The weirdest gambling news stories involving casinos, jackpots & players. Sometimes the fortune of winning betting can also lead to misfortune and how.
Most news stories about gambling and casinos are heavy topics. They are generally about changes to legislation and the business aspects. Yet casinos and betting have thrown up some quite odd human-interest stories over the years. Below, we present three of the oddest gambling-related news stories.
Winning a Deportation
Everyone dreams of winning big but for some people, that reality can turn into a nightmare. This is especially true when those people find out that they cannot collect their money. But that got even worse for one Mirna Valenzuela, who even got deported because of it.
When you play slot games for real money online or in a physical casino, security is paramount. Online casinos such as the ones at Paddy Power have strict rules to keep your money and details safe. It is one essential factor in casino regulation. This means you can play with peace of mind. This is no different in a physical casino where for winnings of $1200 or over you must show a valid ID, and this is where the player’s problems began.
A resident of Tucson, Valenzuela, hit the jackpot when playing at a casino with her daughter. In her elated state, she went to claim her money but required an I.D. card. The problem was that she did not have one as she was in the US illegally. Handing over faked documents, the casino staff were extremely vigilant and called the authorities.
Valenzuela was then handed over to border patrol and sent back to Mexico. The casino did however release a statement saying the funds were still available and that if the lady in question turned up with the right identification, she could still claim it.
Too Many Snakes?
A Pennsylvania Casino found itself with a dwindling audience in 2012 after a vicious rumor began circulating on Facebook. At the end of the Chinese year of the snake, patrons had heard via social media that reptiles had infested the casino and had bitten patrons. A spokesperson for the casino and the state police both had to give statements to quell the story.
The fictional tale was that someone had been to a local doctor with an unknown bite. When the doctor informed them it was a snake bite, they then asked if they had recently visited the casino. A spokesperson for the casino said that any animals on the premises, big or small, would have been caught on their state-of-the-art surveillance equipment and none had been seen.
Brian Zembic’s Implants
Brian Zembic has garnered the moniker of “The Wiz” for one good reason: he refuses to lose a bet. He is both a magician and a high-stakes gambler, who loves nothing more than a game of backgammon or blackjack, where the latter has seen him take part in the World Series.
Zembic has accepted and won some crazy bets. He lived in a bathroom for a week for a $14000 bet, lived in a box for a week to win $25,000, and took another $14,000 in a high-stakes ping pong game. Yet his most absurd was a $100,000 bet to get breast implants.
This was made by his friend while the two ate at a restaurant. Zembic soon had the surgery and liked them so much that he kept them for 20 years, despite an offer from a friend to buy the bet out. This started a whole career for Zembic, who gained lots of publicity for the stunt.