Top gamer claims $ 20,900 went missing from his hotel room safe at MGM Springfield Casino after someone kicked him out of the room without his knowledge. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Strange incident

One big gambler claimed that nearly $ 21,000 in cash went missing during his recent visit to the MGM Springfield Casino in Massachusetts. Richard Angelica said he was at Gillette Stadium to watch the New England Patriots and when he returned to MGM Springfield his key card was no longer working.

of the $ 30,000 in cash he had in the hotel room safe, $ 20,900 was missing

Although he arrived less than 12 hours earlier, hotel staff told Angelica that he had already been taken out of her room and the contents of the room had been emptied. The hotel kept Angelica’s belongings, but claims that of the $ 30,000 in cash he had in the hotel room safe, $ 20,900 was missing.

Angelica is a semi-professional poker and blackjack player who has been touring casinos for about a decade. MGM Springfield casino staff invited him to play at the property on December 26. He was supposed to stay two days in what is originally his hometown. The casino had arranged the trip to attend the NFL game between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium.

An unhappy first

Speaking of the missing money, Angelica said “nothing like this has ever happened before.” He said he regularly visits casinos for up to five days a week, dealing with around 20 to 30 different casino representatives and hosts across the United States over the course of a year. Angelica said carrying $ 30,000 was not uncommon for him when he visited casinos.

Angelica arrived at the casino around 9:30 am, checking in to the room before boarding a bus organized for the soccer game. He returned to the property around 7 p.m. He was planning on unpacking his things and getting ready for an evening of gambling at the casino when he discovered that the key card was not working for the elevator or the hotel room.

After going to the reception, Angelica learned that he had been checked and that his belongings had been withdrawn. The security chief was not working at the time, so Angelica spoke to the deputy director of property security. After discovering that $ 20,900 was missing, the conversation escalated.

No explanation

Talk to local media, Angelica explained that the protocol for checking a player high out of a room is to call the player or host before doing so. He said the reservation was made well in advance and was for a two night stay. He also did not receive an explanation for the departure or details of who brought him out of the room.

Casino hosts are people who invite high rollers to visit the property they represent. The hosts will assist the player with all booking needs, such as booking rooms, dining, and providing tickets for events such as sports games.

MGM Springfield has confirmed that the Massachusetts State Police Gaming Enforcement Unit is investigating the issue. He did not comment further on the matter.