Few poker productions have experienced such a quick rise to relevance as Hustler Casino Live. Since Hustler’s inaugural live stream in the summer of 2021, producers Ryan Feldman and Nick Vertucci have cultivated what is currently the most popular poker show in the industry. Curating lineups of exciting players while also providing high production value, Hustler has established itself as a major player in the poker space.
Showing poker fans six, sometimes seven-figure pots played by poker pros and action gamblers, Hustler has provided viewers many memorable moments. If you like seeing record-setting pots and brutal slow rolls, you will love this list of the biggest and craziest poker hands seen on Hustler Casino Live.
Dylan Gang Slow Rolls Garrett Adelstein For $186,000
Photo Courtesy Of Hustler Casino Live
One of the beefs of note in the early days of Hustler Casino Live was between cash game legend Garrett Adelstein and unofficial stream villain Dylan Gang. After exchanging some pointed words and a couple lucrative pots over the course of a few sessions, it all came to a head when Gang decided to go after Adelstein.
Preflop Action: Adelstein Raises Over The Limpers
In a $100/$200/$400 game ($200 big blind ante), the player known as Tiger straddled $800 to raise the stakes. Hearing from Daniel Negreanu that “limpin is pimpin”, the player known as J.R. limped into the pot inspiring Dylan Gang to limp as well holding 4♠-4♣. Nick Lucas limped into the pot from the small blind, but Garrett Adelstein put an end to the limping, raising $7,000 with K♠-10♠. Known for his wide ranges, Blank Check Ben joined in on the action calling with 9♣-7♣. Looking down at A♣-J♦, Tiger decided to defend his straddle and called. Following additional calls from Gang and Nick Lucas, it was five-ways heading to the flop.
Flop Action: Everybody Checks It Through
Board: Q♥-3♥-3♣
Pot: $36,000
Nick Lucas: 8♦-7♠
Garrett Adelstein: K♠-10♠
Black Check Ben: 9♣-7♣
Tiger: A♣-J♦
Dylan Gang: 4♣-4♠
Despite being five-handed, not a single player connected with the board. After the flop checked through, Gang led the pack with his pocket fours.
Turn Action: Gang Turns A Full House
Board: Q♥-3♥-3♣-4♦
Pot: $36,000
Nick Lucas: 8♦-7♠
Garrett Adelstein: K♠-10♠
Black Check Ben: 9♣-7♣
Tiger: A♣-J♦
Dylan Gang: 4♣-4♠
Boating up on the turn, Gang elected to check behind his four opponents hoping one of them would improve on the river. Gang was awarded for his patience.
River Action: Gang Gets Value From Adelstein’s Rivered Two Pair
Board: Q♥-3♥-3♣-4♦-K♦
Pot: $36,000
Nick Lucas: 8♦-7♠
Garrett Adelstein: K♠-10♠
Black Check Ben: 9♣-7♣
Tiger: A♣-J♦
Dylan Gang: 4♣-4♠
Following a check from Nick Lucas, Adelstein looked to get some value for his rivered two pair. Betting $20,000, Adelstein induced folds from everyone at the table, except for his rival Dylan Gang. Getting exactly what he had hoped for when he checked the turn, Gang raised Adelstein $75,000. After the raise from Gang, Adelstein entered the tank, at one point exclaiming “this is so frustrating.” After considering it for some time, Adelstein made the crying call, with showdown being painful for the cash game crusher.
Dylan Gang Adds Insult To Injury
With their past beef clearly carrying over into the hand, Gang elected to slow roll Adelstein. After Adelstein revealed his two-pair, Gang exclaimed “nice hand”, and waited for his opponent to begin collecting his chips. After a few seconds, Gang uttered “just kidding” and revealed his full house, completing the slow roll. Not only did Gang slow roll one of the best cash game players in the world, he also took down a sizeable $186,000 pot in the process. To his credit, Adelstein took the slow roll in stride, quietly paying off Gang as he shifted his focus to the next hand. Fans of Adelstein rejoiced when the cash game pro got his revenge on Gang, taking down a $390,000 pot against his foe only a week after the brutal slow roll.
Phil Ivey Attempts A $100,100 Bluff Against Eric Persson
Photo Courtesy Of Hustler Casino Live
Poker fans were ecstatic when Phil Ivey made his first appearance on Hustler Casino Live in 2021. Considered the GOAT by many, Ivey has made a number of appearances on Hustler Casino Live, usually when the stakes are at their highest. In this hand, the calm, quiet demeanor of Phil Ivey was offset by the famously talkative and boisterous Eric Persson. While Persson is famous for his frequent table talk and tendency to flip off players at the table, he is also an accomplished cash game player who frequents the highest stakes. Facing a hefty river raise from the ten-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, how did Persson fare against Ivey?
Preflop Action: Eric Persson Raises The Stakes With A $1,600 Straddle
Persson kicked off the action in this $200/$400/$800 game when he straddled for $1,600 under-the-gun (UTG). Folded to on the button holding A♠-Q♠, Ivey raised $5,400 and was called only by Persson, defending his straddle with J♥-5♥.
Flop Action: Persson Flops The World And Slowplays
Board: J♠-7♥-6♣
Pot: $12,600
Phil Ivey: A♠-Q♠
Eric Persson: J♥-5♥
Even though he flopped top pair and lots of runner-runner potential, Persson checked it to Ivey. Flopping only ace-high, Ivey checked it back.
Turn Action: Persson Turns Even More Value
Board: J♠-7♥-6♣-4♥
Pot: $12,600
Phil Ivey: A♠-Q♠
Eric Persson: J♥-5♥
Having top pair and turning both a straight and a flush draw, Persson decided it was time to fire and bet $7,600. With his two overcards, Ivey called.
River Action: Ivey Attempts A Huge Bluff And Runs Into A Flush
Board: J♠-7♥-6♣-4♥-10♥
Pot: $27,800
Phil Ivey: A♠-Q♠
Eric Persson: J♥-5♥
Rivering a flush, Persson knew it was time to go for value, and fired out an overpot bet of $29,600. Holding only ace-high, Ivey decided to get frisky, attempting a bluff with a huge $110,000 raise. Showing no fear, Persson quickly called with the better hand, asking Ivey “why you gotta bluff me?” Mucking his cards, all Ivey could respond with was “I couldn’t help it.” To be the best, you have to be willing to attempt big bluffs. Ripping a $110,000 bluff into one of poker’s biggest action givers, Phil Ivey showed his ability to go for the big plays.
A Massive Flip Featuring Phil Hellmuth, Alan Keating, and MrBeast
Photo Courtesy Of Hustler Casino Live
In May of 2021, Hustler Casino Live hosted one of the biggest live-streamed cash games in poker history. Not only were the stakes high at $100/$200, but the lineup was completely stacked with poker legends and the world’s biggest content creators. Facing off against the likes of Tom Dwan and Phil Hellmuth, content creators Ninja, Alexandra Botez, and MrBeast showed no fear on the felt as they splashed around with poker’s best.
Straddling for $25,600, MrBeast helped add to a huge pot in a hand that had Hellmuth absolutely fuming.
Phil Hellmuth Goes All-In Against MrBeast, Alan Keating, and Alexandra Botez
Before cards were even peaked at, Hustler Casino Live viewers knew this hand was going to be a big one when MrBeast straddled for $25,600 UTG. Folded to in middle position, Hellmuth only added to the pot when he elected to rip in his entire $52,700 stack with A♥-8♦. Representing World Poker Tour (WPT) Global on stream, chess streamer Alexandra Botez turned to Hellmuth in bewilderment, confirming he had actually bet that much. Still salty from a previous hand, Hellmuth told the young chess pro “You owe me Botez, so I don’t mind if you call.” Botez made the call, not realizing she had Hellmuth completely dominated with A♦-9♥.
Always one for a gamble, popular high stakes player Alan Keating also entered the action, calling Hellmuth’s shove with A♣-3♣. Hell-bent on creating some content for his legendary YouTube channel, MrBeastmoved all-in for his entire $81,600 stack despite only having Q♥-5♠. The only other players in the hand to have MrBeast covered, Botez and Keating made the call, with Keating also moving all-in.
With his $25,600 straddle, MrBeast helped create a massive four-way hand for $339,100. Well behind his four opponents, MrBeast still had outs to take down the gigantic pot.
Phil Hellmuth: A♥-8♦
Alexandra Botez: A♦-9♥
Alan Keating: A♣-3♣
MrBeast: Q♥-5♠
Alexandra Botez Tilts Phil Hellmuth, Takes Down $339,100 Pot
Phil Hellmuth, Alexandra Botez, Alan Keating, MrBeast, and seemingly the entire internet anxiously waited to see who would win the $339,100 pot. Despite Botez being ahead with her offsuit A-9, the equities were relatively even before the flop was revealed.
Flop: 9♦-8♥-3♦
Turn: 2♠
River: 2♦
Remaining ahead on the flop, the turn and river ran clean for Botez, who threw her arms up in the air after winning over $339,000. Even though he had elected to move all-in with an even worse hand, Hellmuth was not amused with the young chess prodigy, verbally complaining about her decision to call with ace-nine offsuit. Even though Phil Hellmuth was visibly upset at how the hand turned out, Tom Dwan made a point to congratulate Botez, extending a congratulatory fist bump from across the table.
Taking the poker world by storm, Alexandra Botez finished the session with over $456,000 in winnings. Continuing to make appearances on the felt since her impressive debut on Hustler Casino Live, Botez may very well be as much a card shark as she is a chess master.
Alan Keating Wins The Biggest Pot In U.S. Broadcast History
Photo Courtesy Of Hustler Casino Live
Even though Alan Keating has experienced a number of hefty losses on Hustler Live, his aggressive, action-giving style has also provided him with sizable wins. A fan-favorite amongst Hustler Live viewers, Keating gained even more fanfare when he helped build the largest pot in U.S. poker broadcast history. Showing no fear with K♠-2♠ in a $200/$400/$800/$1,600 game, Keating was ready to play for it all.
Preflop Action: Hands Raises It Up
Folded to on the button, the player known as Handz raised $9,000 holding A♠-7♥. Blank Check Ben called from the small blind holding 8♣-5♣, with Eric Persson and Keating calling as well with A♦-J♥ and K♠-2♠ respectively.
Flop Action: Keating Flops A Flush Draw
Board: 10♠-6♠-5♦
Pot: $37,200
Blank Check Ben: 8♣-5♣
Eric Persson: A♦-J♥
Alan Keating: K♠-2♠
Handz: A♠-7♥
Flopping a king-high flush draw, Keating checked it to Handz following checks from both Ben and Persson. Having runner-runner straight and nut-flush potential, Handz made a $25,000 continuation bet and was called only by Keating, making it head’s-up heading to the turn.
Turn Action: Handz Sizes Up And Keating Makes The Call
Board: 10♠-6♠-5♦-4♦
Pot: $87,200
Alan Keating: K♠-2♠
Handz: A♠-7♥
Turning some additional equity with a straight draw, Handz sized up to a $70,000 bet after being checked to by Keating. Not going anywhere with his flush draw, Keating called.
River Action: Handz Attempts A Historic Bluff Against Keating
Board: 10♠-6♠-5♦-4♦-7♠
Pot: $227,000
Alan Keating: K♠-2♠
Handz: A♠-7♥
With the pot nearly reaching a quarter of a million dollars, neither player was willing to yield on fifth street. Nailing his flush, Keating decided it was time to be the aggressor, pursuing value with a $155,000 bet. On the river with only a pair of sevens, Handz knew the only way he would win this massive pot was by bluffing. Holding the nut-flush blocker, Handz asked Keating how much he had behind ($309,000) before declaring he was all-in for his entire $464,000 stack. All Keating could say was “wow”, as it was his turn to enter the tank.
Keating shuffled his chips and pondered his decision for some time, sharing with the table “That’s annoying, I should be happy.” Giving himself additional time to come to a decision, Keating eventually grabbed a small stack of green chips and casually dropped them across the line. Not only had Keating found the right call, he also made poker history by winning the largest pot to ever be broadcasted in the U.S.
Another Chapter Added To The Legend Of Alan Keating
Always approaching the game with class, when interviewed after the hand Keating shared his admiration for Handz. “(Handz) is probably one of the few people that have the guts to make that move,” Keating said. “It’s really impressive on his part, he deserves a lot of credit.” Already being an accomplished cash game player, Keating now resides in the history books after winning one of the biggest pots the poker world has ever seen. While Keating may have been the winner of the hand, Hustler Live relished in his victory as well, showing that their program was truly must-see TV.
The Infamous Hand Played By Robbi Lew And Garrett Adelstein
Photo Courtesy Of Hustler Casino Live
Unless you were living under a rock in late 2022, you are likely quite familiar with Robbi Lew’s infamous J-4 hero call against Garrett Adelstein on Hustler Casino Live. While we have all seen hero calls on stream and in our own poker games, rarely have we seen a single hand garner the attention of the entire poker community the way this one did. Although the fallout of the J-4 hand may never fully be resolved, let’s take a look back at a hand that led to investigations, lie detector tests, and nearly 100 hours of quality content from Joey Ingram.
Preflop Action: Robbi Lew Makes A Loose Call
It was a stacked table for Hustler’s Friday night high stakes stream. Along with Adelstein and Lew, Andy Stacks, Eric Persson, and Phil Ivey made a competitive line-up for the $100/$200/$400 game. Folded to in late position, Adelstein looked down at 8♣-7♣ and raised $3,000. Last to act preflop, Lew decided to get loose and called with J♣-4♥.
Flop Action: Adelstein Flops All Of The Draws
Board: 10♥-10♣-9♣
Pot: $6,700
Adelstein: 8♣-7♣
Lew: J♣-4♥
Flopping a straight-flush draw, Adelstein led out with a $2,500 bet. In the booth commentating the action, Bart Hanson voiced his surprise when Lew made the call with her runner-runner straight and jack-high flush draws.
Turn Action: Lew Makes An Improbable Hero Call
Board: 10♥-10♣-9♣-3♥
Pot: $11,700
Adelstein: 8♣-7♣
Lew: J♣-4♥
Turning a brick but still having every draw imaginable, Garrett bet again, this time for $10,000. Owning only jack-high, Lew continued to perplex viewers as she executed a min-click, raising Adelstein to $20,000.
“Let me scratch my face, because that’s the s*** I’ve got.” Lew said to Adelstein as he pondered how to proceed.
Eventually, Adelstein decided it was time to make a move, reraising Lew for her entire $109,000 stack. Lew entered the tank, with only jack-high, viewers assumed Lew would find the fold despite the time she continued to take with her decision. Using a time chip, it seemed Lew was not ready to give up, as she tried to engage Garrett in more table talk.
“I just want to call to see it, you may have me though.”
Whether Lew had an inkling to Adelstein’s hand or not, her junky J-4 offsuit actually had 47% chance to win the hand.
“Three’s no good?” Despite not having a three in her hand, Lew continued to try and get a read on Adelstein.
Lew tanked for a little while longer, before making the call and sending Bart Hanson into utter shock. Agreeing with Adelstein to run it twice, Lew was nearly flipping in a hand she had no business being in. With $269,000 on the line, Hustler Live viewers held their breaths to see if Lew’s jaw-dropping hero call would pay off.
The Board Runs Clean For Robbi Lew’s Jack-High
River Board 1: 10♥-10♣-9♣-3♥-9♦
River Board 2: 10♥-10♣-9♣-3♥-A♠
With none of Adelstein’s draws getting there on either board, Lew had successfully pulled off one of the craziest hero calls in poker history. Upon reveal, not only did Lew scoop a huge $269,000 pot, she also plunged the poker world into major speculation and controversy.
After the second river card crept across the board, Adelstein seemed at peace with the loss as he tabled his hand. However, when it was Lew’s turn to reveal, it was clear the cash game legend was not amused at what had occurred. The look on Adelstein’s face said it all.
From his reaction, it was clear Adelstein felt the hand was not played straight, with other players and viewers also being skeptical. Asking Lew a number of questions on why she played the hand the way she did, Adelstein was not satisfied with any of the answers he received.
We may never know the full truth on why Robbi Lew made the call. Maybe she thought she had a three and was attempting to bluff catch, or perhaps she actually put Adelstein on 8-7 suited and made a god-tier read. Lew may have simply played herself into a corner, and was fortunate that a punty hero call happened to run into a hand she was flipping with. Regardless of the how and why behind Lew’s play, she had won a $269,000 pot against Garrett Adelstein. Despite the hand being over, the situation around the hand was only beginning.
The Fallout
The series of events following the J-4 hand were even more baffling than the hand itself. While every viewer immediately had their own take, Hustler fans who viewed the stream in real time knew one thing for certain: Garret Adelstein believed he had been cheated out of a $269,000 pot. After passively playing a couple more hands, Adelstein silently left the table to speak with Hustler Casino Live producer Ryan Feldman. Eventually, Lew would leave the table as well, speaking with both Adelstein and Feldman away from the set. Just like the hand itself, the public may never fully know what was said between the three. Regardless, no one foresaw Lew coming back into the room, retrieving $135,000, and giving it back to Adelstein outside on the casino floor.
On that night and since the infamous hand took place, Lew has shared a number of reasons why she decided to give the money back to Adelstein. Whether she was pressured by Adelstein or did it of her own volition, the exchange added a whole new layer to the controversy. One player at the table, who went by Rip, noticed the exchange taking place outside of the studio room and decided to leave the table as well. Seeing that Lew had given the money back to Adelstein, Rip, who happened to have a piece of Lew’s action, proceeded to scream obscenities at Adelstein as the cash game pro took all of his remaining chips and exited the casino.
Despite being the most popular live streamed cash game in the world, it only took one wild hand to bring Hustler Casino Live to a standstill. Although Lew and Rip would eventually return to the table to play, the aftermath of the J-4 hand was just getting started. What was already a wild occurrence would only get wilder over the coming days. As practically every member of the poker community shared their takes via social media, interviews, and podcast episodes, plot twist after plot twist contributed to the biggest poker controversy of 2022. In the weeks that followed, opportunities for collusion, multiple investigations, and the admittance from a Hustler dealer that he had stolen $15,000 from Lew’s stack turned a wild hero call into a national story.
As it stands today, Robbi Lew has maintained her innocence, requesting Adelstien return the money to her. Despite Lew’s request, Garrett Adelstein is no longer in possession of the $135,000, having donated it to charity. Following multiple investigations, no evidence has been found to validate Adelstein’s claims that Lew cheated, and while Lew continues to make appearances at events and tournaments, we have yet to see Adelstein return to the felt.
Whether it be million dollar pots or controversial hands that bring the entire poker industry to a stand-still, there is no debating Hustler Casino Live creators Ryan Feldman and Nick Vertucci have created the biggest spectacle in the space. As Hustler continues to draw some of the world’s best poker players and personalities to compete for hundreds of thousands of dollars, we cannot wait to see more poker history be made on Hustler Casino Live.
