'The King is Back' - Nik Airball Wins $690K Pot Off Keating in Hustler Casino Live Return
The self-proclaimed "King of LA" — Nikhil "Nik Airball" Arcot — returned to Hustler Casino Live for the first time in a year Friday night, and he left the casino that had previously banned him with a big win.
Airball, formerly a prominent figure on Hustler Casino Live, couldn't play the past 12 months due to a ban from Hustler Casino in Los Angeles. But he's now back in action on the most popular poker livestream in the world, and he's about $300,000 richer than when he arrived at the casino thanks to one enormous pot against Alan Keating.
Big Slick Dooms Keating
Keating had a rough night that included two six-figure losses with the untrusty "Big Slick." The first attempt to scoop a big pot with AxKx occurred against Peter Wang, one of the big winners on Friday. In the hand, Peter went to battle with pocket jacks and would win the race for a $476,000 pot.
The second hand with ace-king for Keating, in a $500/$1,000 game, happened later in the session with Nik Airball raising to $3,000 from under the gun with 9♦9♣. Peter called from the cutoff with 9♠7♠, as did Steve, who was on the button with A♦7♥. Keating, in the big blind with A♠K♦, three-bet to $25,000.
Airball then went for a re-raise to $65,000, forcing folds from Peter and Steve. Keating, however, wasn't going anywhere with big slick. He instead made it $165,000 to go. Airball, who had $346,000 before the hand began, called to see a flop of J♠6♠4♦. Keating moved all in and his opponent snap-called, creating a pot of $689,100.
Both players agreed to run the turn and river twice, with 6♦4♥ coming out the first time, and then 3♥3♦ on the second board, a full scoop for Nik Airball.
The game would break shortly after with Keating down $600,000. Airball, who recently bought a stake in Texas' The Lodge Card Club, booked a $286,000 profit in his first appearance on Hustler Casino Live since March 2024.
"The king is back," Airball told HCL owner Ryan Feldman in his postgame interview.
