UFC President Dana White is facing his second Las Vegas casino ban after winning more than $2 million playing blackjack at the Palms Casino Resort. The casino has banned White from their highest stake tables for the second time in the past 24 months. With an overall net worth of nearly half a billion dollars, the UFC supremo is non-plussed by the ban.
It’s a Case of Deja’Vu for White, with a Second Ban at the Palms
Over the years, White has made no secret for his love of the blackjack tables in his adopted hometown of Vegas. The first time the UFC boss was banned, he was found guilty of the same “crime” by casino bosses; winning too much playing blackjack. Casinos are only happy when they’re doing all the winning.
White boycotted the Palms Casino after that first ban, and it was only after the intervention of Palms Chief Executive Dan Lee, that White returned. Lee sent him a bottle of 2001 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Montrachet, a bottle of wine worth $5,000, to entice White to return to the Palms. The UFC boss returned to his winning ways, and the perception was that he was a card counter.
Palms Casino Step in a Second Time after White Wins Big
Over three months, White claimed more than $2 million in winnings playing blackjack at the Palms. There were murmurings that he was booted for counting cards after a similar incident with Ben Affleck at the Hard Rock Casino. However, the flamboyant executive is adamant that he earned his winnings fairly.
“A lot of people are going to think I’m a card counter after that Ben Affleck thing at the Hard Rock. I’m the farthest thing from a card counter. Casinos don’t want to gamble anymore. They’re all owned by hedge funds and corporations. They want to stack the odds so much against you that won’t play. Realistically, there’s only one place to play left in town. That’s Caesars. They will let you play what you want to play. No messing around with limits,” White said.
Palms Cries Uncle, Parts Ways with White
White was told that his betting limits would be reduced from $25,000 to $5,000. After the Palms lost $1.6 million to White in one session, casino bosses naturally became concerned. The Palms sent White a UFC-style Championship belt, with a note asking him not to return to the tables at the Palms. White still has the belt in his UFC office. “Instead of just asking me to leave the way that the previous owners did, they gave me this [the championship belt]. Undisputed Blackjack champion. 24-0. This is a cool way to say get the f*** out of our casino and don’t come back,” White said.
UFC commentator Joe Rogan has claimed that White has won over $7 million on a one-night hot streak, but also suffered some major losses as well. In the past, White has stopped UFC events from coming to the Palms and it remains to be seen how the UFC boss will react to another ban from the casino.