MIT Whiz Kids Double Down on Vegas Profits

Not exactly material that would seem suited for the History Channel, “Breaking Vegas” is the story of MIT students who made millions.

Ninety-minute spec is based on the bestselling book “Breaking Down the House,” about college students in the mid-’90s who worked in teams at the blackjack tables. One member would sit at a table and card count, and when there were plenty of face cards left in the deck — which is highly advantageous to the player — they would signal another member who would bet thousands per hand.

“This is a celebration about the capacity of the human mind,” says producer and director Bruce David Klein. “These guys are intent on beating a system they think is unfair.”

Charlie Mayday, History Channel’s senior VP of programming, says “Vegas” is the type of show that takes a contemporary issue and gives it a historical perspective.

“We’ve presented programming on the history of gambling. The American republic has a history of people playing a lottery.”

While a lottery is complete luck, MIT’s self-described nerds left nothing to chance. They would descend on Vegas on a Friday night from Boston and return Monday morning with duffel bags filled with cash. The casinos, as they do with major players, put the kids up in suites and offered them comps galore.

Eventually the casinos hired detectives who figured out their scheme and barred many from playing but, today, according to Klein, there are still splinter groups counting cards — and winning big — on a regular basis.

“It’s the ultimate cat-and-mouse game,” Klein says. “What these guys did was unbelievable.”