In the world of gambling, risks, luck, as well as skills are very important. While betting might be a hobby for some, certain gamblers, especially wealthy gamers do not consider betting big amounts a mere hobby. High-stakes gambling is a real thing in the world of betting and gambling. Although it has significant risk elements, this can also lead to high and unimaginable fortunes. Whether it’s the lush of poker games or the pressure of casinos, the renowned gamblers have taken considerable risks that ordinary people can only dream of.
Are you curious to know who these gamblers are? If so, let’s get to know about them in detail. From their risky high-stakes gambling and its consequences to their stories and achievements, this article will shed light on the exciting events of some of the richest gamblers in the world. So, join us as we dive deeper into the lives of some of the top risk-takers in the world. Let’s find out whether it is mere luck or their skills that made them reach this position.
1. Kerry Packer
Kerry Packer was one of the most richest and renowned personalities from Australia. Born on 17 December 1937 in Sydney, Australia, Packer is a popular media tycoon and a powerful media proprietor of the twentieth century. With the death of his father in 1974, Kerry Packer received AU$100 million media empire, making him an iconic name in the Australian media industry. Packer also revolutionized cricket by creating his own cricketing series. However, no matter how many different fields he outshined, Kerry Packer was prominent as one of the richest gamblers in the world.
According to reports, most of the bets of Packer were so huge that most other people could only dream of. With more affinity towards baccarat, the most visited casinos by Packer were the MGM Grand, Bellagio, and the exclusive Crockford’s in London. One of the interesting facts about Packer was that casino managers saw him as a hope and a fear. With high-stakes bets, Packer either offered great gains or great losses for the casino managers.
One of the greatest gambling wins is also in Packer’s name. It took place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. He won $20 million in 40 minutes by placing $250,000 bets across eight different tables at the same time. Similarly, the biggest-ever gambling loss is owned by him with a three-day losing streak. In this streak, Packer lost around $16.5 million, breaking the record of Frank Saracakis, who lost $13 million.
2. Tony Bloom
Tony Bloom or Anthony Grant Bloom, a popular English sports bettor, poker player, and entrepreneur tops the list of the richest gamblers in the world. With little details about Tony Bloom’s growth and development in gambling, he is considered a mysterious man in gambling. However, according to available information, Bloom started playing poker as fun during his time at the University of Manchester. He was nicknamed “The Lizard” in the gambling world because of his cold-blooded style of playing. However, it is said that he gained over $2.5 million from the poker game.
Tony Bloom has also appeared on the Late Night Poker television series and final table appearance on the World Poker Tour. Also appeared on Poker Million IX, and Bloom secured the second position and made back-to-back final table appearances in its other seasons. However, the first major win by Tony Bloom was in January 2004, when he won A$420,000 or $320,000 in the Australasian Poker Championship.
Bloom also took part in various other poker tournaments including the 2005 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions, the Poker Nations Cup, the Australian Poker Millions tournament in Melbourne, and the High Rollers Challenge in which he won a second prize with A$600,000. Furthermore, he won $25,000 in Poker Masters Event #8 and $360,000 in Pot-Limit Omaha.
3. Bill Benter
Bill Benter is a Pennsylvania resident, who began his professional journey in Las Vegas. More than mere luck, the Benter’s background in Physics and Mathematics helped him considerably in his early successes, especially in blackjack. However, after meeting Alan Woods and relocating to Hong Kong helped him focus more on horse racing. Even after splitting ways with Alan Woods, Benter continued his career in horse racing. Over several years of experience, Benter also developed a game-changing algorithm that helped predict the horse racing results.
More than just winning bets, Benter used this algorithm in developing horse racing betting software. This also led to the significant success of Bill Benter, making him one of the richest and most successful gamblers.
According to available information, the annual income of Bill Benter from gambling is expected to be around $100 million. Moreover, with high skills in predicting horse races, Benter has gained high profits of about $10 million from single-day races. So, with Bill Benter’s remarkable success in the gambling industry, it is clear that winning gambling is not only about luck.
4. Edward Thorp
Edward Thorp is known as the person who revolutionized the gambling business. Thorp followed a mathematical practice of card counting that helped him develop a strategy for eliminating the house edge in blackjack. This strategy helped him gain a significant reward of around $11,000 during his first weekend of using this strategy. With such remarkable wins within a short period, Thorp decided to share his expertise strategy with others through the publication of his book titled “Beat the Dealer” in 1962. With the success of the book, Edward Thorp not only received financial benefits but also gained an improved reputation as a gambling pioneer.
The card counting strategy was one of the different strategies developed by Thorp. He then made a significant invention, the first wearable computer. This was considered a marvel in gambling as it increased his ability to win at roulette. Later, Thorp also entered the stock market and gained remarkable profits and popularity. This made him one of the most successful and wealthy people in the gaming and gambling industry.
5. Chris Ferguson
Although the professional gambling career of Chris Ferguson began in the mid-1990s, his affinity towards gambling started at a very young age. During the initial days, he took part in a variety of events, but, his breakthrough was through the participation in the popular World Series of Poker (WSOP) in 1995.
Although Ferguson had a collection of six World Series of Poker bracelets, he was regarded as one of the most popular and wealthy gamblers in the world after winning the main event in 2000. This significant collection of bracelets along with a record of three WSOP circuit victories are some of the major achievements of Chris Ferguson in gambling. Along with his success and consistency in poker games, Ferguson is also popular among his peers in the gambling field for his unusual ability to toss cards with speed and precision.
6. Ed Craven
Popular as Eddie, Ed Craven is also a renowned and wealthiest gambler. Being an Australian billionaire, he has always gained limelight with his high-stakes gamblings. The various technology businesses and online gambling made Eddie a billionaire by the age of 27. He is one of the owners of the Stake.com, a crypto-gambling casino. Moreover, he co-founded Lick, a famous streaming platform that gained immense popularity in the digital platform. The various strategies and innovations of Ed Craven have inspired growth within online gambling platforms.
Also Read: Best Site To Buy Bitcoin In Australia For Beginners
Conclusion
So, after reading this article, it is clear that our world has some significant gamblers who take remarkable risks in gambling. From Kerry Packer, Bill Benter, and Tony Bloom to Ed Craven, Chris Ferguson, and Edward Thorp, the list goes far and beyond. From their life and gambling events, these people have certainly changed high-stakes gambling into an art. Although their wealth comes with luck, most of these examples suggest that skill, discipline, and strategies are crucial in the field of gambling.
Furthermore, people like Kerry Packer underline that gambling is not only about high wins but also major losses. However, these individuals stay as a reminder that bold decisions serve as a major fortune in high-stakes gambling. So, with strategy, skill, and luck, you might also become the next significant name in gambling.