Jeffrey Ma

They -- this month in fact march 28 to be specific. A new movie hits the big screen it's an action adventure and it's called 21 the number 21 it's inspired by the true story of some of the brightest young minds in this country is based on the book bringing down the house by -- metric. And out what the stars of the MIT. Gambling cruel it's all about the guys from MIT to figure out a system put together card counting system. And head of the Las Vegas every weekend are with fake identity -- know how to turn in the black -- table. To their favorite for in my joints on the -- Jeffrey good morning it's been along time since we've spoken how aria. I'm good thanks -- coming out. My pleasure are you well first of all have you seen the film in its entirety or just bits and pieces up.

Now I've -- that a couple times we traded him Boston earlier this weekend I think it earlier. But two weeks ago with dom Laurence Fishburne and -- deserts to.

Thumbs up one thumb up what do you think.

very good it's very hard I mean it's not it's not a big you know thematic kind of player -- they kind of reward but until the big very entertaining and being something that I think that. You know it'll -- all about what we all want to do which is -- house and and you know leave biggest winner -- rhetoric that. A lot of people come go to Vegas and you guys know that first flight to Vegas -- Everyone has is happy and and here he didn't you know. Would you lead people -- but the flight home everyone is quiet and it's like a more yeah all the and we left Vegas -- up for us -- we we left winners com and Dominic look at the field that. I think this movie makes you feel like got to make you feel like to you can beat the house generation Georgia did --

for people who haven't read the book bringing down how also heard you on with thus that number of years ago all about the MIT black -- group. Can give the cliff notes version just gets those people up the day on what are issue did what the embryonic idea was so much money you know everybody humidity.

The seven years we were professional -- what that meant was we used. Bouts deep black checked by technology -- the because you know with the memory what you see impacts which are going to -- so during that time we want homer between three to five million dollars just sort of biggest sin planned budget.

And and you've got with the the most fascinating part I think is. -- it's not illegal it's legal what you did but they can kick your ass is out for Purdue and us.

Yes 100% legal the issue is that somehow for some reason casinos are in the business of losing money yes so -- They they don't like -- when he's going there and beat them and actually it is their private property. So that they can refuse service to anyone that they want and in this case they released -- service to us.

Then -- in the movie it gets a little sexier than that right -- like beat you guys up.

Yeah I mean there's a little bit of Hollywood they -- and his stuff it is actually something that we -- was very worried about I don't think really any of our our core group. Got beat up but they don't play like try to intimidate use you know there are times when they were try to take you to a back room. And make you spent time there while they ask you questions about things and an end. They do try to really physically activity but that actual act is getting beat up more towards Fishburne did my character in the movie never really happen.

dumb down the system for us to understand and is that something that anybody could do or do you have to have the ability to look like how do you go to MIT add and subtract all you know just as the cards are being dealt with the idea how the system --

So blackjack I guess that it really didn't dispute over the member right at them what they found is that there's a lot of high cards left -- the -- It's in the players favor when there's a lot of low cards -- inducted in the dealers. So although you do -- track the -- look cards versus high cars so what that means there's Tuesday's fours fives and sixes. Are worth plus one seven's it's and there -- zero. Tens its cards and aces weren't minus. He just keep a running total Tom all of those cards and -- used that number to just tell you how much to.

I'd sounds like my -- system instituted a full -- works every time so.

You can be keyed -- that's really --

Not at that now now how they find out that you're doing it just the amount of money you're winning.

Well there's the president Vick and kept the mob sometime yes it is million winning a lot of debate they keep at the start keep do you but the reality is that it's not. Something that's hard for that to figure out once they didn't think that you might be doing it we did some advanced games they cut through the Mark for awhile we -- on the talked he'd play worse for Travis would go to -- together. And rear for the people would kind of spread out around the casino. And they would actually just played a table -- a moment be kind of it wasn't -- lead at once that -- are found it did table. They would signal to me an -- walk over and start betting big money.

What's the most Mark. The largest amount of money you took home on the plane and he came home.

Well there was one day we try out want to hard pressed -- that one about foreigners 2000 dollars and wish -- money that we had a Juan and the money that we brought there are member Garcia sitting with a guy because you have -- opinion is mrs. husband. Yes yeah well he. He would -- he was the project guy in hours sitting there. At the pulled the horizon we had a duffel bag full all the money -- the good news is the movies ratty gym bag. And there is about. 980000 dollars and I turned away aspect of west what do you think week we just leave -- Barry go first well. Is that what promises and that's about not Saturday because yes.

Probably -- go to cut. -- What you do what but he he you have to give back for class on Monday --

Yeah I mean we were you know those days were both working and go to school big experiment it stretched beyond what I was out of school and so we. You know we we had to get back -- workers school we took red eyes dark outside and.

Jeffrey what's the most outrageous silly thing you bought without cash in hand.

But but but I don't -- invested in a bar in Boston but he's no longer is in business that -- outrageous.

You know lost in and plunked down you know -- 150000 dollar Lamborghini or anything you're such a deal him now honest to god you know you don't invest in bars.

I know I know I know you know -- doesn't -- his -- matter -- the the writer. Of -- have a house if I have -- deal now because about promoting the move. Movies try to make sure does well yeah and obviously keep benefits financially quite a bit of the book sells well. So books sells ten million copies in -- 11 and -- million right now it's going to have a huge -- because in the movie. That he has to buy me a Ferrari so I thought a deal.

You don't have one already.

I got out of target but. The most practical car in the world you.

But used do you Cuban -- say because of blackjack I'll never have to take a job that I need to take just for money at it this sets you up pretty well right --

that would set me up and gave me. I don't quotas is more from just the days of black -- you know early on in my life because play blackjack and have this constant street. Money from a weekend job I never had to worry about taking a job purely just for the you know for the money and I think that's the great thing because so many people like from it'll be conducted worked for the money here for the pitch.

What have you done since you stopped counting cards and make him you know having him.

I've been doing it the there working and -- sports' Internet business. Outlet to just go and yes the big people involved are great sports figures like Troy and then Jerry west and you know we are quite rough spurs keep us involved so it's been cool calm and we just started doing just stop there you have -- out -- how the system -- double play TV which is a web site which is devoted specifically to it. Severe weather sports figure -- video and -- I would say we've put together some bum. Basically some. -- had a videos and to teach you exactly what we did. That's a double play TV dot com slash just -- so you articulate about you guys -- and you guys can go take fox slipped by storm.

Larry young in the movie Kevin spacey plays the ringleader on the professor. I guess who had the idea initially in that is that a real guy is that based on somebody really over there and MIT.

Off spot it is not someone over there might be but it is based on and hum. Characters that that sort of -- he was we got that kind of taught us all brought us all then wasn't really professor but he definitely it was a -- a -- twenty years of -- alumnus teaching people how to -- county actually have they have some like sort of formal seminars there to teach people how to --

Now I've seen the trailer obviously Evans in the movie because it doesn't -- 28 he seems like a bad guy in the movie who who you know. Is not going to be dealt with -- where it was this was there a negative connotation -- the sky and -- Jeffords.

You know not quite as much as the move. Movie -- alleged that make you got to get media has definitely all about black jacket and was very focused on the money any -- had sort of a little bit of -- haunting presence but hardly get like a way because he was so good card counting it is like that -- the dark father bitch didn't want to let him down around but -- that we could have had a falling out with them where. We broke -- and 42 groups and and he kind of stayed with another group been almost there was sort of a competitive rivalry between the two groups.

Do you go to Las Vegas still and if so how often -- ago.

I struggled Paramount and living on the west coast without much -- picked up like -- but I know how to play project anywhere in fact sometimes Nintendo Mario ability to let it stand nearby friends the Arctic table so but I gonna cut and have fun and play craps and and just tell live like a normal human being.

Also what happens if you walk into any hotel on the strip and you sit down at a blackjack table -- me like that necessary the high end table. How to they know shoot.

You know after camera does that might face they have official recognition software right and that will help level I haven't responded database of people like myself and and tell them that I absolutely its price and bigger part.

As that happened. And so what do they say with a walk up to say they aren't huge yet.

Just and necessary you know we appreciated you can't stay under the at the table you know whatever -- actually very polite about it at this point about not someone that really causes trouble eleven or you don't -- it but that's going to walk where there's.

And so you're on every casinos database mean every single one has your face recognition stuff software. In my cuckoo's McKie misses but after that means sit down with the only reason like yes. Q just got better he gives -- Did you pay taxes --

I doubt about it about our past that is above I just -- what I got audited so in we we did and and you know when they did that -- it everything worked out Ortiz on the we we paid. Definitely reported what we're. I hope there's so that they are.

registered adult or they're busy with Roger Clemens over the not -- for you dark area I don't worry about.

The casino people as much as the gangsters and that I mean you walk around them -- cash yeah. A two word about it like in your hotel or maybe go -- the street -- and and and some did you lift it.

don't know it is that like we were Carrington Honda chaos around and all the time and this thing about it was your often -- you know 2223 year old kids. With good -- it's discern a baseball so we are right we always felt that no one really believed -- holding back to the mother so we weren't ever live our concern to be honest I was stupidly so.

How did you divide it up was that even equally.

What -- quite equal on its not as simple sort of you get this you get batted that is pretty complicated way that it's similar -- how people get paid out. I would imagine that's flawed -- like management -- but there's also bonuses and there's also if you because investors and what.

And because you're the hot I mean -- the high wager guy you you've played most of the big money for the team correct. Does that give you a higher percentage.

Absolutely -- one of the highest percentage of the guys on the team but that you know the people that -- Really the most modern European investors -- got further and -- that won a lot of money ourselves. We became -- investors ourselves yeah.

It was a hot -- mean if you were -- there's a hot decked. At a particular table and you would sit down --

He's just there's a lot of technical attendance is cards and aces left the -- in respect -- the number -- Another left.

Do you think that you could do this even appears dumb as we are you have to be. MIT smart to pull this off.

Definitely have to be MIT spark you know just to practice you know like Allen Iverson practiced -- really did you do you spent a lot of time practicing because the big key is that. You know you might build you this and a room in your house what it's quiet and there's nothing going our decision luckily casino and there's you know hot girl walking by and a -- Estrada order order directly -- try to get a drink -- you know it just gets a lot harder.

Is the system for proof in the hands of somebody good like you know hordes of you were to go back there and they allowed you to do it. Could you make it work again or -- or might you lose money.

well. You're not a over the long haul you're never going to -- as long as you have enough money can't buy it outright beat it's gotta be like gate you know. Point zero zero zero they're literal 1% chance of of losing money and it's tiny. It is all statistics and maybe if you have enough money you can -- withstand any kind of very it is a strange advanced you know you just to have the right about a body needed to deal play and not to do it.

Did you make any outrageously large single bets on a particular hand Jeffrey.

I guess that the biggest thing you do that bad I want -- that -- three hit 10000 per couple it's about the best or the most. A couple of have a rabbit bit you have to see if that's the price -- most at one the most famous it's in the book and they kind of put it into the movie but they've put a little twist on the movie I'd lose basically. At it like respectively five fans of 10000. That another five hit a thousand I didn't start at the 10000 that. I started with two hit it to about movement doubled whatever it like a big -- lost a 100000 dollars and two.

The -- in the movie and really from what I hear our -- stole the show. Because I was out there actually creating new Academy Award from its our best starter -- movies are less than two minutes about their -- down a little bit to -- best -- best director. In a movie about himself in the movies or less than two minutes is kind of in its day. There's applied to other people or who and all time have been in this category so -- to start.

So give us a heads up what do we look for in the movie when it comes on the 28.

It's kind of the build -- movie it's pretty it's a pretty big scene in the movie. -- my charity has a big conflict of the other characters and at the table yet you have to table on the dealer an amateur lieutenant Jeffrey and so oh that's pretty easy yet they kind of play out that idea. Just pretty easy time with those great big you know these guys in my hometown. -- station that I used to listen listen to two point 47 what I listen live there.

He is the real -- star of the new movie 21 coming out I believe march 20 in theaters -- Jeffrey thanks for much of the time. Destructed down the road Giacomo -- now