Nik Airball Reveals an $8 Million Downswing

Co-creator and producer of Hustler Casino Live, Nick Vertucci, recently hosted the controversial poker personality Nik Airball on his podcast, The Nick Vertucci Show. Airball, previously under the spotlight for his Heads-Up clash against Matt Berkey, endured a staggering loss of over $1 million in just 58 hours of play.

Nik, who frequently partakes in high stakes games at Hustler Casino, proudly refers to himself as the “King of LA.” Early in their exchange, Vertucci broached the subject of Airball’s recent run of poor form, asking about the extent of his downswing. To this, Airball candidly disclosed a jaw-dropping $8 million downswing.

He attributed this hefty loss to the high stakes nature of his games, where blinds often soar to $1000/$2000. Vertucci responded that for someone with a $10 million bankroll, parting even with $1 million is substantial.

Loss against Matt Berkey the “lowest point of his career.”

The conversation took a turn as Vertucci asked if Airball’s preceding upswing inflated his ego, referring to the “king of LA” title he had given himself. Airball acknowledged his overconfidence, though he reasoned that stellar performance naturally boosts self-confidence. Conversely, a downswing often forces players into a tighter play.

Airball said his loss to Berky marked the lowest moment of his poker career. Vertucci was skeptical about Nik’s boasting a bankroll anywhere near $20-30 million and asked him if the number was correct, to which Airball straightforwardly answered “no.”  He went on to explain that money isn’t that important to him, but the losses at the poker tables do trouble him.

If you want to dive deeper into their conversation, you can watch the podcast below.