A player inadvertently lost a huge chip stack during a hand and not even the dealer caught it
A huge dealer error has caused controversy, and an investigation was opened after the final table at the WSOP Paradise Main Event. The mistake cost Australian poker player Daniel Neilson a whopping 10 million chips, equal to about $116,000 in equity.
The incident happened during three-handed play, with Neilson in a pot versus the eventual winner, Stanislav Zegal. Neilson held A-S, K-D but was beaten by the K-C, Q-C of Zega. However, the dealer incorrectly informed Neilson that Zegal’s count was 10 million more than his actual 38 million. This left Neilson with 5.2 million chips when he should have had 15.2 million.
Remarkably, no one at the table or watching the live stream caught the mistake, although the graphics on the screen showed the correct chip count Neilson should have had. Neilson conveyed his dismay over the incident, saying that he understands mistakes can occur. However, he thinks more systems should be implemented to prevent them, particularly during critical stages of high-stakes affairs like the WSOP Paradise Main Event.
WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart verified that an investigation was launched but also said that Neilson probably won’t receive any financial settlement for the dealer mistake. “The official position in any tournament is that if action was accepted by all parties there would be no recourse once tournament play has concluded,” said Stewart.
While the dealers at these events are typically excellent, missteps do happen, and in this incident, it proved to be very costly for Neilson. It’s also not the first time a dealer mistake happened at a WSOP tournament, as similar mistakes were reported at the WSOP Main Events in 2010 and 2019.
WSOP officials say they will review the current processes and evaluate what actions they can take to guarantee this doesn’t happen in future events.
Emma Rodriguez is the Proofreader at the Big Blind, with seven years of experience and five years in online gambling. She plays a crucial role in maintaining content quality by ensuring error-free, reader-friendly information about the gambling industry.
