NICK THE GREEK

Nick played a two-person "heads up" poker game against Johnny Moss (world class player) from January 1949 to May 1949. They played every type of known poker variations. The game was set up by Benny Binion as a tourist attraction. It was the match that is credited as the inspiration for the modern day World Series of Poker.
Unfortunately for Nick, Moss proved to be the more skilled player. Nick lost somewhere between $2 -to- $4 million dollars. Some say that fatigue was a major factor in his loss because Moss was 15 years younger.  This writer doesn't buy that theory. In five months, the win loss ratio wasn't even close.  Moss was simply the superior player.

Nick was known worldwide by gamblers and non-gamblers alike because of the huge, over the top wagers he would make in Las Vegas casinos (he lived in Las Vegas).  He won and lost millions.

A story has floated around that while semi broke late in his career, he was asked how he could bet millions of dollars at one point in his career, and bet only $5 chips now. It was reported that Nick said, "Hey, it's action."