The biggest casino wins in Las Vegas typically come with an inspirational story or two behind such successes. And of course, these wins have been life changing to the bettors involved.
From those who have risked it all to players who have turned a few dollars into millions, Las Vegas’ slot machines and table games hold many happy tales.
We delve into the fascinating chronicles of the biggest Las Vegas casino wins. Naturally, these scenarios are extremely rare so appreciation must be reserved for the players who are behind them.
Biggest Las Vegas Casino Wins
Ashley Revell: Roulette
English entrepreneur Ashley Revell wrote himself into Las Vegas folklore in the spring of 2004. Before he made the big time, Revell sold all of his possessions (including his clothes) and travelled to Sin City feeling lucky.
Armed with $135,300, he bet the lot on a single spin of a roulette wheel. Revell bet on red and low and behold, his luck paid off. Big time.
Revell wowed onlookers at the Plaza Hotel and Casino after pocketing $270,600. Granted, this isn’t the biggest Las Vegas casino win but it is truly impressive. And inspirational.
Anonymous Gambler: Slot Machine
Not only is this the biggest slot win ever recorded, it’s the largest casino win in history. In March 2003, a 25-year-old software engineer from LA landed a staggering $39.7Million.
Unsurprisingly, the bettor chose to keep his identity a secret. Most likely to avoid unwanted attention from ‘friends’ and distant relatives who were keen on a slice of the vastly huge prize.
More impressively, the individual was only playing the Megabucks slot machine for around a ‘few minutes’ at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino before landing the life-changing sum. Reportedly, they wagered just $100.
William Lee Bergstrom: Craps
William Lee Bergstrom is perhaps better known to gambling enthusiasts as the Suitcase Man or the Phantom Gambler. And for a very good reason.
In 1980, he traveled to Las Vegas and entered Binion’s Horseshoe Casino with two suitcases. One was loaded with $777,000 in cash and the other completely empty.
He staked his money on Craps and won. Therefore, he filled the empty suitcase with his winnings and left. He went back in 1984 and won a further $538,000 and $117,000.
Buried Life: Roulette
Technically, this isn’t anywhere near the biggest Las Vegas casino wins for roulette. However, the story behind the efforts of the ‘Buried Life’ team is well worth an inclusion.
Fans of MTV will be well aware of the popular show and the lads efforts to try and win $1m at the Golden Gate Casino. $125,000 on even money roulette bets were placed and they tried to roll it over three times.
The first bet won on red, netting them a cool $250,000. Unfortunately, their luck ran out when placing those winnings on black. Nonetheless, Golden Gate did give $50,000 at the end of play to donate to charity.
Archie Karas: Poker
The highs and lows of poker player and pool shark Archie Karas live long in the memory of Las Vegas casinos. Karas is famed for ‘The Run’, which is thought to be the biggest winning streak in the history of Sin City gambling.
Starting in 1992, he turned $50 and a $10,000 loan into $40m by the start of 1995 from playing poker and pool at the Mirage. Admittedly, Karas’ bets weren’t as large as others but ‘The Run’ is truly staggering.
His fascinating streak did come to an end in the latter part of 1995, losing a reported $30m. At one stage, Karas owned all of Binion’s casino’s $5,000 chips. It was the highest denomination at the time.
Kerry Packer: Blackjack
Now, it would be too easy to include the MIT Blackjack team, who often took Las Vegas casinos for a ride during their heyday. Nonetheless, Australian business tycoon Kerry Packer was a true blackjack master.
At the MGM Grand Casino, he won an estimated $40m in less than an hour of play. Packer often enjoyed large wins – and losses – in London and he found a number of casinos banned him from playing.
Naturally, casinos were extremely weary and apprehensive of his presence. This was owing to the financial risk that was at stake when he played. He often won as big as he lost.
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