Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White has once again been handed his “walking papers” from the Palm in Las Vegas. It’s the second time in two years he has been banned from betting because he has a knack for beating the house.
White told the Las Vegas Review-Journal he was invited back March 1, 22 months after he was originally asked to take his business elsewhere. He said Palms CEO Dan Lee, who just resigned after a year on the job, wooed him with a case of 2001 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Montrachet valued at $5,000 a bottle.
When he returned to the Palms tables, White said, he “beat them for nearly $2 million, and they asked me not to play anymore.” His limit was reduced from $25,000 a hand to $5,000.
“A lot of people are going to think I’m a card counter after that Ben Affleck thing at the Hard Rock,” he said. “I’m the farthest thing from a card counter.”
White, who says Mandalay Bay has invited him to play there, griped that 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.”
Despite the recent no-play decree, White says he “loves” everyone at the Palms and will continue to patronize the resort. Two years ago, he pulled all UFC-related events from the Palms after then-president Joe Magliarditi cut his credit line in half.
