If you have been thinking about entering the world of gambling and winning some big bucks, then the following list of the biggest gamblers in the world might just turn out to be the role model for you.After all, if they can make a living off professional gambling, then so can you right?
1. Bill Benter (Horse Racing and Blackjack)
Annual Worth: $100 million or $1 billion net
Bill Benter has a degree in Physics and Mathematics. These have been instrumental in helping him advance his career as a professional gambler in Las Vegas. After seven continuous years of winning, he got banned from several casinos in Las Vegas, especially from their Blackjack tables.
Benter moved to Hong Kong with Alan Woods soon after and put his money in the horse racing industry there. Currently, he might have distanced himself from the world of gambling, but his software to predict horse racing outcomes in a sure winner.
2. Edward Thorp (Baccarat, Blackjack)
Annual Worth: $800 million
Edward Thorp is a man of many talents. Along with Claude Shannon, he is credited for creating the first ever wearable computer back in 1961. He is also a famous writer, a professor of Mathematics and a professional gambler who excels in Blackjack.
He has also been a regular in Wall Street where his mathematical prowess can be seen in making market predictions.
Thorp is a member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame and has a bestseller – Beat the Market to his credit.
3. Zeljko Ranogajec (Sports Betting, Horse Racing)
Annual Worth: A$610 million
This is a rags to riches story like no other. Dabbling in poker, blackjack and horse betting, Ranogajec revolutionised gambling and got millions out of just a couple of hundreds. In 2011, he became a part of the Blackjack Hall of Fame.
4. Billy Walters (Sports Betting)
Annual Worth: $200 million
Walters developed a fascination for gambling from a very early age. What did he choose? Sports betting. In a country like USA where almost 50% of the population has placed a sports bet at least once in their life, Walters is a prime example of how hard work and perseverance can pay off with accumulated wealth.
After being pardoned for insider trading charges in 2020, he is currently the owner of a Los Angeles based sports betting company.
5. Phil Ivey (Poker)
Annual Worth: $100 million
Phil Ivey is a champion when it comes to the game of poker. He has won over $19 million in just live poker championships. He is famous as one of the World Poker Tour champions and an eight-time winner of the World Series of Poker champion.
He also bagged a place in the Top 25 of the WSOP Main Event and was awarded bracelets in the 2002 World Series of Poker championship.
In 2009, Ivey defeated 147 other players to win his sixth bracelet at the No-Limit Draw Lowball Event. He also won $1,596,100 at the Commerce Casino LA Poker Classic competition.
6. Chris Ferguson (Poker)
Annual Worth: $80 million
Ferguson started playing poker at an early age and in 1995, he competed in the World Series. He is currently the owner of 63 money finishes and 5 WSOP bracelets, not to mention the 2000 main event where he was crowned champion.
He is the only poker player who has won 3 WSOP circuits and 5 bracelets together. He also has the amazing capability of throwing cards so fast that they cut through soft material.
7. Doyle Brunson (Poker)
Annual Worth: $75 million
A member of the Poker Hall of Fame, Doyle Brunson has been in the gambling industry for over 50 years now. He has 10 WSOP bracelets and a tie with Johnny Chan and Phil Ivey in his arsenal. He was supposed to be a professional basketball player but a knee injury cut short his career.
Poker allowed him to pay the bills and make a career out of it. He is the author of Super System, the Holy Grail for all professional poker aspirants.
8. Howard Lederer (Poker)
Annual Worth: $60 million
Lederer is not just a poker player but also a poker coach who has written several books on the subject. He is also a regular at Poker After Dark and hosted several poker fantasy meetings.
9. Jonathan Duhamel
Duhamel is a Canadian Poker player who is new to the gambling world. He is the winner of the 2010 World Series of Poker and has been awarded 3 bracelets in his poker career so far.
10. Patrik Antonius
Once again a poker genius, Antonius is well-known for his two finishes in the final round of a European Poker Tour (EPT) event. He is from Finland and his biggest achievement is the 2006 143-player H.O.R.S.E tournament at the WSOP.
11. Haralabos Voulgaris (NBA Sports Betting)
Haralabos Voulgaris is one of the most prolific NBA sports bettors in the world today. He is also a poker enthusiast who has spent 14 years in the poker industry cashing in around $3.090 million in earnings. He was also the Director of Quantitative Research and Development for the Dallas Mavericks before they parted ways in 2021.
Conclusion
If a game of poker or sports betting is right up your alley, then reading about professional gambling champions and listening to their advice will help you cover the distance between hundreds and millions faster than ever.
FAQs
Which Country are the Biggest Gamblers?
Australia is one of the biggest gambler countries in the world, followed by Singapore and Ireland.
Who is the Best Professional Gambler?
Bill Benter or William Walters are the best professional gamblers today.
Can Gambling Make you Rich?
Yes, if you have a knack for it and you get lucky, then gambling can make you rich.
Has Anyone got Rich From Gambling?
All the rich gamblers mentioned above have won millions just via professional gambling.