Poker Champ Mike Mizrachi Goes All In on Slots
NASSAU, Bahamas – The casino floor at the Atlantis Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas is buzzing. With lights flashing, music blaring, buttons being smashed and screens being slapped in frenzied mayhem as a clock ticks, the tournament room has an energy that isn’t quite the norm for legendary poker pro and current WSOP world champion Michael Mizrachi.
Known in poker circles as “the Grinder,” Mizrachi is sweating the second annual World Tournament of Slots, presented by MyVIP, a leading purveyor of social slot games. He’s here as a promoter “to engage with players and celebrate the excitement of competitive social casino gaming,” according to a MyVIP spokesperson. He’s also here to support his mom, who is one of 500 people who qualified to compete in the Bahamas for a top prize of $1 million.
“This is her Disney World,” he says of Mama Grinder, who has a group of fans wearing shirts with that monicker. “It would be amazing if she won.”
Players in this event earned their spots by climbing the ranks in PLAYSTUDIOS’ free-to-play apps (POP! Slots, myVEGAS Slots, myKONAMI Slots, and MGM Slots Live) or by qualifying at various land-based and sea-based casinos.
Mizrachi didn’t qualify for the tournament, but he did play a three-round heads-up exhibition match (for a prize belt) against last year’s defending champion, Stephanie Hall. And true to poker form, he won.
He sat down with Casinos.com between rounds to talk about the difference between poker and slots, his fondness for certain machines, slot strategy, and how slots are not a zero-skill game.
(Conversation has been edited for length and clarity.)
Dan: Hi Mike, I know you from poker …
Mike: OK, great.
So you’re a slot player now?
Yeah, I’m a slot player. I play a lot of machines, and a lot of slot tournaments. too. I know the slot world.
Is it an escape from poker?
I would say that. It’s my other side. I never thought I would like it, but once I gave it a try, I realized how much I loved the thrill. There’s an energy to it that’s hard to match. And I just like to gamble where I think I might have an edge.
There’s an edge in slots?
Sure definitely. My edge is hand-eye coordination. In this tournament, if you miss [popping] just one diamond [by slapping them when they appear on screen], that makes a difference.
So you’re saying there’s skill involved in slots?
Yeah, a little bit. This tournament I have to make sure I hit all the diamonds. They move fast so it’s about having quick hands. You see some people just like slamming the machine, I feel like I have an edge against players like that.
But slots are still negative EV, right?
They’re plus-EV in some situations. There are a lot of people who play advantage slots. It’s like game selection. And there’s strategy – stuff you look for in machines, like where big bonuses are about to hit. There are small edges on machines all over.
What’s your biggest win in slots?
$44,000 and change on a Dragonlink machine. A few weeks ago at the Palazzo, I saw a guy win $2.2 million. I was like wow. It’s hard to win at the casino, so it just makes me feel good when I see people have that big win.
How long have you been a slots player?
About four years. That’s when I realized how much fun playing slots could really be. I also saw an opportunity to make money doing something I genuinely enjoy, and that combination keeps me coming back.
Any particular themes or slot characters you like?
My favorite game is Buffalo Ascension. When you see stampedes, it just gets my heart going, my heart racing really.
Are you gonna become a slots vlogger?
Maybe. I’ve been thinking about a YouTube channel where I’m playing slots, playing poker, maybe going out … just crazy stuff, where you can, you know, get some insight, get some tips.
The vibe at the World Tournament of Slots seems quite different from the WSOP.
Very different. I actually enjoy this. It’s not as competitive. Look around. Everyone’s smiling and just happy to be here. That’s not what you see in poker. Here, everyone is having the time of their life.
Any advice for poker players thinking about trying out slots?
You have to have the gamble and be willing to take the risks. I’m willing to take big risks.
Where do you see your future in slots versus poker?
I definitely will be more involved in the slot world. But obviously poker comes first. Slots come second. That would be my thing.