Should Dana White tap out on the casino floor?
According to a report by casino.org, the CEO of UFC has a massive gambling debt with at least one casino.
The outlet, citing an anonymous source, claims that White owes more than $25 million to Red Rocks Casino – and it could potentially be even more.
“The source added it’s possible, though not confirmed, the UFC boss owes the Las Vegas-based casino operator as much as $50 million for credit extended to him so that he could play high-limit baccarat and blackjack at the Red Rock Casino Resort in Summerlin, Nevada,” the outlet reported.
White is a self-confessed “degenerate gambler” and has been known to play high-stakes games in Vegas.
During an interview last year, White spoke of his love for gambling and claimed to have won about $26 million to $27 million playing $350,000 hands of baccarat at Caesars Palace over the course of a few months.
It isn’t just at the tables that White has been generous with his money. Last month he was spotted handing out $1,000 chips to fans at a casino.
During a podcast appearance last year, he also shared a story of getting “blackout drunk” and losing $3 million.
“I end up leaving and going home that night and I lost like ($80,000). So, I wake up the next morning. I’m like, ‘F***, those motherf*****s got me for $80,000 last night.’ he said on Lex Fridman’s podcast. ”So, I’m at work the next day and the host (from the Rio casino in Vegas) calls me and he says, ‘Hey, Dana, are you coming back? Do you still need the room that you guys had?’
“I said, ‘No, I don’t need the room, but don’t get too comfortable with my f***ing 80 grand. I’m coming back for it.’
“(There was) dead f***ing silence on the other end of the phone. And he’s like, ‘Dana, you lost $3 million last night.’”
While that amount of gambling debt is staggering for most people, White reportedly is worth around a half-billion dollars. Also going in his favour: He happens to be close with the chairman and CEO of Red Rocks Casino, Frank Fertitta – the former owner of UFC.