The bad beat poker tables at a land-based casino are often filled with poker players hoping to activate the special jackpot associated with the tables. Playing at the bad beat tables is just like regular poker gaming, but with the added incentive of earning a jackpot win. Players can win tens of thousands of dollars or more just by having a losing hand. Just recently, it was discovered that a poker dealer at a Louisiana casino was involved in rigging a bad beat poker jackpot so that the prize was a little bit easier to win.
Last Friday, the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations Gaming Enforcement Division charged poker dealer Ashley Solomon of rigging the jackpot at a local casino that remains unnamed. Solomon is a 66-year-old dealer who worked at the New Orleans gaming venue and reportedly partnered with 51-year-old Dale Foret to claim the prize.
The investigation into the matter begin on January 19th when the staff of the casino notified detectives that there were inconsistencies with the bad beat win. The jackpot was sitting at $166,000 when it was activated. After the investigation was complete, detectives found that Solomon had stacked the deck for the outcome to be in Foret’s favor.
Supposedly, Solomon completed two false shuffles which led to the win. On the second shuffle, Foret was holding the losing hand, which in bad beat game play, means he won the majority of the jackpot. Other players involved in the hand would also earn a cut, but not as much as the loser of the hand.
According to police, Solomon had talked to Foret before and after the game to prepare. For now, the jackpot remains in place and no one was paid. The investigation began before any of the jackpot could be distributed to players involved. Both men have now been arrested and are being held on criminal charges of conspiracy to commit theft and attempted theft.