Nikos 'Nick the Greek' Dandolos (Greek: Νίκος Δάνδολος; April 27, 1883 – December 25, 1966) was born in Rethymnon, Crete and was a professional gambler and high roller.
- 3Later life
Nikolaos Andreas Dandolos (Greek: Νικόλαος Ανδρέας Δάνδολος; April 27, 1883 – December 25, 1966), commonly known as Nick the Greek, was a Greek professional gambler and high roller. Another gambler coming from Greece was Nick Dandolos. This man was born in 1883 in a wealthy family. He moved to Chicago where he lived with family money. As soon as he moved in Montreal, Nick started with gambling activity. Nick chose to play on horse racing competitions which brought him a significant amount of money. Professional gambler and oddsmaker. He began his gambling career in Montreal betting on horse races. Moving to Chicago, he lost all his winnings on card games and dice. He became a master at the games, and was an attraction at casinos. In 1949, in Las Vegas. Nikos 'Nick the Greek' Dandolos (Greek: Νίκος Δάνδολος; April 27, 1883 – December 25, 1966) was born in Rethymnon, Crete and was a professional gambler and high roller. Nick Dandolos: Professional Greek Gambler Nick Dandolos was what one may consider a well-rounded gambler, as he excelled at betting on horses and playing poker throughout the early to mid 1900s. His friends called him, 'Nick the Greek,' and his reputation spread across Europe as.
Early life
Dandolos was the son of wealthy parents. He attended the Greek Evangelical College and earned a degree in philosophy. When he was 18 years old his grandfather sent him to the U.S.A. with an allowance of $150 per week. Although Dandolos settled down in Chicago he eventually moved to Montreal where he began gambling on horse races.
Dandolos was known throughout his life for winning and losing large sums of money. After winning over $500,000 on horse racing, he moved back to Chicago where he lost it all on card and dice games. He quickly became a master of these games, however, and became a prime attraction at casinos when he would play in them.
Poker and gambling
From January 1949 to May 1949, Dandolos played a two-person 'heads up' poker match against Johnny Moss where the two played virtually every variation of the game that existed at the time. The game, set up by Benny Binion as a tourist attraction, is widely credited as being the inspiration for the modern day World Series of Poker.
At the end of this five-month poker marathon, down an estimated $2–4 million, Dandolos uttered what has become one of the most famous poker quotes ever: 'Mr. Moss, I have to let you go.'[1]
One urban legend claims that Dandolos once had the opportunity to escort Albert Einstein around Las Vegas. Thinking that his gambling friends may not be familiar with him, Dandolos allegedly introduced Einstein as 'Little Al from Princeton' and stated that he 'controlled a lot of the numbers action around Jersey.'[citation needed] According to Dandolos' own testimony in Gambling Secrets of Nick the Greek, just before the end of World War II, he got a call from a friend at the United States State Department. The caller said that there was someone who was looking for a poker game on a weekend in Manhattan. Dandolos reminded his friend that gambling is illegal in New York, but his friend said that he would see to it that no law enforcement would get involved. At the game, according to Dandolos, he introduced Albert Einstein as 'little Al from Jersey.'
Another urban legend has him winning one million dollars against a Texan. In the early hours of the morning, Nick felt tired and called an end to the game. The Texan accused him of chickening out while the going was good. Nick the Greek then called for a new deck of cards, shuffled them and asked the Texan if he wanted to cut the cards (high card wins) one time, for double or quit. The Texan declined and they went home.[citation needed]
Nobel Prize–winning physicist Richard Feynman also met Nick the Greek, according to the autobiographical Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!. Nick explains how he wins big not by playing the tables, but by knowing the odds at the tables and betting against others who have superstitious beliefs about the outcome. He then relies on his reputation to bet against others.
In Eliot Asinof's 'Eight Men Out' the author attributes this gambling wisdom to Nick the Greek: 'Never bet on anything that can talk.' [1]
Later life
Near the end of his life Dandolos was near-broke and playing $5 limit draw poker games in Gardena, California. When asked by a fellow player how he could once play for millions and now be playing for such small stakes, Dandolos supposedly replied 'Hey, it's action, isn't it?'
Death
Nick Dandolos Birthplace
He died on Christmas Day in 1966 and was a charter inductee of the Poker Hall of Fame in 1979.
Legacy
It's estimated[by whom?] that he won and lost over $500 million (about $15 billion in today's dollars) in his lifetime. He himself claimed that he went from rags to riches over 73 times. A man who never respected money[speculation?], he donated over $20 million (about $500 million adjusted for 2009 inflation) to education and charity.[2]
A book by Ted Thackrey was published in 1968 titled Gambling Secrets of Nick the Greek.
A novel about Nick's life was written by Harry Mark Petrakis in 1978 titled Nick the Greek.
See also
References
- ↑Moe, Albert Woods.: Nevada's Golden Age of Gambling, Puget Sound Books, 2001, ISBN 0-9715019-0-4
- ↑Jon Bradshaw, Fast Company p219
Nick Dandolos was what one may consider a well-rounded gambler, as he excelled at betting on horses and playing poker throughout the early to mid 1900s.
His friends called him, 'Nick the Greek,' and his reputation spread across Europe as being a world-class gambler. For his many accomplishments, he was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1979, nearly thirteen years after he had passed away.
In addition to his excellent gambling skills, Nick was also admired for his contribution to various charitable causes over the years. Nick once said,
Nick Dandolos was born in Crete, Greece in the late 1800s. He was raised in a privileged family and was always taught the importance of education. Even at a young age, his parents forced him to learn multiple languages and work on his literature skills.
In his teen years, Nick was given the opportunity to attend the Greek Evangelical College where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in philosophy. Thanks to this degree he would later be known as, 'The Aristotle of the Don't Pass Line.'
Nick's grandfather had always been a huge influence in his life and when he turned eighteen years old, his Grandfather offered to financially back him if he moved to America.
His grandfather sent him $150 a week to cover the costs of his housing and food in hopes that this experience would help him find a successful career in the business field.
Little did his grandfather know that Nick never would become a business man nor would he ever return to his home country. Nick spent several years in Chicago working part time jobs and struggling to get by.
During this time in Montreal, horseracing was becoming increasingly popular and it was almost unavoidable if you were visiting the city. Soon after arriving, Nick stepped foot on a racetrack for the first time and could feel the adrenaline rush just from being there.
It wasn't long before Nick was introduced to Phil Musgrave, a famous Canadian Jockey who also knew a thing or two about horserace betting. Nick quickly caught on to his methods and soon became a gambling expert, using the math skills he learned in school to help him determine what his odds were of winning a particular bet.
He started using the money his grandfather sent him to fund his gambling endeavors.
In less than a year they collectively made over half a million dollars which obviously made people believe that they were somehow cheating the system.
In order to keep their reputations pure and to avoid Phil losing his job, they decided it would be in their best interest to part ways. By this time, Nick was passionate about gambling and wasn't ready to give up that lifestyle, so he headed back to American casinos to try his luck out there.
To Nick's surprise, he did find a great deal of success, especially when it came to playing poker.
Nick travelled all over America, visiting every casino along the way. He played in cities in Illinois, New Orleans, New York, and of course, Nevada.
The first time Nick experienced Las Vegas, he was overwhelmed by all the choices he had when it came to gambling facilities. Everywhere he gambled, he made sure he first studied the odds and probabilities of winning in that casino according to their house edge and other contributing factors.
This helped him find a great deal of success at the tables, but luck was certainly not always on his side.
One of Nick's most famous quotes was,
Nikos 'Nick the Greek' Dandolos (Greek: Νίκος Δάνδολος; April 27, 1883 – December 25, 1966) was born in Rethymnon, Crete and was a professional gambler and high roller.
- 3Later life
Nikolaos Andreas Dandolos (Greek: Νικόλαος Ανδρέας Δάνδολος; April 27, 1883 – December 25, 1966), commonly known as Nick the Greek, was a Greek professional gambler and high roller. Another gambler coming from Greece was Nick Dandolos. This man was born in 1883 in a wealthy family. He moved to Chicago where he lived with family money. As soon as he moved in Montreal, Nick started with gambling activity. Nick chose to play on horse racing competitions which brought him a significant amount of money. Professional gambler and oddsmaker. He began his gambling career in Montreal betting on horse races. Moving to Chicago, he lost all his winnings on card games and dice. He became a master at the games, and was an attraction at casinos. In 1949, in Las Vegas. Nikos 'Nick the Greek' Dandolos (Greek: Νίκος Δάνδολος; April 27, 1883 – December 25, 1966) was born in Rethymnon, Crete and was a professional gambler and high roller. Nick Dandolos: Professional Greek Gambler Nick Dandolos was what one may consider a well-rounded gambler, as he excelled at betting on horses and playing poker throughout the early to mid 1900s. His friends called him, 'Nick the Greek,' and his reputation spread across Europe as.
Early life
Dandolos was the son of wealthy parents. He attended the Greek Evangelical College and earned a degree in philosophy. When he was 18 years old his grandfather sent him to the U.S.A. with an allowance of $150 per week. Although Dandolos settled down in Chicago he eventually moved to Montreal where he began gambling on horse races.
Dandolos was known throughout his life for winning and losing large sums of money. After winning over $500,000 on horse racing, he moved back to Chicago where he lost it all on card and dice games. He quickly became a master of these games, however, and became a prime attraction at casinos when he would play in them.
Poker and gambling
From January 1949 to May 1949, Dandolos played a two-person 'heads up' poker match against Johnny Moss where the two played virtually every variation of the game that existed at the time. The game, set up by Benny Binion as a tourist attraction, is widely credited as being the inspiration for the modern day World Series of Poker.
At the end of this five-month poker marathon, down an estimated $2–4 million, Dandolos uttered what has become one of the most famous poker quotes ever: 'Mr. Moss, I have to let you go.'[1]
One urban legend claims that Dandolos once had the opportunity to escort Albert Einstein around Las Vegas. Thinking that his gambling friends may not be familiar with him, Dandolos allegedly introduced Einstein as 'Little Al from Princeton' and stated that he 'controlled a lot of the numbers action around Jersey.'[citation needed] According to Dandolos' own testimony in Gambling Secrets of Nick the Greek, just before the end of World War II, he got a call from a friend at the United States State Department. The caller said that there was someone who was looking for a poker game on a weekend in Manhattan. Dandolos reminded his friend that gambling is illegal in New York, but his friend said that he would see to it that no law enforcement would get involved. At the game, according to Dandolos, he introduced Albert Einstein as 'little Al from Jersey.'
Another urban legend has him winning one million dollars against a Texan. In the early hours of the morning, Nick felt tired and called an end to the game. The Texan accused him of chickening out while the going was good. Nick the Greek then called for a new deck of cards, shuffled them and asked the Texan if he wanted to cut the cards (high card wins) one time, for double or quit. The Texan declined and they went home.[citation needed]
Nobel Prize–winning physicist Richard Feynman also met Nick the Greek, according to the autobiographical Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!. Nick explains how he wins big not by playing the tables, but by knowing the odds at the tables and betting against others who have superstitious beliefs about the outcome. He then relies on his reputation to bet against others.
In Eliot Asinof's 'Eight Men Out' the author attributes this gambling wisdom to Nick the Greek: 'Never bet on anything that can talk.' [1]
Later life
Near the end of his life Dandolos was near-broke and playing $5 limit draw poker games in Gardena, California. When asked by a fellow player how he could once play for millions and now be playing for such small stakes, Dandolos supposedly replied 'Hey, it's action, isn't it?'
Death
Nick Dandolos Birthplace
He died on Christmas Day in 1966 and was a charter inductee of the Poker Hall of Fame in 1979.
Legacy
It's estimated[by whom?] that he won and lost over $500 million (about $15 billion in today's dollars) in his lifetime. He himself claimed that he went from rags to riches over 73 times. A man who never respected money[speculation?], he donated over $20 million (about $500 million adjusted for 2009 inflation) to education and charity.[2]
A book by Ted Thackrey was published in 1968 titled Gambling Secrets of Nick the Greek.
A novel about Nick's life was written by Harry Mark Petrakis in 1978 titled Nick the Greek.
See also
References
- ↑Moe, Albert Woods.: Nevada's Golden Age of Gambling, Puget Sound Books, 2001, ISBN 0-9715019-0-4
- ↑Jon Bradshaw, Fast Company p219
Nick Dandolos was what one may consider a well-rounded gambler, as he excelled at betting on horses and playing poker throughout the early to mid 1900s.
His friends called him, 'Nick the Greek,' and his reputation spread across Europe as being a world-class gambler. For his many accomplishments, he was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1979, nearly thirteen years after he had passed away.
In addition to his excellent gambling skills, Nick was also admired for his contribution to various charitable causes over the years. Nick once said,
Nick Dandolos was born in Crete, Greece in the late 1800s. He was raised in a privileged family and was always taught the importance of education. Even at a young age, his parents forced him to learn multiple languages and work on his literature skills.
In his teen years, Nick was given the opportunity to attend the Greek Evangelical College where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in philosophy. Thanks to this degree he would later be known as, 'The Aristotle of the Don't Pass Line.'
Nick's grandfather had always been a huge influence in his life and when he turned eighteen years old, his Grandfather offered to financially back him if he moved to America.
His grandfather sent him $150 a week to cover the costs of his housing and food in hopes that this experience would help him find a successful career in the business field.
Little did his grandfather know that Nick never would become a business man nor would he ever return to his home country. Nick spent several years in Chicago working part time jobs and struggling to get by.
During this time in Montreal, horseracing was becoming increasingly popular and it was almost unavoidable if you were visiting the city. Soon after arriving, Nick stepped foot on a racetrack for the first time and could feel the adrenaline rush just from being there.
It wasn't long before Nick was introduced to Phil Musgrave, a famous Canadian Jockey who also knew a thing or two about horserace betting. Nick quickly caught on to his methods and soon became a gambling expert, using the math skills he learned in school to help him determine what his odds were of winning a particular bet.
He started using the money his grandfather sent him to fund his gambling endeavors.
In less than a year they collectively made over half a million dollars which obviously made people believe that they were somehow cheating the system.
In order to keep their reputations pure and to avoid Phil losing his job, they decided it would be in their best interest to part ways. By this time, Nick was passionate about gambling and wasn't ready to give up that lifestyle, so he headed back to American casinos to try his luck out there.
To Nick's surprise, he did find a great deal of success, especially when it came to playing poker.
Nick travelled all over America, visiting every casino along the way. He played in cities in Illinois, New Orleans, New York, and of course, Nevada.
The first time Nick experienced Las Vegas, he was overwhelmed by all the choices he had when it came to gambling facilities. Everywhere he gambled, he made sure he first studied the odds and probabilities of winning in that casino according to their house edge and other contributing factors.
This helped him find a great deal of success at the tables, but luck was certainly not always on his side.
One of Nick's most famous quotes was,
Not only was Nick known for losing large sums of money at a plethora of casinos across the country, he was also known for losing large sums in more intimate competitions. There are a few infamous accounts where Nick lost a significant amount of cash through gambling.
The first occurred in 1949 and it was against a well known poker player by the name of Johnny Moss. Backed by the support of Benny Binion, they agreed to dedicate five months of their lives to playing every known variant of poker in front of a live audience, which is said to have inspired the World Series of Poker that was established nearly twenty years later.
Unfortunately for Nick, this competition lost him over $2 million which was a devastating blow to his bankroll.
One of Nick's favorite card games to play is probably something you have never heard of: Faro. This Old Western card game is practically extinct in today's society and it certainly wouldn't be a common game to see being played at any nearby casinos.
Nick was overly confident in his skills when it came to this game, so it was no surprise to hear that he asked the renowned movie producer, Carl Laemmle, to financially back him for a three month long Faro competition. Luck was certainly not on Nick's side that entire tournament and he ended up losing all of Laemmle's money.
Nick was also asked to compete against an up and coming professional gambler named Ray Ryan at both the luxurious Flaming Resort and the Thunderbird Resort. They played five-card stud poker and lowball draw for over fifteen days straight before deciding to call it quits.
Many people found it hard to believe that this tournament even took place but several witnesses have confirmed the rumors. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis were performing at the Flamingo around the time that this tournament occurred. Jeanne Martin, Dean's wife, claimed that she used to watch them play while she was swimming at the pool.
When their two week playing session was over, Nick lost over $500,000 in what he was sure would be an easy win.
After doing a little investigating, Nick realized that Ray had hired someone to hide on the roof of the building in such a way that he could see Nick's hole cards and then relay that information back to Ray through a small hand-held transmitter.
Nick was beyond furious to think he might have been deceived, so he turned to the Mafia for help by calling up his old friend and famous mobster, Caifano. Although he was only five feet tall, Caifano was very intimidating, being known to many as 'The Enforcer.'
Without hesitation, Caifano and a few of his accomplices hunted Ray down and roughed him up a bit in order to persuade him to pay back a portion of his winnings to Nick.
This incident caused Caifano to be captured by the police and thrown into jail on a ten year sentence for accounts of fraud and extortion.
Rumor has it that Nick was able to get most of his money back and no one dared to cheat him again.
Nick Dandolos's Birthday
A Possible Connection to Einstein
Nick Dandolos
People who knew Dandolos personally claim he was an amazingly charming man who seemed to know something about everybody. Rumor has it that when Albert Einstein came to visit Las Vegas for the first time, it was Nick the Greek who had the privilege of giving him the grand tour.
To avoid having Einstein getting shunned for being a scientist, Nick supposedly told everyone that he should be called 'Little Al from Princeton,' and that people need to fear him for he controls the state of New Jersey.
Nick The Greek Union City
This whole ordeal is only speculation but all we know for sure is that Einstein visited Las Vegas during a break from his time at Princeton around the same time that Nick the Greek was living there.