Houston Curtis is a best selling author, producer and sought after poker protection expert in the world of high stakes poker. Houston’s knowledge ranges from an obsession with card manipulation that began at age seven, to protecting his own game and bankroll for decades in the private underground poker games. His unique first hand knowledge of poker related gaming protection have resulted in nearly two decades of experience consulting for major casinos, licensed card rooms and some of the most exclusive high stakes poker games in the world.
As a TV show host and executive producer, Houston can be seen on Bally’s Big Bet Poker which airs new episodes weekly on the Bally Sports Network. In addition, Houston is the executive producer of Live at the Bike, the world’s longest running high stakes poker livestream, and the upcoming Live at the Trop which will be broadcast from the Tropicana Casino Las Vegas.
As an advantage player, Houston was barred for life from the Golden Nugget Las Vegas for “excessive winning” at blackjack. He is also known to insiders as a master card mechanic and sleight of hand artist. Houston was portrayed in the Academy Award nominated film Molly’s Game, based on the real life high stakes Hollywood poker ring he co-founded alongside actor Tobey Maguire. Houston wrote his own account of the “Molly’s Game” era in his book Billion Dollar Hollywood Heist.
Houston’s new book from Las Vegas based publisher, Huntington Press titled Million Dollar Mechanics: A Treatise on Modern Poker Protection & Card Table Artifice, is set to be released via a limited special edition run during WGPC 2023 week in March. This highly anticipated book (which includes a Forward by Steve Forte) is promised to include Houston’s “life’s work” on all aspects of card mechanics along with personal stories from his career and encounters and rarely discussed insight into the subject. Also included will be special chapters dedicated to the most modern approach to livestream poker protection, how to thwart a compromised electronic shuffling machine and much more.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
What’s Going on in the Poker World?
Houston Curtis is a poker protection expert, the author of Billion Dollar Hollywood Heist, and executive producer and TV show host of live streaming poker shows. Houston drops in to share his insight into the world of high stakes poker. He’ll talk about some of the recent poker cheating scandals, the recently formed Poker Integrity Council, live stream poker security and integrity measures, and give us some tips and advice on poker protection.