Bringing Down the House vs. Busting Vegas
- Thread starter SPX
- Start date
SPX said:
Does anyone know if Bringing Down the House is supposed to be a more reliable and accurate account of real events than Busting Vegas? I'm reading BV right now and it seems to be more fictionalized and sensational but I could be wrong.
callipygian said:
I doubt either book can be classified as reliable or accurate in any way, but you're right that Busting Vegas does sound really contrived. I suspect that the first book was written with all the best stories, then they needed to top that in the sequel and had to outright fabricate a lot of stories.
Has anyone read any of his other books, such as Rigged or Ugly Americans?
SPX said:
I remember reading once something that quoted Semyon as saying that Busting Vegas contains the "essence" of his experiences. What the f--k that means, I have no idea.
In the book: The main character went to an underground Chinatown casino as a training ground. He was counting for a while when all of a sudden a sack was thrown over his head and he was beaten up. Then he was asked what the count is - it was all a setup!
In reality: A bunch of card counters saw a real-money blackjack game at a Chinatown charity event. Realizing they could beat the game easily, they cleaned out the bank. For a *cough* charity event.
In the book: The team was at the MGM Grand when a riot erupts after the Tyson-Holyfield fight. The casino changed the chips after the riot; stuck with a bag of $500 chips, the team employed a small army of strippers to go cash the chips for them.
In reality: The team was at the MGM Grand when a riot erupts after the Tyson-Holyfield fight. The casino changed the chips after the riot; the team was faced with strong questioning as they try to change out their handful of $500 chips.
In the book: A MIT janitor discovered the team's hidden stash of $100,000, and turned it into the authorities. Faced with a huge setback, the team turns on itself and begins fighting.
In reality: After a meeting, a team member left a lunch bag with ~$10,000 on a table. A MIT janitor picked it up and turned it into the school, but the team convinced a Dean that the money was theirs and they got it back.
callipygian said:
I doubt either book can be classified as reliable or accurate in any way, but you're right that Busting Vegas does sound really contrived. I suspect that the first book was written with all the best stories, then they needed to top that in the sequel and had to outright fabricate a lot of stories.
SPX said:
Callipygian:
I've heard some of that. Makes sense. I think you might be off a bit on the $100,000 that they lost, though. Seems I remember Mr. M himself saying on a Breaking Vegas episode that the money was turned into authorities and it took something like 6 months to get it back.
I've heard some of that. Makes sense. I think you might be off a bit on the $100,000 that they lost, though. Seems I remember Mr. M himself saying on a Breaking Vegas episode that the money was turned into authorities and it took something like 6 months to get it back.
That was my impression as well.
SPX said:
I remember Mr. M himself saying on a Breaking Vegas episode that the money was turned into authorities and it took something like 6 months to get it back.
Beats me. I suppose someone at some point should collect up some sort of snopes.com-like article on all the claims the books make.