Gambling World Records: Discover the Biggest Wins, Bets & More

Gambling World Records: What You’ll Learn

• Explore some of the most astounding gambling world records, including the largest casino wins and the highest bets ever placed.

• Discover intriguing tales of gamblers, from the longest gambling sessions to unique records that highlight the quirky side of betting.

• Learn about the biggest jackpots in casino history and how they have shaped the gambling landscape.

• Examine the significant milestones in gambling history, showcasing how the industry has evolved over thousands of years.

• Gain insights into legendary figures like the MIT Blackjack Team and their contributions to the world of gambling.

Vicarious experiences allow us to imagine life through the actions of others, and perhaps that’s why we love hearing about world records. When it comes to gambling, the thought of placing that big bet or winning a record amount of money captures our collective imagination.

Gambling world records can happen almost anywhere and anytime. From lottery jackpots that soar into the billions of dollars to thrilling records broken on online gaming sites, the world of gambling is rich with remarkable stories.

But it’s not all about wins. There are also cautionary tales, like Terrance Watanabe, who lost $204 million in a single year, or Patricia Demauro, who spent over four hours rolling dice at a craps table in Atlantic City. As we dive into the realm of gambling records, prepare to be educated about extraordinary wins, staggering losses, incredible streaks, and much more.

Notable Categories of Gambling World Records

Let’s explore some major categories of gambling world records and understand what makes them so noteworthy.

Largest Casino Wins

The allure of the slot machine jackpot often captures the spotlight, advertising the life-changing sums one could win. However, several other casino games deserve recognition as well:

• Slot Machine (Land-based): An anonymous software engineer from Los Angeles won $39.7 million on a Megabucks Slot Machine at the Excalibur in Las Vegas in 2003.

• Slot Machine (Online): In 2013, an anonymous Finnish player won just over $20 million playing Mega Fortune on Betsson.

• Blackjack: Over several months in 2011, Don Johnson raked in more than $15 million using perfect strategy in three different Atlantic City casinos, including a remarkable $6 million haul at the Tropicana in one night. Also notable is Kerry Packer, who won 20−40 million at the tables, including around $10 million from blackjack, betting $250,000 per hand.

• Poker: In 2012, Antonio Esfandiari secured the largest single payout in poker tournament history by winning 18.35 million with a 1 million buy-in, involving only 48 players.

• Craps: William Lee Bergstrom, referred to as the “Suitcase Man,” is known for making an estimated $40 million playing craps throughout his life, famously placing a $1 million bet on a single Don’t Pass Line in 1984.

Highest Bets Placed

While high-profile bets don’t always guarantee success, many wealthy individuals have placed astonishing bets:

• William Lee Bergstrom was infamous for entering casinos with suitcases filled with cash. He placed a staggering $1 million on a single dice roll in 1984 at Binion’s Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas, regrettably losing the bet.

• Terence Watanabe, heir to the Oriental Trading Co., loved gambling and would often bet between 250,000 and 500,000 per hand, totaling $5 million in a single session.

• Ashley Revell took a unique approach: he sold all his possessions and placed a singular bet in Roulette. Following cameras to the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, he wagered $135,300 on Red and successfully doubled his net worth.

Longest Gambling Sessions

While many of us have spent multiple hours at a blackjack or craps table, these individuals have broken records:

• 115 Hours: Phil Laak set a record for the longest continuous poker session at the Bellagio in Las Vegas in 2010, playing for four days and 19 hours with just five-minute breaks each hour. He did this for charity and walked away with only $6,766.

• 60-72 Hours: Archie Karas reportedly gambled nearly three straight days during his incredible ‘Run’ in the 1990s, starting with only $50,000 and ending with an astounding $40 million.

• 24 Hours: In 2016, Kerry Johnson played over 24 hours on slot machines at the Mardi Gras Casino in West Virginia. Notably, during this marathon session, he managed to rob a bank before continuing to gamble — until his arrest.

Biggest Casino Jackpots

Remarkably, none of the top ten biggest casino jackpots have been hit since 2018, with the largest ever won occurring in 2003:

• Land-based Slot Jackpot: A software engineer hit a $39.7 million jackpot at the Excalibur Casino in Las Vegas.

• Online Slots: The largest online slot jackpot was recorded in 2018 on the Grand Mondial Casino, where an anonymous player won €19.4 million, approximately $21 million.

• Lotteries: Major lotteries worldwide have also set records for the biggest jackpots:
  • Powerball: The jackpot reached $2.04 billion on November 7, 2022, with players from 45 states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington D.C.
  • Mega Millions: The jackpot hit $1.6 billion on August 8, 2023, with just one winning ticket sold in Florida.
  • EuroMillions: On June 17, 2025, a winner took home €250 million, marking the largest jackpot awarded in Ireland.

Largest Poker Tournaments

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is one of the most prestigious tournaments, having produced numerous celebrity gamblers.

In 2023, it broke records by hosting over 10,000 entrants with a staggering prize pool of $93.4million, where the winner took home 2.1 million. Furthermore, the largest online poker tournament, held in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, attracted 5,802 entrants with a prize pool of $27.5 million.

Unique and Quirky Records

In the colorful world of gambling, here are some of the strangest and most unique records ever set:

• The James Bond Bet: Inspired by the film Casino Royale, a fan dressed in a tuxedo entered a casino in Montenegro and placed a bet, mirroring the scene from the movie. He won €100,000 with a straight flush, though it’s unclear if he ordered a shaken martini.

• Betting the Store: Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale placed a record $10 million bet on the Houston Astros to win the World Series in 2022. After the Astros clinched the championship in six games, he won $75 million, marking the biggest sports bet in history.

• Additional Online Betting: Mattress Mack also made headlines for attempting to set online sports betting records by wagering $4.5 million on the Cincinnati Bengals to win the Super Bowl in 2022, though the LA Rams prevailed.

The MIT Blackjack Team

Using sophisticated card counting techniques, a group of students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology won an estimated $5-6 million from various casinos, predominantly in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Their story inspired films like 21 and the book Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich.

Gambling Milestones

The history of gambling is filled with significant milestones that have shaped the industry:

• 2030 BCE: Evidence shows that six-sided dice were used in games of chance around 4,000 years ago.
• 800 CE: The earliest form of playing cards emerges in China.
• 1796: The modern version of roulette makes its debut in France, eventually spreading to the United States.
• 1905: The Golden Gate Hotel & Casino becomes the first casino in Las Vegas.
• 1931: Nevada legalizes gambling to bolster state revenue during the Great Depression.
• 1994: Antigua and Barbuda legalizes online gambling, with InterCasino launching as the first online casino by 1996.
• 2003: Chris Moneymaker, an amateur, qualifies for the World Series of Poker through a $39 online tournament and goes on to win, inspiring countless amateurs.

Unraveling the Thrills of Gambling: Extraordinary Stories Behind World Records

We all know the thrill of the gamble, from the excitement of doubling down on a 12 when the dealer shows a 16, to the nail-biting anticipation of a roll in craps. The unpredictable nature of gambling is what makes it exhilarating and has led to countless memorable world records.

Patricia Demauro likely never dreamed of rolling the dice over 150 times to set a world record, while Ashley Revell took a massive risk by betting everything on red. The world of gambling is a fascinating mix of extraordinary wins, heart-wrenching losses, and moments that have defined the industry. Explore these captivating stories and feel the vicarious excitement that these gambling world records evoke.