Although most people claim that all casino games are based on pure luck, there are some experienced players who have made a career in the game . These gaming experts believe that winning at physical or online casinos requires a lot of experience and knowledge of the game .
We looked back over the years and, in honor of these geniuses, put together a list of the 5 richest punters of all time . Most of these bettors started out as simple gamblers and then honed their skills and strategies, earning more money to the point of becoming the best bettors in the world. Let's find out more about these famous professional players?
Bill Benter
- Estimated net worth: $ 100 million annually.
- Famous for playing blackjack , horse racing.
Mathematical genius Bill Benter studied physics in college and, after graduating, decided to use his knowledge to count cards at blackjack tables. In fact, he improved his methods with a little help from Edward Thorp's book.
After 7 years knocking down the House, Benter was eventually banned from most Las Vegas casinos and moved to Hong Kong. While living in Asia, he created, together with Alan Woods, a formula that later helped players predict the outcome of horse races.
More specifically, he helped create the world's first software-assisted gaming operation, considered one of the most successful. Bill Benter is rumored to earn$ 100 million a year, often earning between$ 5 million and$ 10 million in a single race day, making him the richest player in the world. And besides being one of the most famous professional players, he is also known as a philanthropist and major donor to charities and politicians.
Tony Bloom
- Estimated net worth: up to $ 1.7 billion.
- Famous for sports betting and poker.
Anthony (Tony) Bloom is a poker legend and president of a football club. He is the owner of the UK's largest betting consultancy syndicate, Starlizard, a company believed to make hundreds of millions of pounds every year.
Employees of the company use complex methodologies, as well as knowledge of the game, to create even more accurate football odds than those offered by bookmakers. These odds are then sold to certain bettors so that they can beat the market and generate long-term profits.
In 2009, Bloom took control of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club and oversaw promotion to the Premier League in 2017. He is believed to have invested more than £ 200 million in Brighton and also gave £ 93 million in 2011 so the club could move to a Moderna Stadium with a larger capacity.
Bloom began gambling as a child, using his own money to spin the reels of the slot machines , which continued into adolescence. He even used a fake ID to place some bets when he was 15. After working as an accountant, and later as a trader, he decided that he wanted to become a professional sports bettor and enter the circle of wealthy gamblers.
Edward Thorp
- Estimated net worth: $ 800 million.
- Famous for playing baccarat́ and blackjack.
As a mathematics professor with a master's degree in physics and a doctorate in mathematics, Thorp had an above-average intellect. Known as The father of card counting, Edward Thorp invented the original system and later used it in real-world situations.
In addition, he is the author of the book Beat the Dealer: a Winning Strategy for the Game of Blackjack, in which he details his card counting as well as his revolutionary points system, which has been successfully used by blackjack players worldwide.
He was the first player to use a computer simulation to develop his blackjack strategies, and later invented card counting methods that greatly helped improve players ' chances.
Thorp systematically and thoroughly studied blackjack. He became the attraction of casino bosses when he started winning insane amounts of money. Over time, Thorp applied his intelligence to the stock market and made his fortune in stocks and hedge funds.
Andrew Black
- Estimated net worth: $ 670 million.
- Famous for play bridge and betting on horse racing.
British businessman Andrew Black is an avid racehorse owner and professional bridge player. He co-founded Betfair, the world's first and largest betting exchange.
As a young man, Black worked in a derivatives business, but became increasingly successful as a gamer, earning enough to quit his job and focus on gaming as a full-time activity. Since the game did not give him enough financial support, he decided to create a software business. At that time, he played bridge occasionally with Wray and showed him a prototype he had programmed, which caught Wray's attention and prospered gaining Wray's interest and investment.
The duo launched Betfair in 2000. In 2010, Betfair was listed on the London Stock Exchange at a price of £ 13 (valuing it at £ 1.4 billion), making Black's 15% stake worth around £ 200 million.
Zeljko Ranogajec
- Estimated net worth: 600 million Australian dollars.
- Famous for playing keno , blackjack, horse racing and sports betting.
Known worldwide as The Joker and one of the richest gamblers in the world, Zeljko Ranogajec is a master mathematician who studied Banking, Finance and tax law. He is a famous Australian businessman and professional gambler with an estimated annual turnover of more than$ 1 billion.
Although he enjoyed playing different games of chance, Ranogajec mastered blackjack card counting and began profiting by placing bets in Australian casinos. With the record of having won $ 7.5 million in keno, he is known as one of the richest players in the world.
According to The Daily Mail, Ranogajec studied commerce and Law at the University of Tasmania in the 1980s, when he teamed up with a talented mathematician, David Walsh, to win money at the casino. Although horse racing is the main focus of Ranogajec, sports betting is also an area of interest. Despite spending nearly $ 3 billion on casino games every year this middle-aged man tries to keep his life private.
