True Gambling Stories Focuses on California Casino

Sean Chaffin, a Dallas area freelance writer and reporter, has partnered with PokerNews.com to produce a new show for the site’s expanding number of unique podcasts. The new show will be titled True Gambling Stories and debut on the PokerNews Podcasting Network on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018.

From the bright lights of glittering Las Vegas to Old West gambling saloons, True Gambling Stories brings listeners some insight into gambling’s great stories and lore. This audible experience includes plenty of cards, cash, dice and the occasional six-shooter.

The first show will focus on the legendary 1989 craps roll by Honolulu’s Stanley Fujitake in downtown Las Vegas. The three-plus hour roll set a world record and cost the California Casino almost $1 million.

“It’s such an amazing tale of one man’s mystical roll at the tables with some really big bucks won,” Chaffin said. “We really try to get behind the scenes and weave a cool story from this crazy night.”

The show also focuses on the California’s Casino unique link to Hawai‘i’s gamblers. The property was the first of casino mogul Sam Boyd, who had lived in Hawai‘i for several years.

Chaffin is a longtime freelance writer who frequently writes about poker and gambling, including some Metroplex-area gambling tales. In late-November, Chaffin was awarded a Hugh Ayneswoth Award from the Press Club of Dallas for magazine investigative reporting for an article about area cold cases that appeared in Fort Worth. He is also the author of Raising the Stakes, a collection of true gambling and poker stories.

“I really think this is a show that Hawai‘i residents will enjoy,” Chaffin said. “The show will be similar to some of those really cool true crime podcasts, but with a gambling twist. It will be in a narrative story format and focus on a single tale from gambling or poker’s past.”

Chaffin has been a freelance writer and editor for many years. His work has appeared in numerous publications including American Cowboy, ALL IN, Canadian Poker Player, the Dallas Observer, Houston Chronicle, Daily Oklahoman, Cigar Snob, and numerous others. He has also been a longtime contributor to Casino Player magazine and in 2017 he edited a special World Series of Poker preview issue for the magazine called “Stacking Chips.”

Over the summer of 2017, Chaffin spent a month in Las Vegas writing feature stories for PokerNews, several of which were major hits with readers.

“There is a rich history and lore in gambling,” Chaffin said of the new project. “It’s also been a challenge and is something completely new for me. Writing for an audio experience is quite a bit different. It’s really gotten me out of my comfort zone and I am excited about the possibilities. We’ve got some good stuff planned.”

Sarah Herring, head of video and podcasting at PokerNews, believes the show will be a great addition to the site’s network.

“Being a huge true crime podcast listener, I am thrilled to welcome True Gambling Stories to the PokerNews Podcast Network,” Herring said.“Sean is the kind of journalist that really digs deep to find the people and humanity in any wild story. He has an eye for the strange and fascinating and I can not wait to hit that subscribe button!”

True Gambling Stories will be available on most podcast services and websites as well as PokerNews.com. To keep up with the show, follow on Facebook (@TrueGamblingTales) and Twitter (@GamblingPod). Please look for it and give it a listen. Check back at PokerNews for more soon. For more information, email seanchaffin@sbcglobal.net.