Phil Ivey Claims Borgata Gains Edge with Booze and Babes

The edge sorting lawsuit involving Phil Ivey and Atlantic City's Borgata Hotel Casino took on a bit of a salacious tone with the latest filing, as lawyers for the Tiger Woods of Poker stated that the serving of alcohol by sexy and friendly Borgata waitresses is the casino's strategy to gain an advantage over patrons.

While the Borgata has a built­in advantage thanks to the favorable house rules in baccarat and other pit games, Ivey claims the casino shoots for more of an edge by serving free alcoholic beverages and employing "flirty" waitresses that cozy up to and cater to the customers.

Phone numbers aside, Ivey also racked up some other numbers ­those found on U.S. dollars ­ to the tune of $9.6 million over a handful of winning sessions at the Borgata in 2012. He and Sun, a reputed edge sorting pro, don't hide the fact that they used special privileges afforded high rollers to read the backs of imperfectly cut playing cards while at the baccarat tables to negate the casino's advantage.

And that, say the defendants, is fair play at the casino.

Whether it is or isn't has yet to be decided by a federal judge in the U.S. As most are aware, a similar case in London in which Ivey was the plaintiff and was refused payment of his winnings was decided in favor of the defendant, Crockford's Casino. However, an appeal was granted and the parties will be back in a London courtroom later this year.

In the New Jersey case, the next court date is September 8. In the meantime, it can be argued that the Ivey edge sorting case is proving to be perhaps a marketing coup for the Borgata. Any red­-blooded male who reads the latest argument put forth by Ivey's attorneys will find statements like this:

Why would anyone want to gamble anywhere else?