The man who put the Tropicana in the red last month by playing blackjack and winning $5,8 million has come forward. His name’s Don Johnson (no, not that Don Johnson), and the Tropicana isn’t the only Casino he took to the cleaners. In December he left Ceasars Atlantic City for over $4,2 million, and between then and his victory at the Tropicana also walked out of the Borgata Casino hotel & Spa a whopping $4,9 million richer.
Johnson, 49, and CEO of Heritage Development LLC, a company that provides computer assisted wagering in horse racing, is reluctant to talk about his strategy. In interviews he mentions “luck over any other skill” and that he does not consider himself a professional gambler. However that may be, the Johnson did win an extraordinarily lucky haul of approximately $15 million (~R104 million) over the last six months. He cites his bankroll and bankroll management as a contributing factors to his success.
The CEO of the Tropicana who did not prevent Johnson from playing $100 000 hands was subsequently fired, and Johnson, who was already banned at various other casinos including Ceasars in Vegas, Harrah’s and the Trump Taj Mahal, will now no longer be welcome at any other US casinos either. In answer to which Johnson lightly remarks he’ll just go to the horse races instead.
