Twitch streamers have been attracting thousands upon thousands of viewers by broadcasting their online gameplay. In the beginning, PC/video gaming drew the majority of viewers, but Twitch streaming of online poker rose enormously in popularity this year. Now, it seems even online blackjack games are worth watching – especially when there’s a huge amount of money on the line.
Chance “Sodapoppin” Morris has been attracting thousands of viewers to his Twitch live stream by playing a various video games, like Grand Theft Auto V. Over the weekend, he invited his viewers to watch him play blackjack at the popular online gambling website, BetOnline.AG.
Approximately 40,000 of Morris’s fans responded by tuning into the live Twitch stream; not because they absolutely love to watch other people play blackjack, but because their beloved Sodapoppin was about to do something outrageous.
He vowed to place a staggering $5,000 bet on a single hand of live dealer blackjack. If he won, it would be an amazing feat. But to lose? It was a risk the popular Twitch streamer was willing to take, and one that his fans were unwilling to miss.
With his viewers in tow, Morris landed at the live dealer blackjack tables of BetOnline on Friday, May 15, 2015. The games were especially busy, where a full table of 7 players were partaking in the action. The table’s betting limit was $100-$5,000, and while most of the other participants wagered the minimum $100 (with a $450 and $500 in there as well), Sodapoppin threw out a $5,000 bet, as promised.
As the first round of cards were being dealt, Morris found himself in a magnificent position. The dealer had given him an Ace, while dealing himself a mere 6. What better position could the Twitch streamer possibly ask to be in?
As the second round of cards came down, however, Sodapoppin’s joy was replaced by dread. His second card was a 5, giving him a disheartening total of 6 or 16. It also brought a resounding shout of “F**K” from the Twitch streamer.
When it was almost his turn to act once more, Morris said, “My heart is racing… I’m gonna cry.” Then, after a moment’s hesitation, he made the only reasonable decision, electing to take a third card. His worst fears came true when a Jack was placed upon his hand, giving him a hard total of 16. Immediately he said, “Stand! Please God, bust on that 6!”
The dealer wished him the best of luck as he proceeded with the remaining player’s hands. When it was the dealer’s turn to finish out his own hand, he received another 6, giving the dealer a total of 12.
“Face card,” said Morris. “Face card!”
The dealer exhaled slowly before drawing the next card, turning up yet another 6. With a total of 18, Sodapoppin instantly knew he had lost his one-time $5,000 blackjack bet. He jumped from his chair, yelling unintelligibly. As the Twitch streamer ran to the back of the room, he was visibly distressed, throwing laundry and then pacing rapidly with head in hand.
Finally, he returned to the computer just long enough to end the Twitch stream. You can watch the full video of the $5k online blackjack loss here.
