How I Manipulated The World's Richest Men: “They Lost $100 Million In One Night!” - Molly Bloom (Molly's Game)
Aug 17, 2023
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Molly Bloom, a former Olympic skier turned poker entrepreneur, shares her wild journey from running high-stakes games for Hollywood’s elite to facing legal battles. She reveals how she made her games unique and managed notable players, including kicking Dan Bilzerian out. Molly reflects on the intense psychological lessons learned, including witnessing a staggering $100 million loss in one night. She discusses resilience, the importance of emotional intelligence, and her path to finding purpose after the tumultuous world of underground poker.
The importance of taking responsibility for one's choices and avoiding harming others to escape consequences.
The dissatisfaction and lack of fulfillment observed in the lives of billionaires.
The resilience and persistence required to navigate the film industry and overcome setbacks.
Deep dives
Facing Game Over
After experiencing a series of high-stakes underground poker games, Molly Bloom's life takes a radical turn. She goes from being a relatively unknown waitress to running the biggest underground poker game in New York City, frequented by Hollywood celebrities, millionaires, and even politicians. Molly becomes obsessed with the power and money associated with the games, leading her down a path of compromised integrity and a dangerous lifestyle.
The Darkness and Internal Conflict
As Molly's life spirals into a world of excess, she battles with depression and shame. She becomes entangled with dangerous individuals tied to organized crime, putting her own life and her family's safety at risk. Molly's compromised integrity and addiction to drugs and alcohol further deepen her internal conflict and drive her deeper into a life she can no longer tolerate.
The FBI and Legal Troubles
Molly's world comes crashing down when she is arrested by the FBI and her bank accounts are seized. Facing potential severe prison time, Molly fights to find legal representation and navigate the complex legal system. During this time, she also faces an ultimatum from the FBI, who want her to become a confidential informant and snitch on the high-profile players in her games.
Embracing Integrity and Defying Expectations
In her fight for freedom, Molly finds an attorney who believes in her and guides her towards a strategy centered around integrity. She realizes the importance of staying true to herself and the values she holds dear. Molly's journey culminates in a pivotal decision to never abandon her integrity again, no matter the circumstances.
Overcoming Challenges and Finding Redemption
In this podcast episode, Molly Bloom shares her personal journey of facing legal challenges and finding redemption. She highlights the importance of taking responsibility for one's choices and avoiding the temptation to harm others to escape consequences. Despite receiving a lenient sentence, Molly reflects on the profound impact it had on her and the significance of having peace and contentment in life. Additionally, she discusses the lessons she learned from being exposed to the lives of billionaires, emphasizing the dissatisfaction and lack of fulfillment she observed. She also explores the malleability of success and the potential for anyone, including ordinary individuals, to achieve extraordinary results with persistence and calculated risk-taking.
Pursuing a New Path and Embracing Personal Growth
After her challenging journey, Molly Bloom shares how she found a new path by writing a book and subsequently adapting it into a successful movie. She discusses the resilience and persistence required to navigate the film industry, negotiate deals, and overcome setbacks. Despite owing millions, Molly strategically leverages her story and experiences in public speaking engagements, enabling her to generate income and pursue other projects, like podcasting and writing books. She also talks about the importance of cultivating self-awareness, managing the mind, and developing a healthy relationship with risk. Furthermore, Molly reflects on her personal growth, being proud of her self-awareness and openness to change, while understanding the ongoing nature of personal development.
In this new episode Steven sits down with the author, entrepreneur and ‘Poker Princess’ Molly Bloom.
Molly is a former Olympic skier, and at 21 years old was ranked No. 3 in North America in moguls. After an accident, she left skiing and took a years sabbatical from the University of Colorado - Boulder to move to LA in 2004. Initially bartending, she began to run poker games in The Viper Room. These games attracted A-list celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, and Ben Affleck, playing for millions of dollars. In 2013, she was arrested for taking part in underground poker games and faced 10 years in prison, but was eventually sentenced to 1 year of probation. In 2014, she released her memoir ‘Molly’s Game’ which was made into an award winning film of the same name in 2017.
In this conversation Molly and Steven discuss topics, such as:
How her upbringing was based around competition and achievement
Why she was obsessed with achieving glory from a young age
Moving to LA and finding her way into running poker games
How she started running illegal poker games and made them different from others
The psychological lessons she learned from watching poker games
How she made herself indispensable to the game and its players
What it took to run the world's most exclusive poker nights
Having her poker game and income taken from her
Learning to pivot quickly from failure to success
Seeing someone lose $100 million in one night
Kicking Dan Bilzerian out of her poker game
How she was making $4-6 million a year from tips
The mafia showing up at her door
What she was able to learn from listening to the elite players of her game
How she had access to the world’s most powerful people
Becoming addicted to drinking and drugs
Her legal troubles with the FBI and facing 10 years in prison
Why she refused to snitch to the authorities for millions of dollars
The lessons she has learned coming out of the world of poker
Being comfortable with risk and the necessity of taking risks in life
How she was able to sell her story into a Hollywood movie
