The Richest Gamblers In The World
Whether gamblers have placed bets simply to ‘test their luck’ or because they hoped to win big, gambling has been part of human cultures for thousands of years. Regardless of whatever anyone thinks about the concept of luck, the world’s richest gamblers are proof that winning big is a real possibility.
Evidence of ancient gambling games has been found in Egypt, Central America, China, Greece, India, Scandinavia, and elsewhere. Perhaps a time will come when the archaeologists of the future will find evidence of some of the richest gamblers of our times, of people such as Tony Bloom, Edward Thorp, Zeljko Ranogajec, and others.
Tony Bloom - $1.7 Billion
With a gambling fortune of as much as $1.7 billion, the Poker player and sports bettor Anthony ‘Tony’ Bloom currently is the world’s richest gambler. Evidently a sensible man, Bloom does not rely solely on playing cards and betting on sports to make money. He also owns Starlizard, a large gambling consultancy based in the United Kingdom, and the Brighton and Hove Football Club.
Edward Thorp - $800 Million
Edward Thorp is one of the most infamous Blackjack players in history. He’s also known for playing at the Baccarat tables and for being none other than the ‘father of counting cards.’ Thorp has a Ph.D. in mathematics and a master’s degree in physics, and he pioneered card counting while working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the 1950s. A mathematics professor and trader, Thorp is reputed to have a fortune of approximately $800 million.
Zeljko Ranogajec – AU$600 Million
Some gamblers find one or two forms of gambling that they enjoy, and they stick to those forms without too much deviation for the rest of their lives. Others, such as Zeljko Ranogajec, one of the world’s richest gamblers, prefer to mix it up. Ranogajec is known for playing Blackjack and Keno, and for betting on sports and horseracing. His nickname is ‘the Joker,’ but there is nothing funny about his estimated net worth of AU$ 600 million.
Phil Ivey - $100 Million
By the time Phil Ivey celebrated his 39th birthday, he had won 10 World Series of Poker bracelets, had sat at nine World Poker Tour final tables, and had won one World Poker Tour title. Ivey won more than $15 million in live tournaments, and he is reported to have a net worth of $100 million.
Archie Karas – Formerly $40 Million
Anargyros Nicholas Karabourniotis, better known as Archie ‘the Greek’ Karas, deserves a special mention. The Poker player famously had a winning streak that saw him turn a $50 bet into $40 million. His winning streak, which started in 1992, came to an end in 1995, when he was almost bankrupted. Sadly, Karas luck finally ran out when he was arrested for cheating in 2013!