Almost everyone who visits a casino dreams of hitting a massive jackpot that will change their life forever. While the odds are never in their favor, a lucky few manage to defy them and leave as multi-millionaires. Win thousands of dollars by joining Betiton Irish Online Casino today. Today, we will know some of the biggest casino winners in history.
Who are the biggest casino winners?
The biggest casino winners are those who have won the largest amounts of money from playing casino games, online or offline. The biggest casino winners can be divided into the luckiest and the smartest. The luckiest are the ones who have won the biggest jackpots or progressive slots, games with continuously growing prizes that can reach millions of dollars. The smartest are the ones who have won the most money from playing skill-based or strategic games, such as blackjack, poker, or sports betting, where they have used their knowledge, experience, and techniques to gain an edge over the casino or other players.
Biggest Casino Winners:
Kerry Packer – $20-40 million
Australian media mogul Kerry Packer is considered the biggest casino winner. In the 1970s, he visited the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and won $20-40 million playing blackjack and Baccarat throughout his trip. His exact winnings are unknown, but it is considered the largest verified casino win up to that point.
Anonymous Player at Excalibur Casino – $39.7 million
In 2003, a lucky player at the Excalibur Casino in Las Vegas hit the Megabucks jackpot, worth $39.7 million. They chose to remain anonymous, but it was reported they were a software developer from Los Angeles. It remains one of the largest slot machine payouts ever.
Don Johnson – $15 million
Actor Don Johnson, known for his roles on Miami Vice and Nash Bridges, enjoyed a lucky streak at Atlantic City casinos in 2011. Over six months, he won over $15 million playing blackjack at the Tropicana, Borgata, and Caesars casinos. His big wins were attributed to taking advantage of player reward programs.
Mike Ashley – $13.2 million
British billionaire Mike Ashley, former Newcastle United Football Club owner, visited the Fifty casino in London in 2008. In just 15 minutes of roulette, he turned his £100,000 stake into a £10.1 million payout, totaling over $13.2 million.
Charles Wells – $1 million
In 1892, an American named Charles Wells visited the casino in Monte Carlo and managed to “break the bank” by winning nearly $1 million, an astronomical sum at the time. He did it by playing exclusively at the roulette tables for 11 straight hours, forcing the casino to refill their chip reserves 12 times.
Cynthia Jay-Brennan – $34.9 million – Desert Inn Casino, Las Vegas: The second biggest slot win ever recorded was in 2000, when Cynthia Jay-Brennan, a cocktail waitress from Las Vegas, decided to celebrate her mother-in-law’s birthday at the Desert Inn Casino in Las Vegas. She wagered $27 and hit the jackpot of $34,959,458.56, the largest payout in history.
Archie Karas – $40 million – Various Casinos, Las Vegas: The biggest gambling win ever recorded was in the early 1990s, when Archie Karas, a Greek immigrant, and a professional gambler, decided to go on a legendary gambling run that is known as “The Run”. He started with $50 and turned it into $40 million by playing high-stakes poker, craps, and baccarat at various casinos in Las Vegas. He is considered one of the greatest gamblers of all time.
Jon Heywood – $17.2 million – Betway Online Casino: The biggest online slot win ever recorded was in 2015, when Jon Heywood, a British soldier, and a casual online gambler, decided to play the Mega Moolah slot machine at the Betway Online Casino. He wagered 25p and hit the jackpot of £13,213,838.68, equivalent to $17,217,173.09, and was the largest online payout in history.
These are some of the most famous and highest-earning casino winners ever. While the odds of replicating wins of this magnitude are slim, it shows that with enough risk and luck, life-changing jackpots are possible at casinos worldwide.
