Renowned Gambler Archie Karas Arrested, Charged With Cheating

Sept. 28, 2013— -- A professional poker player's luck appears to have run out.

Renowned high roller Archie Karas, 62, is facing charges of burglary, winning by fraudulent means and cheating after he was caught allegedly marking cards at a blackjack table, according to a San Diego County District Attorney's Office news release

Surveillance footage taken by Barona Casino in Lakeside, Calif., revealed Karas -- whose real name is Anargyros Karabourniotis -- put "a subtle, but distinguishable mark on the back of playing cards" in July, cheating the casino of more than $8,000, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office said.

He was arrested at his Las Vegas home on Tuesday and taken into custody at Clark County Detention Center, where he was being held without bail. If convicted of all charges, he faces up to three years behind bars.

The card shark is famous for having the largest and longest documented winning streak in gambling history, according to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office. He turned $50 into $40 million in a streak that spanned three years in the early 1990s, only to gamble it all away.

"He really had no regard for money whatsoever," Poker Productions owner Mori Eskandani told ABC News. "He had no fear of having millions and losing it."

Nevada Gaming Control Board Enforcement Chief Karl Bennison called Karas "a threat to the gaming industry." The poker player has been investigated on multiple occasions, and has been arrested four times prior to this incident.

Karas is awaiting extradition in San Diego. An extradition hearing is scheduled for Sept. 30 in Nevada.