The Most Successful Gamblers of All Time
More than just winning money, gambling has its own charm for the players on many levels. Some players just like trying to go deeper into their favorite titles or trying something brand new. Others are just satisfied to play some familiar games and use them as a tool to relieve stress and take their mind off of things for a few minutes: a quick shot of entertainment.
Especially when there is no free bet or no deposit bonus, one can only sometimes count on victory. Even experienced and talented gamblers lose from time to time. This is because luck is part of the game in gambling. No matter how meticulous your strategy may be, the factor of chance is always there, and it changes the whole scenario.
In spite of this, however, some gamblers managed to win more than lose. These gamblers are famous for their overwhelming dominance in various games.
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Charlie Wells
Charles ‘Charlie’ Wells had the heart of a genius inventor but the greed of a compulsive gambler. Born in England in 1841, Wells grew up in a family that never shied away from addiction, be it drinking or gambling. Perhaps such a family upbringing formed his later personality as an inveterate gambler, leading him to become one of the most famous gamblers in history and the most wanted fugitive in Las Vegas Sands’ history.
While other gamblers dreamed of success, Wells’ notorious activities led him to dominate the world of high-stakes gambling, for instance, at the time when he had recently patented the propeller speed control device, which paid him 5,000 French francs. However, his winning streak did not last long, as he quickly lost it all and then some playing at various French casinos. Despite this, his name became associated with being one of the richest gambler in the world, if only briefly.
Ultimately, Wells would create his own ever-mushrooming cycle: Attract investors claiming to be about to patent yet another device and then immediately lose any funding he received on gambling. He never managed to give any return on his investors, and his name became notorious for losing streaks at gambling tables, solidifying his place among the greatest gambler of all time.
In 1891, Wells’ luck changed when he “broke the bank” in Monte Carlo by winning over 500,000 francs, which can be estimated to be ten times more than 13 million US dollars today. He managed the same thing for the second time as well, relying on the Martingale betting system for the wins. He was accused of cheating, but Wells insisted that his victories were legitimate, further cementing his status as one of the famous gamblers in history.
Those wins did not last for long. He found himself in legal trouble again for running a bogus bank in Paris using the assumed name of Lucien Rivier. His plan was to lift deposits in Paris to wager at the Monte Carlo roulette, but he lost all of it in gambling. The con was brought to light, and Wells went to prison for the second time.
Charlie Wells passed away in 1922, but his legacy in the gambling world remains a source of fascination. He is amongst the five only individuals who have ever “broken the bank” in Monte Carlo and the only one who did it twice, earning his place among the most famous gamblers in history.
John Montagu
Who is the best gambler in the world? In 1758, England-born John Montagu was left with no other option but to become a gambler and don many other hats in history. The title of the Earl was inherited in the year when Montagu was 10, and after his father and grandfather passed away, Montagu had a lot to live up to.
That being said, Montagu was perceived as an adept negotiator. He was engaged in several notable operations within the House of Lords – including finding a conclusion about the Austrian War of Succession and supporting plans to increase the naval forces. As much involved as he was in his professional life, it was his private life where he was passionate – over a game of chance.
Poker was certainly known to belong to Montagu’s repertoire. However, he experienced hardly any success due to a lack of skill. He spent more than he earned, leading to significant losses. On his better days, he would win, but his losses were often substantial. One of his poker wins helped finance James Cook’s expedition to the Pacific, which led to the discovery of the Sandwich Islands. Though Montagu was certainly among the top gamblers in the world of his time, his career as a gambler pales compared to the most famous gamblers in history.
However, his gambling extravagance left him broke. What stands out, though, is not his contribution to politics or his skills at the card table but something entirely different that has ensured the continuity of his legacy.
It is said that Montagu urged his servants to put roast beef in between two pieces of bread so that he could eat without leaving the table during one of his long nights of poker. Assembling such a basic snack became known as a sandwich after the Earl’s name and is one creation that has been more of a success than his poker career, making Montagu one of the best gamblers of all time, at least in terms of influence on history.
Archie Karas
Archie Karas, known to many as Ace Karas, wowed the gambling community first as a poker player boasting luck on steroids. He was born Anargyros Nicholas Karabourniotis in the year 1950 in Greece, and he is one of the most successful gamblers.
Karas made his first sighting of America, settling in Los Angeles, California, at the age of only 17. He joined a restaurant where he worked on the outskirts within the confines of the American Dream; the sight of his workplace gave him ideas. He had dreams of general success in life and, more specifically, in the world of table games.
Meeting the right people and grinding hard during the right periods paid handsome dividends as he gradually shifted his focus to poker as well.
Karas had been fully established as a poker player and unsurprisingly filled with confidence. He was known as a risk taker, a risky soul, someone who craved to be in the limelight. With the wits he showcased, it was a well-known fact that on his lucky days, Archie was untouchable, earning him the title of world’s best gambler by many.
Archie’s rise within the gambling world blossomed when he moved to Las Vegas, but this time, with a very modest $50 in his pocket.
In convincing a person that he would pay back the US$10,000 with considerable interest, Karas more or less launched “The Run.” It resulted from a combination of a breathtaking winning streak mixed with great skill, primarily in poker and razz. Many consider this overwhelming success to be just a streak of luck. In 1995, Karas reached such incredible success that he turned his initial $50 as a bet into around $40 million, which gave him a place in the history of gambling as one of the best gambler ever.
Francois Blanc
With its eye-catching marina and its monumental casino, it comes as no surprise that a specific sort of glamour is inherent in Monte Carlo. However, its evolution to being a premier hot spot for the rich has a lot to do with a certain individual, François Blanc, who was both a gambler and an entrepreneur and turned a little Principality, in his own words, into a meeting point for the world.
François began his journey into Monte Carlo fame from the absolute peripheries. In his youth, with his brother, he toured acrobatics schools, learned card tricks, and developed an enthusiastic interest in gambling. He also worked in creating properties and making speculative investments, but when one of his businesses became illegal, he had to escape to Luxembourg to evade punishment.
It is Hesse-Homburg that is considered the place where François’s gambling addiction started acquiring practical skills. This city was totally bankrupt without any money, so its ruler asked François for assistance. He was entrusted with the task of recovering the STAR L. So, François created a rich, thrilling atmosphere of gambling, thus acquiring a nickname, ‘The Magical Homburg.’ It was sad that after the financial troubles of Hesse-Homburg were settled, the government outlawed conflicts in gambling, leaving François without a base for operations.
With no hope of turning back, François turned to Monaco, which was on an economic downturn. While gaming was legalized there in the recent past, the country was poor, underdeveloped, and isolated, so no one wanted to go there. Recognizing its potential, Monti made bold investments, building the now-renowned Monte Carlo Casino and financing roads and railways to enhance connectivity.
Over time, these investments benefited him as well, as Monte Carlo built up a large clientele of European aristocracy. As wealthy clients supported Monaco’s economy, François reinvested his casino earnings into other industries of the nation.
Being referred to as the “Magician of Monte Carlo,” F Blanc Monti transformed the Principality for good by popularizing it as a center of glamour and sophistication. He remains deeply woven into Monte Carlo in its modernity, securing his place among the famous professional gamblers. Thanks to his phenomenal success as a gambler and businessman, his place in history as one of the best gamblers in the world, and owing to his high investments and broad stakes at the casino, he became one of the biggest gamblers in history.
Final Thoughts
What made these remarkable players remarkable was not just the triumph, they were memorialized through their bravery, tactics, and, in some instances reckless approaches. These gamblers usually capitalize on luck, but this story’s main theme is the ability to work hard, wait for the right time to strike, control the emotions, and come what may.
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