Gambling is all about taking the right risks and making smart plays. Sure, you might throw a little money at a few unlikely offers because they’ll be stimulating or you just have a hunch, but the majority of people think things through. All of the big casino winners have been through a lot and have the experience to get the wins they need. In this post, we’re going to run through the biggest gambling wins and talk a little about those involved. We’ll talk about what they did, who exactly they are, and what they prefer to do to make their imagined fortunes come to life. Hopefully, reading through these outrageous stories will help you to understand what it takes. So, without further ado, let’s get into it:
Archie Karas – $40 Million
Born in Greece in 1950, Archie Karas fled his home at 15 and began working towards moving to the US. A keen gambler from a young age, he finally reached the pinnacle in 1995 as he turn a $10,000 loan into $40 Million dollars in an amazing streak of luck known as ‘the run’. Winning game after game in high-stakes poker games, he managed to pick up millions and millions. He eventually lost every penny shortly after the huge win. He lost $11 million playing dice and a further $17 million from Baccarat.
American Software Engineer – $38.7 Million
In March 2003, a plucky gambler won a whopping $38.7 million in the biggest slot machine payout ever. He wasn’t even planning on heading into the casino to win big – he was in town to watch the NCAA basketball tournament.
Imagine chancing your arm one evening and coming away with everything you’ve ever dreamed of – and then some.
The software engineer from LA preferred not to disclose his name – for obvious reasons. He simply threw three $1 coins into the machine at the Excalibur hotel-casino, and his life changed forever. The jackpot had been building since May 2002 over 157 Nevada casinos.
Anonymous ‘Peter’ – $38 Million
In a similar turn of events, an anonymous Norwegian man that went by the name Peter won a huge number in an online casino. After trying his luck on many online sites in order to hit the jackpot, Peter’s luck came in. He won a huge 11.7 million Krone – which equates to 38 million dollars. If this kind of story doesn’t tempt you to replicate the success, then not much else will.
Kerry Packer – $26 Million
Kerry Packer was a man who had already made his fortune years prior to his big win. He was a billionaire already and would flaunt his wealth extravagantly. Handing out tips up to $1 million was something that wasn’t exactly alien to him. Throwing around money in casinos was also not exactly a new idea for this gentleman. It was hard to keep track of the money, in fact.
He won up to $26 million in one fell swoop. Eight simultaneous games of blackjack were played and each won in the region of $3 million. That’s not a bad evening’s work.
Elmer Sherwin – $25 Million
Elmer Sherwin wasn’t just lucky once in his life. He managed to get two big wins. You might call him one of the luckiest people to have lived. He entered the Mirage in Las Vegas shortly after it opened and managed to bag a lovely $4.6 million prize. Nearly twenty years later, he entered the exact same casino.
You might think that lightning couldn’t strike twice in the same place, but it certainly did – and with a vengeance. He walked home with an even bigger $21 million the second time around.
Anonymous Belgian Player – $22 Million
This one is a little more recent. In April 2021, this Belgian player, who wished to remain anonymous, won $22 million from a $17 stake on his final spin of the session. It is the biggest single spin in an online slot win ever. The game was Absolutely Mad Mega Moolah by Microgaming – which is an apt name, to say the very least. In 2020, this game created seven millionaires, so you might say it’s pretty popular.
Jon Heywood – $18 Million
A British soldier, Jon Heywood, won $18 million on a bet in 2015. Not a bad reward for the years of service he put in. One of the best things about this win is that he only placed a bet of 30 cents. Imagine making that much money from such a little stake. Again, a Mega Moolah jackpot was what gave him the money. Such is the man, he went back to work the next day and didn’t let the money change in behavior significantly.
John Tippin – $12Million
John Tippin is a postal worker from Honolulu. He played with only $9 one Saturday and ended up raking in $11.9 million. A successful evening. The 50-year-old won this fortune on a Megabucks progressive slot machine at the Las Vegas Hilton.
So there you have it. Eight extremely fortunate human beings have taken away unfathomable amounts of money. When you take into account the biggest gambling wins of all time, you have to stand in awe of the numbers involved. Some will tell you that it’s luck and only luck. In some cases, it is a situation where you are just fortunate that the slots or cards land in your favor. There are many instances where you have to use your brain and your instincts, however. Just looking at these amazing stories would tempt anyone into getting involved and looking to bring in the fortunes that these examples have. Do you have what it takes to find yourself on this list in the future? Well, there’s only one way to find out.