Professional poker player arrested for allegedly cheating at California casino

Busted.

A professional poker player has been arrested for allegedly marking cards to give him the upper hand at a California casino blackjack table.

Archie Karas, 62, whose real name is Anargyros Karabourniotis, was taken into custody on Tuesday at his Las Vegas home, and is charged with cheating, winning by fraudulent means and burglary, Reuters reports. The San Diego County District Attorney's Office announced the arrest on Friday.

At Lakeside's Barona Resort and Casino in July, Karas marked cards by swiping them over a hollowed-out gambling chip that contained dye, California Justice Department spokeswoman Michelle Gregory said.

Prosecutors say the dye helped Karas identify the value of cards in the game and cheat the casino out of $8,000. Blackjack is won by obtaining cards that add up closest to the value of 21 without going over.

Karas is best known for turning a stake of $50 into a $40 million fortune during a three-year winning streak in the early 90s, Reuters reports.

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