIP,
AND I LOST THE TEAM MONEY.

SO, I THINK YOUR EXPECTATIONS
GOING INTO THIS--

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
NOT TO, LIKE...

JUST PUT ALL YOUR HOPES
AND DREAMS

ON WINNING MONEY OR...
EVERYTHING WORKING OUT.

THERE IS DEFINITELY
NOT A CONFLICT

BETWEEN MY FAITH
AND MY OCCUPATION.

IF ANYTHING,
MY OCCUPATION...

SERVES AS A TOOL OF GOD
TO STRENGTHEN MY FAITH.

I HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN
BUT TO GOD

WHEN, YOU KNOW,
A TRIP IS FALLING APART.

AND THAT'S A MONTH'S WAGES
GOING DOWN THE TUBES.

GOD KNOWS ALL OF MY NEEDS,

AND HE KNOWS EXACTLY
WHAT ORDER THE CARDS ARE
IN THE SHOE.

I MEAN, HE'S CREATED
ORDER IN THE UNIVERSE

SO THAT CARD-COUNTING
IS EVEN POSSIBLE.

I BELIEVE EVERY HAND
IS DETERMINED BY GOD,

IN THE SAME WAY THAT,
IF A SPARROW FALLS,

HE TAKES NOTICE.

HE KNOWS
EVERY MINUTE DETAIL.

HE KNOWS WHEN I'M GONNA HIT
AND WHEN I'M GONNA STAND.

I ACTUALLY WROTE DOWN
A MEMORY VERSE.

I WAS KIND OF
FREAKING OUT IN RENO.

I WAS, LIKE, "OH, NO.
WHAT AM I GONNA DO?

'CAUSE I'M NOT GETTING
VERY MANY HOURS IN."

AND I WROTE DOWN
A VERSE IN MY iPHONE.

DEUTERONOMY 8:17-18.

"YOU MAY SAY TO YOURSELF,

"MY POWER AND THE STRENGTH
OF MY HANDS

"HAVE PRODUCED
THIS WEALTH FOR ME.

"BUT REMEMBER
THE LORD YOUR GOD,

"FOR IT IS HE WHO
GIVES YOU THE ABILITY
TO PRODUCE WEALTH

"AND SO CONFIRMS
HIS COVENANT

WHICH HE SWORE
TO YOUR FOREFATHERS,
AS IT IS TODAY."

UM, AND I READ THAT
IN A HOTEL ROOM OUT OF
THE GIDEON BIBLE.

I WAS JUST KIND
OF FREAKED OUT

ABOUT HOW MY TRIP
WAS GOING,

AND, UH, CAME ACROSS
THAT VERSE.

I WAS JUST, LIKE,
"GOD IS SO GOOD."

HE'S PROVIDED THIS FOR ME,
AND IT'S STRENGTHENED ME.

THERE'S DEFINITELY
NO CONFLICT IN MY MIND

OR MY HEART
OR MY CONSCIENCE.

I KNOW FOR A FACT

THAT THIS IS
WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED
TO BE DOING RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS, LIKE, MY CALLING.

**

IN THE BIG PICTURE,
BLACKJACK HAS CHANGED
EVERYTHING FOR ME.

WHEN I GOT INTO BLACKJACK,
I NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD
LAST VERY LONG.

I WAS, LIKE, "THIS IS
PROBABLY THE LAST YEAR."

AND I'VE SAID THAT NOW
FOR A LONG TIME--

"THIS IS THE LAST YEAR,
THIS IS THE LAST YEAR."

AND RIGHT NOW I FEEL LIKE
THIS IS THE LAST YEAR.

I GOT TO EXPERIENCE WHAT
THE OTHER BLACKJACK PLAYERS

HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH
THE LAST FEW YEARS.

IT'S KIND OF CRAZY
OUT THERE.

I GUESS IT'S JUST
ONE OF THOSE THINGS--
WE'RE GETTING OLD.

AS FAR AS PROFESSIONAL
BLACKJACK PLAYERS,

I GUESS WE PROBABLY
ARE OLD.

I THINK, FOR ME, MENTALLY,

I'VE BEEN DONE WITH BLACKJACK
FOR A WHILE.

WHEN I FIRST GOT INTO IT,
I WAS EXCITED ABOUT IT.

I LOVED THE IDEA,
I LOVED LEARNING IT.

FOR ME, I THINK NOW,
I'M COMING TO A PLACE

WHERE I AM LESS
PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.

I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
I ALWAYS AM.

IT WAS AN IDENTITY, YOU KNOW?
AS MUCH AS WE DON'T
WANT IT TO BE,

IT'S COOL TO BE
A BLACKJACK PLAYER.

YOU TALK TO PEOPLE,
AND PEOPLE DROP EVERYTHING
AT A PARTY TO TALK TO YOU.

I THINK THE NETWORK
WE'VE ESTABLISHED
WITH BLACKJACK--

LIKE, BLACKJACK,
I THINK,

WILL COME AND GO
FOR ALL OF US.

THE MOST VALUABLE
THING FOR ME

IS, LIKE, I HOPE
THE PEOPLE THAT
HAVE COME IN

LEAVE BETTER
WHEN THEY GO OUT.

I JUST WANT TO
THANK YOU GUYS
FOR THE RIDE.

I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL
HAVE A BETTER STORY
IN THIS LIFE,

OF, LIKE,
THAT TIME PERIOD.

IT'S INCREDIBLE.
I LOOK BACK,

AND I TELL PEOPLE--
SOME PEOPLE GO TO
BUSINESS SCHOOL.

I RAN
A BLACKJACK TEAM.

**

SO, THIS VEGAS TRIP
IS DIFFERENT,

BECAUSE THE MAIN REASON
WHY WE CAME

WASN'T TO PLAY BLACKJACK.

WE CAME TO ACTUALLY TRAIN
OTHER PLAYERS.

WE OFFERED BOOT CAMPS
SO PLAYERS CAN COME TO VEGAS

AND PAY US $1,000,
AND WE'LL HANG OUT
WITH THEM FOR ONE DAY.

I THINK THIS IS
A NATURAL PROGRESSION

OF WHERE WE'VE COME FROM.

WE STARTED OFF JUST PLAYING.

THEN WE KIND OF MOVED
TOWARDS MANAGING.

NOW WE'RE DEFINITELY
LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT WAYS
OF MAKING MONEY.

SOME SORT OF
BLACKJACK TRAINING,
OR USING OUR KNOWLEDGE

AND WHAT WE'VE LEARNED
TO MARKET A PRODUCT--
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADED.

REALLY, LIKE,
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING--

I MEAN, COUNTING.

LIKE, IF YOU GUYS CAN'T
KEEP A COUNT AT A TABLE,

YOU CAN'T PLAY.

IN ONE SENSE,
YOU'RE A SUPERHERO
TO THESE GUYS.

WHEN I FIRST LEARNED,
AND I HUNG OUT WITH A GUY
WHO'D BEEN DOING THIS,

AND YOU SEE THEY'RE ON A TEAM,
AND THEY HAVE MONEY,

AND THEY'VE BEEN
KICKED OUT OF CASINOS,

AND YOU'RE JUST, LIKE,
"OH, MY GOD, THIS IS CRAZY."

AND IT'S WEIRD THAT
WE'RE THAT NOW

TO THIS, YOU KNOW,
SMALL GROUP OF TEN PEOPLE.

NICE MEETING YOU GUYS.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S NEXT.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF
INTERNET BUSINESS IDEAS.

I CAN DO A LOT, OR I CAN DO
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

I HAVE, LIKE,
NO COLLEGE DEGREE.

I HAVE, LIKE,
NO PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW?

I'M NOT REALLY WILLING
TO WORK A 9-TO-5 ANYMORE.

SO, I'M NOT TOO WORRIED
ABOUT IT, IN THAT SENSE.

A LOT OF TIMES,
I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S--
WHAT'S AROUND THE CORNER.

AND I DON'T REALLY CARE.

**

( lyrics indistinct )

MAYBE CHRISTIANS
SHOULDN'T PLAY BLACKJACK.

( laughs )