Gossip Column: Rory Young Offers Details on Rich Alati’s $100K Pitch Black Bathroom Prop Bet, Poker Player Arrested For Scamming & More

It was just days ago that a bizzare prop bet got the gossip mills ringing in the poker circles and we finally have all the details to share with you! Termed the ‘$100K Pitch Black Bathroom Prop Bet’, poker pros Rich Alati and Rory Young have come up with what is probably one of the most unbelievable prop bets yet. Want to know what it is? You’ll have to read the details below.

But that’s not all that you’ll be reading. We’ll also be telling you about Minnesota-based poker player Semin Topalovic who was recently captured by the long arm of the law on charges of felony theft for swindle and securities fraud. Allegedly the 26-year-old conned over $300,000 from unsuspecting victims.

And while we are talking about allegations of swindling and stealing, the bitB poker staking stable, owned by Patrick Leonard, has accused online poker site 888poker of stealing their money.

Let’s now divert from the path of crime to happier news. Danish player Toke Gerding ‘Superfan’ Jensen was in for heartbreak when while playing the Freeroll League at PokerStars he could not play the last two games due to server issues. Redemption did come sweet for Jensen who was invited to play Joe Stapleton in a special ‘Superfan vs Stapes’ edition of the ‘Poker in the Ears’ podcast. The story gets better, as Jensen defeated Stapleton to bag a Platinum Pass to the PokerStars Players NLHE Championship (PSPC) in Bahamas!

Rory Young Reveals Details of Rich Alati’s Insane Bathroom Prop Bet

Just days ago we had reported about a crazy bathroom prop bet that Danielle ‘DMoonGirl Andersen made public on Facebook. Well, now we’ll tell you about all the grisly details!

Named the ‘$100K Pitch Black Bathroom Prop Bet’, the prop bet has poker pro Rich Alati currently locked inside a completely dark bathroom where he has to stay for 30 days without any communication with the outside world. Is that crazy or what?!?

But that’s not all. If Alati lasts the 30 days, he’ll profit $100,000 – but if he quits, fellow poker pro Rory Young pockets the cash.

The origin of the bet took place at the Bellagio poker room where both Alati and Young are cash game regulars. Young recounted, “One day, there was this young dude sitting at an empty table with like $40,000 in front of him and I sat down, and we started playing heads up. We started getting along okay and then over the next couple of days we were talking at the table and stuff. I play a lot of Lodden Thinks and this is one of my go-to questions, ‘How long do you think you could last in a dark room, with no human interaction?’”

Up until that point Young had received various responses to that question, but most stayed between the range of 20 to 25 days. However, Alati surprised him by responding with 30 days.

“I was like, ‘Oh, that’s interesting – would you ever consider putting any money on it?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, but it would have to be a large amount to make it worthwhile,’” said Young. “We talked a little bit more and within an hour we had something booked.”

Each of them escrowed $5,000 with somebody they both knew and trusted. Alati had six months to attempt the bet. If either of them decided not to proceed with the bet, the other would take home the $10,000. If the bet went forward, they would each get their $5,000 back.

Restating the terms of the bet, Young said, “The conditions are complete darkness, so no electronics, no light-emitting devices, no drugs of any kind. He is allowed any type of food that he wants. He has a bed in there, he has a shower and a bathtub. He has pretty lavish toiletries like Epsom salts, sugar scrubs, that kind of stuff.”

In addition to the food already stored in his refrigerator, Alati can have food delivered to him during the span of 30 days, but not on a regular basis so as not to give him any indication as to how much time has passed.

“Food is delivered every three to six days and we’ve randomized what days it’ll be delivered, and we’ll drop off six days’ worth of food so he doesn’t know how long it’s been,” said Young. “It could be three days, it could be six days. He’ll have no idea of how long it’s been, so no watches or clocks or things like that.”

But being in a pitch-dark room, doesn’t mean Alati has a lot of privacy though. There are five night-vision cameras broadcasting around the clock and the only privacy Alati gets is when he’s in the shower or the toilet cubicle. Alati’s family and a few select others have access to the feed.

Talking about the odds of the bet, Young stated, “I don’t think he ever thought to ask for odds. He just kind of wanted to do it. He didn’t think about it. I guess I was lucky in that regard. I feel like the true odds are between 5- and 10-to-1. His hourly throughout the whole thing, if he wins, is only $140. That’s a good hourly, but it’s not a good hourly for this and he loses a decent amount of the time.”

Young though feels confident of his chances of winning this bet since Alati began the bet with near zero-preparation.

“He spent, I believe, 10 minutes in a dark bathroom,” said Young. “He was in the Bahamas for the partypoker event, flew back, and within 24 hours he was in the bathroom. He hadn’t prepared any of his food, he hadn’t gotten anyone to bring his food in, so I’ve had to do it. I think he’s done zero preparation.”

Alati’s sister, who is a lawyer, tried to get him to back out of the bet and only lose the escrowed $5,000.

“They tried to get him to not do it, but he doesn’t listen to anybody but himself. She tried very hard to get him to pull out and he wasn’t having it. She’s pretty worried,” Young added.

Commenting on the moral aspect of the prop bet, Young opined, “I’m a firm believer in that there are two consenting adults and if it doesn’t do any harm to a third party, then it’s morally justifiable. I don’t have any hang-ups about the ethical side of this. I think it’s different if it was a freeroll. I think I can have some ethical concerns there. I have a bit of concern for his eyesight, but we’re taking all of the necessary conditions.”

The around-the-clock footage is being recorded and Young and Alati are hoping to turn it into a reality show and find a home for it once all is said and done.

Since news of the prop bet spread out, Young has already been contacted by 1996 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event winner Huckleberry Seed, who wants to do the bet for a $1 Million but under much tougher conditions.

“[Seed] said he wants to do it with no bed, no food for the first 21 days, he’d do it for a total of 40 days, and just water. Also, he said I could put some cockroaches in the bathroom,” Young regaled.

Poker Player Arrested For Scamming Over $300,000

Minnesota-based 26-year-old Semin Topalovic was recently arrested and charged with felony theft for swindle and securities fraud. Over the last few years, Topalovic allegedly conned over $300,000 from unsuspecting victims by posing as an options trader. As per award-winning poker journalist Haley Hintze, Topalovic received $155,000 “purportedly for options trading”.

A suspicious investor contacted the authorities, who found that Topalovic had utilized the investment fund for personal use.

Investigators also found evidence that he’d run similar scams before. Many people voiced their stories on Twitter in the past few days –

This clown tried to scam me multiple times; even though he asked for only $400-1,000. I still wasn’t going… ???? I Made a few phone calls and found out he wasn’t… https://t.co/7KVB8MYwLW

— Santo (@SantoAlimo) November 27, 2018

According to Hintze, the conman also had “dreams of being a rap star and record producer, under the name “Billions” (him) and “East Bloc Records”.

According to sources, Topalovic’s sister, Armela, was the channel for the money with multiple withdrawals and numerous bank accounts in her name. Topalovic faces up to 25 years in prison and up to $110,000 in fines on the two felony counts. His sister has not been charged till now.

bitB Stable Claims 888poker Stole Their Money

Patrick Leonard’s bitB poker staking stable took to social media on November 26 and publicly called out online poker site 888poker, claiming that their money was stolen by the site.

Hi @888poker @DominikNitsche we’ve had our money stolen off you for over 2 months, your pros dont reply and your customer service says its standard and gg. We’ve raked over $5m on the site and would like a little bit more respect with this situation.

— bitBstaking (@bitBstaking) November 27, 2018

According to bitB, “The Manager of our team had $3.5k stolen from his account that was sent to him from another player as he was not active for 730 days, he wasn’t allowed to transfer $s or withdraw, and after two years 888 just stole the money for themselves.”

@tonkaaaap @DominikNitsche @Moorman1 @Sofia_Lovgren @KaraOTR @Martin_Jacobson

— bitBstaking (@bitBstaking) November 27, 2018

888poker responded to the thread in 2 days and asked the stable to respond stating –

Hi @bitBstaking – We’d like to look into this and have sent you DM asking for some details so we can investigate what’s happened. Please can you respond?

— 888poker (@888poker) November 29, 2018

Hmm if only somebody had been telling everyone that 888 poker is scum ?

— Kevin MacPhee (@KevinMacphee) November 27, 2018

Poker in the Ear ‘Superfan’ Wins Platinum Pass

To find something you’ve worked for being lost out for no fault of yours is cruel enough. However, things change if you are rewarded with a Platinum Pass to the 2019 PokerStars Players NLHE Championship (PSPC) !

This in short is the story of Toke Gerding ‘Superfan’ Jensen, a Danish player. Jensen played through every week of the Freeroll League and watched each and every livestream broadcasted on Twitch on Monday nights. He was also second on the leaderboard when the promotion reached its final week. But then all hell broke loose. Jensen was unable to play the last two games due to server issues.

He had almost given up, but then taking note of his loss at the Freeroll League, Jensen was invited to play against Joe Stapleton on a special edition of the Poker in the Ears podcast, called ‘Superfan vs Stapes’. Jensen won the game, scoring 10 points against Joe Stapleton.

“So here’s the thing,” said the podcast host James Hartigan, “We have already given away the PCA satellites this week, so I’m kind of not sure of what to give you. Would you accept a Platinum Pass and a $30K package to the PSPC in the Bahamas?”

“Oh my God, you can’t be serious! Are you telling that I’m going to the Bahamas,” an incredulous Jensen screamed. But no, it wasn’t a joke. Bad luck turned into a good thing after all, for Jensen, who’ll now be seen at the PSPC!

Watch the Superfan Vs. Stapes podcast announcing Jensen as the winner of a Platinum Pass here.

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