Gambling and Scamming on Ocean Liners

Автокөліктер мен көлік құралдары

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This video is a short documentary on the elaborate schemes and scams used by professional hustlers aboard ocean liners to separate naive passengers from their money. These scoundrels went by many names such as card sharps, card sharks, and boatmen. Like their modern counterparts, they had all sorts of methods ranging from simple card counting to sophisticated, multi-day scams involving multiple people, trust building over countless games of poker, and expensive first-class tickets.
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Sources:
1. “The Only Way to Cross,” by John Maxtone-Graham. 1972.
2. “Titanic Hero: The Autobiography of Captain Rostron of the Carpathia,” by Arthur Rostron. 2011. Originally published as Home from the Sea in 1931.

Пікірлер: 96

  • @maximusjackassicus3042
    @maximusjackassicus30422 жыл бұрын

    Here's a piece of advice, when you're gambling with strangers ALWAYS leave the game after three wins. If you get greedy you'll lose but it you're smart you walk away with money.

  • @Jay-vr9ir

    @Jay-vr9ir

    2 жыл бұрын

    When I was a student working as a cleaner , at a golf course , there were to members that use to to team up against the grounds keeper and cleaned , the grounds keeper out during card games . The two members would meet up in the parking lot and split the winnings after the game . I wanted to warn the grounds keeper , but I thought it best to not say a word.

  • @SportyMabamba

    @SportyMabamba

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Jay-vr9ir I hope he was letting them win because he was banging their wives 🤔

  • @BHuang92
    @BHuang922 жыл бұрын

    Interesting fact that many wealthy individuals traveled on the ocean liners on October 1929 , that is until they came back.......

  • @jamesfracasse8178

    @jamesfracasse8178

    2 жыл бұрын

    which is why those remaining ocean liners were no longer considered the millionaire's special anymore and instead offered cheap passages to any destination's.

  • @NOrlando952
    @NOrlando9522 жыл бұрын

    Rostron is amazing. The man just keeps getting better.

  • @phillyguy8541
    @phillyguy85412 жыл бұрын

    There is a reference to card sharps in "A Night To Remember." Lightoller recognizes one and tells the steward to warn the passengers playing with him. He even mentions some of the alias's he used.

  • @wintersbattleofbands1144

    @wintersbattleofbands1144

    2 жыл бұрын

    It's "card sharks," although "sharps" has a certain ring of accuracy to it.

  • @Kaidhicksii

    @Kaidhicksii

    2 жыл бұрын

    I remember that scene. XD

  • @michaelmacleod7051
    @michaelmacleod70512 жыл бұрын

    Fantastic video, really good to see more of the social aspects onboard the liners

  • @TheGreatBigMove

    @TheGreatBigMove

    2 жыл бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it!

  • @Uncle_Fred

    @Uncle_Fred

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TheGreatBigMove More social aspects please!

  • @TheGreatBigMove
    @TheGreatBigMove2 жыл бұрын

    Be honest: would you have fallen for any of the elaborate schemes of the ocean-going cardsharps?

  • @shelty3178

    @shelty3178

    2 жыл бұрын

    Hi

  • @merafirewing6591

    @merafirewing6591

    2 жыл бұрын

    Cardshark?

  • @denizalgazi

    @denizalgazi

    2 жыл бұрын

    No because I'm so used to seeing all these con artists all around the globe. Though the gypsies are the easiest to spot.

  • @DerpyPossum

    @DerpyPossum

    2 жыл бұрын

    Given how utterly pathetic i am irl? *Undoubtedly.*

  • @SQUAREHEADSAM1912

    @SQUAREHEADSAM1912

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@DerpyPossum same

  • @nightw4tchman
    @nightw4tchman2 жыл бұрын

    Never gamble, your wins are always short lived.

  • @djscottdog1

    @djscottdog1

    2 жыл бұрын

    On average im 500 up

  • @jec1ny
    @jec1ny2 жыл бұрын

    When I was a kid back in the land of long ago, my dad took us on a vacation to the Jersey shore. One afternoon we took a drive up to Atlantic City where they had a bunch of casinos and were building more. And I remember him pointing to one and saying "you see that flashy building with all the lights? It was not built by people taking money out of it." Dad enjoyed a friendly card game now and then. But AFAIK he never played for money.

  • @1JamesMayToGoPlease
    @1JamesMayToGoPlease2 жыл бұрын

    Pretty interesting, and well-presented. Thank you.

  • @TheGreatBigMove

    @TheGreatBigMove

    2 жыл бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it!

  • @brycetomecek5065
    @brycetomecek50652 жыл бұрын

    Your videos are getting better and more interesting.

  • @moosifer3321
    @moosifer33212 жыл бұрын

    Yet another feather in Capt. Rostrum`s Cap! Great video covering an unknown aspect of the `Golden Years` of the Liners.

  • @djscottdog1
    @djscottdog12 жыл бұрын

    Be aware of people keen to be friends.

  • @andycraddock7677
    @andycraddock76772 жыл бұрын

    As with all your videos Sir….fascinating and well done. If memory serves, there is a scene in the film adaptation of “A Night to Remember” where two waiters (or perhaps a First-Class waiter and a steward- I cannot recall) discuss an ongoing card game, probably in the Mens’ First Class Smoking Room, warily eyeing a male passenger they suspect of being a card sharp/swindler. I believe the man’s actions were suspect, the crew members recognized him, and one of the Titanic’s officers was even alerted to the possible ongoing rascality. Please correct me if my memory or facts are faulty as to the scene. In the “modern” era of cruise ships (let’s say 1975-present) I don’t see that much has changed, except now it’s legal with onboard casinos, many well-known to have the stingiest slots on earth. Slot machines are always a bad option if you partake in gambling, but I’ve read many reports that the ship operated variety have payouts far below Vegas, Atlantic City or other legal gaming destinations, where at least in theory the state regulations require payouts of perhaps 95% or better (They’re still legally advertising that you’re likely to lose , albeit more slowly.) And if you are swindled, scammed or hustled onboard a modern cruise ship, who ya gonna call or report it to? The LE agency under whose flag the vessel is registered, the LE enforcement agency in the nation of departure, the LE agency of the county operating the ship (and by “operating” I mean the ship’s officers.) All of the above may be different countries with very different laws. The open oceans seem to remain one of the grey areas of the world when it comes to criminal law. The FBI has jurisdiction over Americans for serious crimes committed at sea, but less serious (I.e.: No one died, ya just got taken to the proverbial cleaners), to whom does one seek redress? Likely nowhere. A report may be filed. Don’t ever expect to see your money again. The one pressure-point that might help kick-start an investigation is that the major, legacy lines (I.e.: Cunard) I believe do wish to maintain good reputations and that fact might help. Otherwise, consider yourself extraordinarily fortunate to actually be aboard the QM2, and stay away from all cards. I’d really like to see you do an in-depth video on crime aboard cruise ships. From all I’ve ever read crime (including very serious crimes such as sexual assault) is rampant aboard the ships and it’s the #1 dirty little secret of the industry. Thanks again for today’s excellent study on the subject.

  • @Kaidhicksii

    @Kaidhicksii

    2 жыл бұрын

    No, your memory about that scene is correct. Apparently Lightoller was the one who sounded the alarm on the guy. XD

  • @RattyFlyer
    @RattyFlyer Жыл бұрын

    Keep up the good work. My son and I enjoy watching your videos together before he goes to bed.

  • @TheGreatBigMove

    @TheGreatBigMove

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm glad to hear it!

  • @RattyFlyer

    @RattyFlyer

    Жыл бұрын

    @@TheGreatBigMove :)

  • @Centurion04
    @Centurion042 жыл бұрын

    Not sociopaths, psychopaths. Sociopaths don't really understand that what they do is wrong. Psychopaths understand and just don't care.

  • @Jacob1986
    @Jacob19862 жыл бұрын

    Can you talk more about food and food preparation aboard ships?

  • @Austinpride560

    @Austinpride560

    11 ай бұрын

    I know Titanic's food it served

  • @DiabolikalRA
    @DiabolikalRA2 жыл бұрын

    with so much effort put into conning someone, one almost feels like they are deserving of the outcome 🤣

  • @finsfan90
    @finsfan902 жыл бұрын

    No matter what year or era, people are always people. Sometimes we over romanticize the past and forget about human nature.

  • @busterbeagle2167
    @busterbeagle21672 жыл бұрын

    Card sharks were around waaaaay before cards

  • @DiabolikalRA
    @DiabolikalRA2 жыл бұрын

    nowadays the ship casino is whom steals your money 🤣

  • @HarveyJohnWillmott

    @HarveyJohnWillmott

    2 жыл бұрын

    Lol

  • @kristinarain9098
    @kristinarain90982 жыл бұрын

    Having spent as much time as I have being homeless in LA, I cannot and will not hold any good will or feelings of sympathy to Thieves and the act of theft. Thieves are the *WORST* and most vile human beings I've had the misfortune of being in immediate physical proximity with. There's nothing more despicable and nothing I abhor more than stealing from people especially when some people are trying to help and open their doors to others only to be treated to such an act as back stabbing theft. Anyone who hurts the kind hearts of others in such a way should be drowned or slowly burnt alive. I've lost so much, so many things that can't be replaced. Things that were jacked not because of any dollar value but because *I* cherished the memory attached to it. Because I loved and cherished the person who took the time to think of me and then went as far as to have given mee something only to have some black hearted piece of intestinal parasitic rot just jack it from me because I *cherished* it and wanted to see me really hurting from the loss. I hate thieves. I wouldn't bat an eye, or feel an inkling of sadness to see one skinned and slowly fed to fire ants Fuck thieves.

  • @mrsaturngamingandstories
    @mrsaturngamingandstories2 жыл бұрын

    Very nice video I support this

  • @natebullis353
    @natebullis353 Жыл бұрын

    What happened to this man? I was so addicted to his videos and he just vanished…

  • @leopardknowledge.1430
    @leopardknowledge.14302 жыл бұрын

    This channel needs a discord server

  • @Drake_Dimes
    @Drake_Dimes2 жыл бұрын

    Get ahead and then refuse the last game on the train back. Keep your earnings then make the card sharks go broke.

  • @The_Dudester
    @The_Dudester2 жыл бұрын

    This story would have been a great addition to The Poseidon Adventure (1972). Card sharp swindles man and gets karma through an explosion, or the like.

  • @TheGreatBigMove

    @TheGreatBigMove

    2 жыл бұрын

    I would go so far as to say that this topic could be the subject of an entire movie!

  • @The_Dudester

    @The_Dudester

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@TheGreatBigMove Want to collaborate on a script?

  • @wintersbattleofbands1144

    @wintersbattleofbands1144

    2 жыл бұрын

    The phrase is "card sharks," son.

  • @anthonyjackson280
    @anthonyjackson2802 жыл бұрын

    13:08 ". . . did what they could to fly under the radar. . ." - they didn't until after WW2...

  • @bradfry5403
    @bradfry54032 жыл бұрын

    I'm not sure that you need to learn much more about editing video I have always thought you do a really good job of it. I guess if the victim decided not to get the train after the trip the plan would have failed.

  • @DerpyPossum
    @DerpyPossum2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the novel ideas, mate ;)

  • @ShiftingDrifter
    @ShiftingDrifter2 жыл бұрын

    There were several movies about this of the period! Check out The Lady Eve (1941) directed by Preston Sturges and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. (Comedy)

  • @jonathandevries2828
    @jonathandevries28282 жыл бұрын

    is it card sharp or card shark?

  • @TheGreatBigMove

    @TheGreatBigMove

    2 жыл бұрын

    The terms are interchangeable, but I would say card sharp is more common. I used both in this video.

  • @loubetti
    @loubetti2 жыл бұрын

    Fantastic video, great job. It could have been written by John Maxtone-Graham! ;)

  • @TheGreatBigMove

    @TheGreatBigMove

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks, Louis. This topic was always one of my favorite parts of his magnum opus. I've wanted to make a video on it from the beginning, but never did find many more references to it in other books.

  • @scharnhorstkaisarbeethoven
    @scharnhorstkaisarbeethoven2 жыл бұрын

    Now I see rms aquitania as the ship gambler Instead of the ship beautiful

  • @AaronShenghao
    @AaronShenghao2 жыл бұрын

    At least they are not scamming grandma or old people…

  • @DerpyPossum

    @DerpyPossum

    2 жыл бұрын

    Wouldn’t be out of the question to assume that they were, imo.

  • @Mrs.Doubtfire007
    @Mrs.Doubtfire007 Жыл бұрын

    What happened to the Patreon? The link takes me something that looks broken & in another language, maybe Spanish.

  • @denizalgazi
    @denizalgazi2 жыл бұрын

    👍

  • @mariuszszymczak3644
    @mariuszszymczak36442 жыл бұрын

    Will be waiting 1st... No pressure 😅

  • @mrs6968
    @mrs69682 жыл бұрын

    what a trip

  • @I_am_a_cat_
    @I_am_a_cat_2 жыл бұрын

    What's going on behind the tugs at 5:07? Are their names being concealed..? Or is that just a weird video affect?

  • @DerpyPossum

    @DerpyPossum

    2 жыл бұрын

    The tugs’ names, which would’ve revealed that they were stationed out of New York, were scratched out of the footage so the 1912 press can use that footage of Olympic as footage of Titanic. Apparently, it’s still fooling folks today.

  • @I_am_a_cat_

    @I_am_a_cat_

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@DerpyPossum ah, I see. Thank you for the explanation!

  • @aidanbarnes1625
    @aidanbarnes16252 жыл бұрын

    I bet someone could make a movie about a group of ship going con-artists trying to make lots of money.

  • @TheGreatBigMove

    @TheGreatBigMove

    2 жыл бұрын

    Absolutely! I think this topic could make a great movie.

  • @kvltizt

    @kvltizt

    2 жыл бұрын

    Oceans 11 😏

  • @aidanbarnes1625

    @aidanbarnes1625

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@kvltizt I have seen oceans 11 and it definitely follows such a story. Minus the ship part.

  • @wintersbattleofbands1144
    @wintersbattleofbands11442 жыл бұрын

    That's an expensive grift, traveling First Class in hopes of landing a sucker.

  • @feastguy101

    @feastguy101

    2 жыл бұрын

    The returns were probably huge. Even the 2000$ scenario in the video would have payed for some 3 or 4 crossings.

  • @laratheplanespotter
    @laratheplanespotter Жыл бұрын

    The onboard casinos on cruise ships are the scam of today IMO. And the photographers.

  • @wispa1a
    @wispa1a11 ай бұрын

    A,K,J,9. 1 card from top set a queen or 10 would work.

  • @Kaidhicksii
    @Kaidhicksii2 жыл бұрын

    Congrats on the new house! I must say that betting on how many miles the ship traveled per day sounded like a ton of fun, win, lose or draw. If a Titanic II is ever built, that is one activity that could be held on board. As for these con artists, all I really need to say is the following. If I was foolish enough to get suckered into playing cards with them (not that I know how to begin with), and found out what had happened immediately after, then assuming I was still well off with a good job and lots of money coming in, money which would rapidly replace what I had lost, I would let the guys keep their "winnings," while of course advising them not to try that with me again. This is why our mamas tell us not to gamble guys. Don't do it. XD

  • @Nakosuke-75
    @Nakosuke-752 жыл бұрын

    Ong this is totally me on a lonesome friday night

  • @ShortArmOfGod
    @ShortArmOfGod Жыл бұрын

    Card........sharps?

  • @TheOneAndOnlyWeeber69
    @TheOneAndOnlyWeeber692 жыл бұрын

    The Great big move is using skillshare and he will teach us how to scam

  • @asylumlover
    @asylumlover9 ай бұрын

    ONCE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!! LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF THE GLORIOUS CAPTAIN SIR ARTHUR HENRY ROSTRON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHIP SHIP HURRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • @myopiniongoodyouropinionbad
    @myopiniongoodyouropinionbad2 жыл бұрын

    $2000 adjusted for inflation 100 years ago is roughly $34,000 today and $13,000 is $222,000. If you are throwing around that kinda money with strangers be it on your own head. $2k is still a good return on investment for the hustlers .

  • @augustosolari7721
    @augustosolari77212 жыл бұрын

    How not to include this fantastic piece of popular culture. Have you been to the Smoking Room? I heard that Mr Riviera Is playing to very high stakes... How high? VERY HIGH! ☠️💀

  • @HyperVegitoDBZ
    @HyperVegitoDBZ2 жыл бұрын

    They weren't sociopaths. They were simply... poor. Poverty is the origin of all crime and scams, by using sociopath logic most modern companies are run by sociopaths which is obvious nonsense. Making money on idiots is normal, always has been, is and always will be.

  • @Eshanas

    @Eshanas

    2 жыл бұрын

    "sociopath logic most modern companies are run by sociopaths which is obvious nonsense" Not at all. There have been studies and books to back that measure. Psychopathy in the workplace is a ongoing issue and when they do weasel into high management they do inflict incredible damage. Corporate Psychopaths: Organizational Destroyers, Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work, Leaders without ethics in global business: corporate psychopaths just for reading alone....

  • @Noman1000

    @Noman1000

    2 жыл бұрын

    You think corporations aren't ran by sociopaths?

  • @HyperVegitoDBZ

    @HyperVegitoDBZ

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Noman1000 no, they are run by very capable people, anyone who achieved something in life knows how much effort it takes to create a big company.

  • @HyperVegitoDBZ

    @HyperVegitoDBZ

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@Eshanas According to this logic anyone who has been an underling for 10 years once he becomes the leader, becomes a psychopath. Jeez, what you people won't blame to find alibi for your shitty lives

  • @Noman1000

    @Noman1000

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@HyperVegitoDBZ is it impossible to be both?

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