Why Mikki Mase’s Casino Strategies Likely Don’t Work (Except in Poker)

Mikki Mase, born Michael David Meiterman, is a polarizing figure in the gambling world, known for his high-stakes baccarat play and flamboyant social media presence. While he claims to have amassed millions through gambling, critics question the legitimacy of his methods and wealth. Here’s a comprehensive overview.

Mikki Mase: Background and Rise to Fame

• Early Life: Mase hails from Marlboro, New Jersey. He had a troubled youth, including multiple stints in jail during high school.
• Business Ventures: After overcoming personal challenges, Mase entered the healthcare industry, establishing rehabilitation centers, pharmacies, and clinics. He reportedly sold these businesses for a substantial profit, providing the capital for his gambling pursuits.
• Gambling Career: Mase transitioned to professional gambling, focusing on baccarat. He claims to have developed a proprietary strategy, leading to significant wins, including an $11.5 million profit during a session at the Venetian. 

Net Worth and Financial Claims

• Estimated Wealth: Reports estimate Mase’s net worth between $10 million and $43.5 million, derived from his gambling success and previous business ventures.
  
• Casino Bans: Mase asserts that his consistent winnings led to bans from over 50 casinos, particularly in Las Vegas, which he cites as evidence of his gambling prowess.

Controversies and Criticisms

• Skepticism of Gambling Strategy: Critics argue that baccarat is largely a game of chance with minimal strategic depth, casting doubt on Mase’s claims of a winning system.
• Accusations of Fraud: Professional poker player Sean Perry publicly labeled Mase a “fraud,” alleging that he owes money to multiple individuals and questioning the authenticity of his gambling success.
  
• Community Doubts: Online forums and gambling communities have expressed skepticism about Mase’s narratives, with some suggesting his persona is more about self-promotion than genuine gambling expertise.

Media Presence

Mase has leveraged social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube to showcase his lifestyle and gambling exploits. He also featured in the Discovery documentary series “Hustlers Gamblers Crooks,” further amplifying his public profile.

Why Mikki Mase’s Casino Strategies Likely Don’t Work (Except in Poker)

Baccarat: A Game of Fixed Odds

Baccarat is a casino game with predetermined probabilities and no decision-making power that can shift the odds in your favor. The outcomes are almost entirely based on luck. The “Player” and “Banker” bets have house edges of roughly 1.24% and 1.06%, respectively. These slim margins are fixed by the rules, and no player can overcome them in the long run without external intervention (like cheating or collusion).

• No strategy can change the odds in your favor beyond bet sizing and money management (which does not influence actual outcomes).
• Mase claims to have “solved” baccarat or found a winning strategy, but experts agree this is statistically impossible without cheating.
• Casinos would not fear or ban someone from playing a negative EV (expected value) game unless something else was going on.

Blackjack: Only Beatable With Card Counting (Not Secret Strategies)

Blackjack is one of the very few games that can be beaten, but only under strict, limited conditions:

• The player must count cards to shift the odds by a tiny margin.
• Card counting becomes ineffective with continuous shuffling machines (CSMs) or poor penetration (few cards dealt before reshuffling).
• Mase has never provided evidence of card counting or the extreme discipline required for long-term profitability.

This could possibly work at a land-based casino, but not in a live casino. His alleged “strategy” would have to either involve:

• Cheating (e.g., hole-carding or collusion), or
• A fabricated narrative designed to promote a brand or social media persona.

Roulette: Unbeatable Without Cheating or Exploiting Mechanical Flaws

Roulette has a house edge of 5.26% (American) or 2.7% (European). Every spin is independent, and no system like Martingale (doubling after a loss) can overcome basic math:

• Long losing streaks happen.
• Table limits and finite bankrolls break these strategies.
• No mathematical system has ever proven effective in beating the game in the long term.

Claims of “strategies” working in roulette almost always fall into the category of pseudo-science or gambling myth.

Texas Hold’em Poker: A Game of Skill and Strategy

Unlike the games above, Texas Hold’em Poker is not played against the house but against other players. The casino only takes a small rake (percentage of the pot), not a built-in edge.

Key reasons it’s beatable:

• Skilled players can exploit weaker opponents.
• Bluffing, hand-reading, bankroll management, and game theory all play a part.
• There is a vast, documented history of successful long-term poker pros.

If Mikki Mase were making real gambling profits, Texas Hold’em (or other skill-based games) would be a far more believable vehicle than games like baccarat or roulette.

Conclusion

While Mikki Mase presents himself as a successful gambler with a unique strategy, substantial skepticism surrounds his claims. The lack of transparency regarding his methods, combined with public accusations and the inherently luck-based nature of baccarat, leads many to question the authenticity of his success. Without concrete evidence, it’s challenging to ascertain the full extent of Mase’s legitimacy in the gambling world.