So, how was the game last night? Were the cards good? Did you get to hit a mega win that is swelling you up with pride? It doesn’t matter if you haven’t got there yet – there is no rush. But, why we are talking about cards in a write up on richest gamblers – aren’t you wondering that? Of course, you are! Well, cards counting is what most (almost all) of the richest gamblers did in their early life. Today, they have established themselves as professional gamblers. If you are not into cards like the poker legends, try out online gambling. However, before starting to invest in, play some online casino games with free slot bonuses, see what you prefer and then go ahead.
Getting back to the richest professional gamblers, we have come up with ‘Top 3 Richest Gamblers’ who have made millions (in fact billions) just being a gambler. So, let’s get started:
1. Bill Benter
(100 Million Dollars Per Annum)
Bill Benter (also known as William Benter) was born in 1957 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He is a mastermind in Mathematics and holds a degree in Physics. He started off as a professional gambler at the blackjack table in Las Vegas using his mathematics skills for card counting. Later he improvised his skills with strategies shared in Edward Thorp’s book ‘Beat the Dealer’. He was so good at it, that he got banned from most of the casinos in Las Vegas after seven years.
Then, he met Alan Woods and shifted to Hong Kong where the duo explored the horse racing market. Together they created a formula to predict the result of horse races. In 1987, after the two parted the ways, Benter refined the formula and developed the most successful software for horse race gambling. Over time, he expanded the array of variables that have to be examined for every horse in a race. It is anticipated that he makes 100 million dollars every year – often scraping 5 to 10 millions on a single-day race.
Apart from being the richest punter, Bill Benter is known for his philanthropic activities and contributions to political and charity groups.
2. Edward O. Thorp
(80 Million Dollars Per Annum)
Edward Thorp born in Chicago, Illinois on August 14th, 1932 is hedge fund manager, great gambler – with a Ph.D. in Mathematics from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He has been a math professor as well from 1959 to 1977. With the use of computer imitation, he invented card counting strategy that would help increase odds of Blackjack players. He tested his theory in the casinos of Lake Tahoe, Reno, and Las Vegas. After irking others’ interest, he wrote the very famous book ‘Beat the Dealer‘, the original complete guidebook to card counting for all newbie and pro players. Also, he along with Claude Shannon invented the first wearable computer in 1961. Until prohibited in 1985, he used it extensively in the blackjack and roulette tables. Furthermore, he invented the ‘Thorp count’ methodology for backgammon players. While being an esteemed member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame, he also formed a baccarat syndicate.
In the 1960s, he made good use of his unparallel understanding on statistics and probability in the stock market. Moreover, developed and validated valuable hedge fund methods in the fiscal market earning his an estimated fortune of 800 million dollars.
3. Zeljko Ranogajec
(Supposedly 1 Billion Dollars Per Annum)
He is the most secretive gambler of all – this is why he isn’t that famous. However, he lives the life of the Rich somewhere in Europe. He was born in 1961, in Hobart, Australia. He left his commerce and law studies to chase his dream career in advantage gambling. With his photographic memory and intricate mathematic calculations, he can easily turn hundred-dollar stakes into seven-digit wins. Eventually, it got his outlawed from the majority of the Australian casinos. Hence, he jumped to validate his skills in predicting the results of horse betting. As they say, it made him a fortune of billions.
He never gave any interviews or shared any of his ventures with other, which is why it is hard to guess his net worth right. However, a close family source depicts him to be a multi-billionaire. It is claimed that he accounts 6 to 8% of Tabcorp’s annual revenue. It is also reported that Ranogajec has been fighting a 900-million dollar tax war with the ATO (Australian Taxation Office). Keeping these speculations aside, one cannot overlook that he is the record-holder of winning $7.5 million in Keno in the 1990s.
Next time if anyone tells you that gambling is game of luck or it’s the house that always wins, tell him about these people. We have just introduced top 3 richest gamblers in this post, but in reality, there is a section of people who make a living by placing bets. Hold on, for there are going to be many more names to add up to this list!
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