World's Biggest Gamblers; History Of Bets At Casinos - Kerry Packer, David Walsh Et Al

Profiles

Gambling Casino Whales Casinos Casino Australian Gambling Australian Casinos

Lloyd Williams plays blackjack with the late Kerry Packer at Melbourne's Crown Casino

Profiles

Casinos Casino Gambling Live Dealer Slots Poker Kerry Packer David Walsh Casino Whales Australia Tasmania Media Man

Want to try your luck at a casino? ... Land based or online - there's all sorts of options out that, but first here's some real life stories regarding whales aka VIP high rollers at casinos, the racetrack and elsewhere.

PS: how about those Aussies - they will bet on anything won't they. World's biggest gamblers we heard.

Zeljko Ranogajec – Bookies beware! Allegedly, the world’s biggest gambler is an Australian billionaire of Croatian descent. After studying law in Tasmania, Ranogajec got a job in a casino where he learnt the tricks of the trade. Starting with an initial stake of hundreds, he went on to win millions on casino betting before turning his attention to horses. He now employs a full staff to compare odds and find him the best bets, putting around $1 billion a year on races around the world.

Kerry Packer – Staying Down Under, the late Kerry Packer was the media-mogul who was a thorn in Rupert Murdoch’s side – and a prolific gambler. This was the man who would happily walk into casinos and wager millions, supposedly losing $28 million in three weeks of gambling while in London. Another time he lost $15 million on the roulette tables, the staff saying he walked out with "no regrets". However, on his better days he has won up to $7 million in one casino betting session. There’s even a legend that Packer made a bet of $100 million dollars on the toss of a coin, but his opponent backed down.

Akio Kashiwagi – Known as ‘The Warrior’, this Japanese businessman became a casino legend before meeting a violent end. A master of baccarat, he regularly wagered $200,000 a time in US casinos, once winning $6 million in one night. However, he wasn’t always so lucky; he died in 1992 after being stabbed 150 times with a samurai sword while still owing casinos millions.

Archie Karas - Perhaps the most extraordinary of recent legendary streaks is possessed by Mr. Archie Karas, a Greek immigrant, who in 1992-1993 had one of the greatest runs in Vegas history. Starting with a borrowed stake of ten thousand dollars, Archie went on a rampage of poker at Binion's Horseshoe, defeating 15 of the world's greatest poker players in head-to-head competition, including World Champions Chip Reese, Stu Unger, Puggy Pearson, and Johnny Chan. When he ran out of poker competitors, Archie headed to the Horseshoe's craps tables where he won millions more. At one point in his run, Archie possessed all of the Horseshoe's $5,000 chips -- over 11 million dollars worth. When the run was over, Archie was up over 17 million dollars between poker and craps, all at the Horseshoe.

Betfred vs Betvictor – The names behind two of the biggest high street bookies were involved in what may have been the biggest sports betting wager in British history. Fred Done of Betfred fame and Victor Chandler of Betvictor bet on the outcome of the Premier League in 2005. Fred and Victor supported Manchester United and Chelsea respectively, so they wagered £1 million, as you do. It was Chelsea who came out on top and Done paid up in one of the best bets we’ve seen; what could be better than two sports betting giants walking it like they talk it?

Steve Whitely – Arriving by bus with a free ticket to watch racing at Exeter, 61-year-old heating engineer Steve Whitely turned a couple of quid into millions back in March last year. He didn’t bother to compare odds or make an effort to find the best bets, he just used his two pounds to make a Tote bet. A few hours later and he was minted after winning the jackpot when he correctly predicted all six of the winners. So, what is Steve’s sage advice to budding punters who want to win millions? “I like racing, yeah, but I don’t know nothing about it, do I?” Cheers Steve.

David Walsh - Not a great deal is know about this Tasmanian - Australian, but he founded MONA - (Museum of Old and New Art). Australian press has described him in a few colourful ways, such as - "multi-millionaire professional gambler and one of the nation's leading art collectors - dismisses himself as "just a privileged guy with a megaphone". He might be right. But the world is about to discover just how wonderful, disturbing, beautiful and occasionally challenging that megaphone is". In the second year of his science degree at the University of Tasmania, he was asked by friends to develop a model that would enable them to win at blackjack in the nearby Wrest Point Casino. When he discovered that the scope for winning at card games was limited he dropped out of his degree and, for most of the ’80s and early ’90s, spent 100 or more hours per week developing a mathematical model that would enable him and his partners to win at other forms of gambling, especially horseracing. This he now pursues on a large scale in a number of countries. There is a network of people involved in Walsh’s outfit, most notably his business partner of 30 years, Zeljko Ranogajec. Walsh met Ranogajec at university where the latter studied law and economics before he too dropped out to pursue a career in gambling. Walsh describes Ranogajec as a “relentless motivator and a loyal friend” who, despite not sharing his interest in art, has provided financial support for his collecting mania “whenever my cashflow dried to a trickle”. As Walsh inelegantly puts it: "I am throwing the shit, he is happy to be the fan. And he doesn’t even like the shit."

Other names whose win/loss positions move in the multiple millions in a single night include Malaysian tycoons Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay and Quek Leng Chan, Indonesia’s Putera Sampoerna, and Hustler founder Larry Flynt.

Website Network

Media Man Int

Media Man

Media Man News

Media Man Entertainment

Casino News Media

Global Gaming Directory

Australian Sports Entertainment

Casinos Of The World: Land Based And Online; Media Man And Casino News Media Awards, by Greg Tingle

Sin City Cleopatra Rambo The Godfather Sinatra The Terminator Thor Saturday Night Fever Unicorn Legend Palladium Slot

World Directory Global Gaming Directory World Casino Directory

Punters, here's 10 of the world's top land based casinos for you to mark down in your travel plans.

Monte Carlo, Monaco: Perched above the Mediterranean and bounded by the French
and Italian coastlines on either side, Monaco provides a spectacular and luxurious setting for the wealthy and the wannabees. Home to the Monaco Grand Prix and the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo, this isn't the place for those on a tight budget. The magnificent Casino hosts the annual European Poker Tour and was also the scene of several James Bond Films, including the original "Casino Royale" and "Golden Eye".

Paradise Island, Bahamas: Located just off the shore of the city of Nassau, Paradise
Island is best known for its sprawling 'Vegas-by-the-sea' resort, Atlantis. The resort spans seven acres along a lagoon, where guests can soak up the Caribbean sun and choose from a variety of outdoor gaming areas. When in need of a break from the tables, guests can enjoy the private beach or one of the resorts 20 sunlit pools.

Melbourne, Australia: As Australia's sporting and entertainment capital, Melbourne
offers the perfect option for high rollers looking for a local break. Aussies need look no further than Crown Casino on the southern bank of the Yarra River, which is one of the largest casino complexes in the southern hemisphere. The main gambling floor stretches more than half a kilometre and the casino was the first to introduce the new game Rapid Roulette, which allows players to place bets on a personal electronic touch screen connected to a central roulette wheel.

Macau, China: Known as the 'Monte Carlo of the Orient,' and the gambling capital of Asia, Macau now rivals Monaco and Las Vegas as one of the premier gambling destinations in the world. With no less than 33 casinos, in addition to local horse and greyhound racing venues, Macau is perfect for the betting junkie. The Wynn Macau casino is a standout, highlighted by 24-carat gold 'Tree of Prosperity' at the entrance, extravagant water displays and Moon Jellyfish Aquarium at reception.

Baden-Baden, Germany: Situated on the western foothills of the Black Forest and on the banks of the Oos River, Baden-Baden is not your typical casino town. However, in addition to its hot springs and picturesque countryside, the town is also known for its 200-year-old 'Spielbank' casino - the oldest of its type in Germany. With French chateau-style salons rooms named after historical figures such as Madame Pompadour and Louis XV's mistress, the quirky casino provides visitors with a very unique gaming experience.

Las Vegas, United States: With over 1700 licensed casinos in operation, Las Vegas offers the ultimate package for travellers who fancy a flutter. A visit to the famous 'Strip' is a must for any player, whether they're looking for a spin on the roulette table or a game of blackjack - this city has it all. The iconic Caesar's Palace hotel and casino offers 129,000 square feet of casino space plus an endless smorgasbord of entertainment, shopping and fine dining options, including Cleopatra's barge, a floating lounge perfect for a relaxing drink after a jam-packed night on the casino floor.

Manila, The Philippines: With a favourable exchange rate, Manila provides great value for Aussies wanting to live the high-life overseas. The city offers a range of shopping and entertainment options, along with a world-class casino at the Hyatt Hotel. Spread across three levels, the sparkling casino offers the newest in gaming facilities for both hotel guests and visitors, and is just a short distance from Manila's tourist hub.

Sun City, South Africa: Known as 'Africa's Kingdom of Pleasure,' this luxury resort and casino complex, just two hours from Johannesburg, boasts two large casinos, two 18-hole golf courses and a wildlife reserve. At the extravagant yet picturesque Palace of the Lost City, guests are treated to stunning valley views from the guestrooms, along with exclusive access to the Grand Pool. The nearby Sun City Casino is the entertainment Mecca of the resort, featuring a myriad of gaming options as well as an indoor jungle of native foliage and water fountains.

Atlantic City, United States: Regarded as the US's 'Las Vegas of the East', Atlantic City in New Jersey is renowned for its gambling, shopping and fine dining. Towering above the banks of the Atlantic Ocean, the Trump Taj Mahal casino is an icon of the city, with an on-site shopping district and an abundance of restaurants and bars. The 157,000 square-foot casino is also hard to miss, with 3,500 slot machines and 200 table games. Unveiled in 1990 by a number of celebrities, including the late Michael Jackson, the casino is the second-largest in Atlantic City and well worth a visit.

Genting Highlands, Malaysia: Nestled on the Titiwangsa mountain range, just an hour's drive from Kuala Lumpur and 6,000 feet above sea level, the Resorts World Genting offers 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside. This spectacular resort has first-class accommodation, dining and entertainment, while avoiding the hustle and bustle of a capital city. The on-site casino, which covers 200,000 square feet, is Malaysia's sole gaming venue and is divided into separate themed areas, such as Hollywood and Monte Carlo, for the ultimate gambling experience.

Online Casinos:

PartyCasino.com : The world's leading online casino brand and part of Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment. Play for free or play for money at PartyCasino.com New players get up to $3000 sign up bonus via Media Man.

VirginCasino.com : Virgin Casino is part of Virgin Games. The parent company is Virgin Enterprises Limited, the creation of the world's most famous and celebrated entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson. Unfortunately the casino does not accept players from many countries due to what is known in legal circles as "grey areas". Most European players can play, but no Americans, Canadians, Australians or New Zealanders.

Captain Cooks Casino : Was once a very popular online casino with Australians and New Zealanders, however we understand these days they can only accept players from a few regions such as Europe, South Africa, Canada and South America.

PKR : Once only a 2D online poker room, they are now more 3D and offer online poker and a good range of online casino games, including classics, Marvel slots and table games.

Media Man's top online casino choice: PartyCasino.com PartyCasino is a multi-time Media Man 'Online Casino Of The Month' winner and have also won awards from EGR. Earlier this year PartyGaming merged with Bwin to create the worlds leading igaming company, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment.

News

PartyCasino Gets New Games...

Aztec Gold, Atomic Fruit, Nag's To Riches and Fairies Forest. Check out the new games here.

Website Network

Media Man Int

Media Man

Media Man News

Media Man Entertainment

Global Gaming Directory

Casino News Media

Poker News Media

Media Man Games

Blog: Caesars the Latest to be Awarded Mass Sports Betting License

Caesars the Latest to be Awarded Mass Sports Betting License

State regulators in Massachusetts approved Caesars to operate a sports betting website in the commonwealth.  They become the third casino company granted a license after Wynn and MGM.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted unanimously to allow Caesars following a grueling review of MGM Springfield's tie-in with a third party vendor that runs its mobile site BetMGM.  Commissioners delayed a decision on the sports betting license application from Plainridge Park Casino due to concerns over ties with Barstool Sports and its controversial founder, Dave Portnoy.

BetMGM was approved for a license one day prior to acknowledging a breach of customer accounts occurring some time in May of this year.  BetMGM parent company, Entain, had been handed down a record fine by UK regulators for failure to implement money laundering safeguards over the summer. 

Caesars already has a foothold in a number of U.S. states including Louisiana.  We had an opportunity this past week to visit their sprawling sportsbook in Harrah's New Orleans.

Caesars Louisiana sportsbooks are making a name for themselves for their willingness to accept huge million dollar bets from Houston area furniture mogul Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale.

Blog: Casino bosses, directors brace for another tough year

Casino bosses, directors brace for another tough year

From punitive pokie taxes to new regulatory actions and the high cost of reform, casinos are not the lucrative businesses (or easy directorships) they once were.

As 2022 drew to a close, staff (and shareholders) of Star Entertainment were probably breathing a sigh of relief that their annus horribilis, with its damning regulatory inquiries, cancelled casino licences and more than a dozen senior departures, was nearly over.

But Australian Securities and Investments Commission chairman Joe Longo and NSW Treasurer Matt Kean still had two Christmas surprises in store.

First, on the evening of December 12, Longo lodged a landmark Federal Court civil action alleging that 11 Star directors and executives had failed to exercise due care and diligence when making a slew of decisions related to anti-money laundering measures and high roller junkets at the casino.

Five days later, Kean announced a new pokie tax that will cost Star and rival Crown Resorts about $120 million annually. It triggered a near-instant 18 per cent drop in the former’s share price, feeding into a 44 per cent drop for the year.

It sets the scene for a 2023 that could be as grim for the casino industry as the three scandal-ridden years preceding it, with questions over the appeal of governance roles, given directors’ responsibilities will become more onerous, the viability of casinos’ reform agendas, and just how profitable they can be.

From a governance perspective, gambling company boards, along with the rest of Australia’s director class, are facing an uncertain future. ASIC clearly has higher standards of them now.

The upshot will be more work, increased accountability and higher expectations with what they do with their 10 days of board meetings a year.

“The signal [from ASIC] is pretty clear – if you want to be on the board of a large gambling concern, then you need to be around all the regulatory concerns of the industry, which are many and varied,” Monash University gambling regulation expert Dr Charles Livingstone says.

“You can’t just sit there and have lunch once a month and rake in the big dollars any more – you need to be more curious now and make sure you show that you’re doing that. You can’t just say ‘well they [management] didn’t tell us’, you have to make them tell you.”

This means proactively ensuring the casinos’ anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing policies are up to scratch, he says, and that board members are updated on this monthly. It includes ensuring companies investigate and report potentially problematic sources of patrons’ funds.

On the responsible gambling front, he says directors need to demand updates on what hours people are gambling and what actions casinos take against any potential problem gamblers.

While this would take a lot more work from directors and staff, it is not impossible, Livingstone says.

“It’s not unenforceable, but it becomes a much less profitable business if you do it properly, and that’s the issue.”

It was previously “very easy to cut corners at every level” from problem gamblers on pokies to high rollers bringing in bags of cash, he says, and cutting out these customers would lead to “really significant losses”.

The cost of developing and maintaining compliance measures is also steep. Crown reportedly spent about $150 million on outsourcing such work to lawyers and consultants in 2021-22, and Star predicted its remediation costs this financial year will range from $35 million to $45 million. Crown has also been hit with hundreds of millions of dollars in fines, and Star is facing similar penalties.

“But that just means you’re going to be looking at a business that’s getting more like normal levels of profit and return, whereas before they were recording these extraordinary returns on their investment. It will be more like a retail business than a licence to print money,” Livingstone says.

It also means the director class, famous for juggling several board gigs at once, and the generous payments that come with them, may consider giving up their other governance roles if they want to preside over casinos.

Star chairman Ben Heap, one of the directors sued by ASIC, currently holds two other directorships, for example. New director Anne Ward is also chairwoman of two other listed outfits, director David Foster is on the boards of four companies in addition to Star, and incoming director Toni Thornton holds four other directorships.

“But now you’ve got to be so on the ball that you probably wouldn’t be on many other directorships,” Livingstone says.

“There’s a lot more work in [casino director roles] now, and a lot more responsibility than they’ve accepted in the past because the potential for this to get on the wrong side of the law is massive.”

Morningstar analyst Angus Hewitt says it will be up to directors to decide on their workload, but they will need to be able to answer the question: Do I have a good understanding of what’s happening at this company?

“And if not, then, you know, there’s a problem,” he says.

The ASIC action means all directors, not just those at Star, will have to ask themselves this question.

“Will that require more meetings or will that require directors with fewer directorships? I don’t know. Presumably, that’s up to those people to decide. There’s a certain amount of work to be done in this job. And it is a job. And how many other directorships can you hold to be able to do that appropriately?” Hewitt says.

“I think with what’s been happening with ASIC they’ll all be having those thoughts.”

A spokesman for Star said the company’s directors were “highly experienced and appropriately skilled”. He said they were committed to restoring Star’s suitability to hold casino licences through a “comprehensive remediation plan … for enhancing our governance, culture and controls”.

Listed v unlisted

Of course, Star could go down the path that Crown did and turn to private equity, which would give Star’s directors a hefty payday and exempt them from the stringent listing rules and governance principles set by the Australian Securities Exchange.

But Star is not like Crown Resorts, which was bought out by US private equity firm Blackstone for $8.9 billion this year.

The first major difference is Crown had a private equity target on its back because the company knew major shareholder James Packer had to sell down his shareholding to show governments and regulators it was serious about change.

Second, Star’s assets are attractive but not valued as highly as Crown’s.

But Hewitt says Star, which is likely to keep its casino licences in NSW and Queensland, is still very cheap for what it is: effectively a money printing machine.

“As long as it has those licences, Star’s properties are cash-generating machines. This all provides an interesting opportunity for an investor – whether that investor is mum buying a handful of shares or whether it’s a PE firm buying the whole thing.”

A rocky year ahead

Whether listed or not, however, Australia’s casinos are in for another wild ride in 2023.

The NSW gambling regulator extended the reign of Nick Weeks, the special manager appointed to Star’s flagship casino in Sydney, until 2024 from an initial 90 days. Queensland authorities have also installed a manager to oversee Star’s Brisbane and Gold coast operations, reporting to Weeks.

Gambling regulators already have imposed more than $100 million in fines on Crown in Victoria and $200 million on Star in NSW and Queensland. That’s in addition to potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in fines for money laundering that AUSTRAC is seeking in separate Federal Court cases against both Crown and Star.

There’s the ASIC case against the Star directors, as well as continuing class actions from investors burned by the two companies’ tumbling share prices during media coverage of their misconduct.

The NSW tax reforms will also be costly. Star CEO Robbie Cooke has pushed back on the taxes, saying Star is “not sure how the government modelled its financials nor the basis for suggesting the Star does not pay its fair share of taxes”, and requesting urgent meetings with the government.

But as The Australian Financial Review’s Chanticleer column noted, Star has lost its social licence and should not expect much sympathy from politicians or voters.

The upshot of this is it’s going to be a tough year for those overseeing Australia’s biggest casinos.

Says Livingstone: “It doesn’t sound like a job I’d want, it sounds like a nightmare.”

(AFR)

PartyCasino, Virgin Casino and PKR Casino Profiles and Promotions Updated

Profiles

PartyCasino.com Virgin Casino PKR Casino Jackpot Party Casino Casinos Slots World Casino Directory

Bally and Aristocrat in strategic partnership - 7th March 2012

Profiles

Gaming Casinos Bally Technologies Artistocrat Technologies iGaming Nevada

Land-based and online casino games and solutions supplier Bally Technologies Incorporated has announced a strategic alliance with Aristocrat Technologies Incorporated aimed at taking advantage of any legalisation of iGaming in the United States.

Aristocrat Technologies is the American subsidiary of Australian land-based and online casino systems supplier Aristocrat Leisure Limited and the partnership will see it link with Bally to offer US operators the same third-party poker network as part of a combined business-to-business Internet gaming solution.

Bally stated that the new strategic alliance will see the pair secure arrangements with ‘leading poker providers’ who will then be integrated into their iGaming platforms with ‘advanced discussions’ currently underway.

In addition, in anticipation of further legalisation of internet gaming in the United States, the pair also plans to share the development of online slot content with free-play titles initially due to be made available before eventually changing to for-money play.

“By teaming up, Bally and Aristocrat can source and integrate with the strongest online poker product specifically tailored for this market, which can help our customers maintain their leadership position in both land-based and online gaming,” said Richard Haddrill, Chief Executive Officer for Bally.

Working together, the companies declared that they will be better able to ‘more quickly and effectively offer attractive and credible online poker games that will provide stronger player experiences and functionality and greater poker liquidity for both Bally and Aristocrat’s casino operator customers’.

“Access to the proven slot content from both Bally and Aristocrat will allow gaming operators to create a compelling experience as legalised online gaming emerges in the United States,” said Jamie Odell, Chief Executive Officer for Aristocrat Technologies.

Bally and Aristocrat Technologies revealed that they have already applied to the Nevada Gaming Control Board for the required extension to their existing Nevada licences to act as interactive gaming suppliers.

Website Network

Media Man Int

Media Man

Media Man News

Media Man Entertainment

Casino News Media

Global Gaming Directory

Blog: Musk says Twitter in precarious position, defends cost cuts

Musk says Twitter in precarious position, defends cost cuts

Profiles

Social Digital Network Media Media Man

Elon Musk is defending his massive cost-cutting at Twitter as necessary for the social media platform to survive next year, due in part to debt payments tied to his $44 billion takeover of the company.

“This company is like, basically, you’re in a plane that is headed towards the ground at high speed with the engines on fire and the controls don’t work,” Musk told a late-night audience on a Twitter Spaces call Tuesday.

That’s after Elon Musk said earlier on Tuesday that he plans on remaining as Twitter’s CEO until he can find someone willing to replace him in the job.

Musk’s announcement came after millions of Twitter users asked him to step down in an online poll the billionaire himself created and promised to abide by.

“I will resign as CEO as soon as I find someone foolish enough to take the job!” Musk tweeted. “After that, I will just run the software & servers teams.”

Since taking over the San Francisco social media platform in late October, Musk’s run as CEO has been marked by quickly issued rules and policies that have often been withdrawn or changed soon after being made public.

Musk said Tuesday night that he “spent the last five weeks cutting costs like crazy” and trying to build a stronger paid subscription service because otherwise Twitter might be operating with $3 billion in negative cash flow next year. He in part blamed the $12.5 billion in debt tied to his April agreement to buy the company, as well as the Federal Reserve’s recent interest rate hikes.

Some of Musk’s actions have unnerved Twitter advertisers and turned off users. He has laid off more than half of Twitter’s workforce, released contract content moderators and disbanded a council of trust and safety advisors that the company formed in 2016 to address hate speech and other problems on the platform.

The Tesla CEO has also alienated investors at his electric vehicle company over concerns that Twitter is taking too much of his attention, and possibly offending loyal customers.

Even more unnerving for investors, Tesla shares are plummeting.

Shares of Tesla are down 35% since Musk took over Twitter on Oct. 27, costing investors billions. Tesla’s market value was over $1.1 trillion on April 1, the last trading day before Musk disclosed he was buying up Twitter shares. The company has since lost 58% of its value, at a time when rival auto makers are cutting in on Tesla’s dominant share of electric vehicle sales.

Shares fell Wednesday, as they have every day this week.

A single share of Tesla that cost about $400 to start the year, can now be had for less than $140.

Musk sought to defend some of his recent Twitter decisions on the Twitter Spaces call.

“They may seem sometimes spurious or odd or whatever,” Musk said. “It’s because we have an emergency fire drill on our hands. That’s the reason. Not because I’m naturally capricious. Or at least, aspirationally, I’m not naturally capricious.”

Musk, who also helms the SpaceX rocket company, has previously acknowledged how difficult it will be to find someone to take over as Twitter CEO.

Bantering with Twitter followers earlier this week, he said that the person replacing him “must like pain a lot” to run a company that he said has been “in the fast lane to bankruptcy.”

“No one wants the job who can actually keep Twitter alive. There is no successor,” Musk tweeted.

As things stand, Musk would still retain overwhelming influence over platform as its owner. He fired the company’s board of directors soon after taking control.

World's Biggest Gamblers; History Of Bets At Casinos - Kerry Packer, David Walsh Et Al

Lloyd Williams plays blackjack with the late Kerry Packer at Melbourne's Crown Casino

Profiles

Casinos Casino Gambling Live Dealer Slots Poker Kerry Packer David Walsh Casino Whales Australia Tasmania Media Man

Want to try your luck at a casino? ... Land based or online - there's all sorts of options out that, but first here's some real life stories regarding whales aka VIP high rollers at casinos, the racetrack and elsewhere.

PS: how about those Aussies - they will bet on anything won't they. World's biggest gamblers we heard.

Zeljko Ranogajec – Bookies beware! Allegedly, the world’s biggest gambler is an Australian billionaire of Croatian descent. After studying law in Tasmania, Ranogajec got a job in a casino where he learnt the tricks of the trade. Starting with an initial stake of hundreds, he went on to win millions on casino betting before turning his attention to horses. He now employs a full staff to compare odds and find him the best bets, putting around $1 billion a year on races around the world.

Kerry Packer – Staying Down Under, the late Kerry Packer was the media-mogul who was a thorn in Rupert Murdoch’s side – and a prolific gambler. This was the man who would happily walk into casinos and wager millions, supposedly losing $28 million in three weeks of gambling while in London. Another time he lost $15 million on the roulette tables, the staff saying he walked out with "no regrets". However, on his better days he has won up to $7 million in one casino betting session. There’s even a legend that Packer made a bet of $100 million dollars on the toss of a coin, but his opponent backed down.

Akio Kashiwagi – Known as ‘The Warrior’, this Japanese businessman became a casino legend before meeting a violent end. A master of baccarat, he regularly wagered $200,000 a time in US casinos, once winning $6 million in one night. However, he wasn’t always so lucky; he died in 1992 after being stabbed 150 times with a samurai sword while still owing casinos millions.

Archie Karas - Perhaps the most extraordinary of recent legendary streaks is possessed by Mr. Archie Karas, a Greek immigrant, who in 1992-1993 had one of the greatest runs in Vegas history. Starting with a borrowed stake of ten thousand dollars, Archie went on a rampage of poker at Binion's Horseshoe, defeating 15 of the world's greatest poker players in head-to-head competition, including World Champions Chip Reese, Stu Unger, Puggy Pearson, and Johnny Chan. When he ran out of poker competitors, Archie headed to the Horseshoe's craps tables where he won millions more. At one point in his run, Archie possessed all of the Horseshoe's $5,000 chips -- over 11 million dollars worth. When the run was over, Archie was up over 17 million dollars between poker and craps, all at the Horseshoe.

Betfred vs Betvictor – The names behind two of the biggest high street bookies were involved in what may have been the biggest sports betting wager in British history. Fred Done of Betfred fame and Victor Chandler of Betvictor bet on the outcome of the Premier League in 2005. Fred and Victor supported Manchester United and Chelsea respectively, so they wagered £1 million, as you do. It was Chelsea who came out on top and Done paid up in one of the best bets we’ve seen; what could be better than two sports betting giants walking it like they talk it?

Steve Whitely – Arriving by bus with a free ticket to watch racing at Exeter, 61-year-old heating engineer Steve Whitely turned a couple of quid into millions back in March last year. He didn’t bother to compare odds or make an effort to find the best bets, he just used his two pounds to make a Tote bet. A few hours later and he was minted after winning the jackpot when he correctly predicted all six of the winners. So, what is Steve’s sage advice to budding punters who want to win millions? “I like racing, yeah, but I don’t know nothing about it, do I?” Cheers Steve.

David Walsh - Not a great deal is know about this Tasmanian - Australian, but he founded MONA - (Museum of Old and New Art). Australian press has described him in a few colourful ways, such as - "multi-millionaire professional gambler and one of the nation's leading art collectors - dismisses himself as "just a privileged guy with a megaphone". He might be right. But the world is about to discover just how wonderful, disturbing, beautiful and occasionally challenging that megaphone is". In the second year of his science degree at the University of Tasmania, he was asked by friends to develop a model that would enable them to win at blackjack in the nearby Wrest Point Casino. When he discovered that the scope for winning at card games was limited he dropped out of his degree and, for most of the ’80s and early ’90s, spent 100 or more hours per week developing a mathematical model that would enable him and his partners to win at other forms of gambling, especially horseracing. This he now pursues on a large scale in a number of countries. There is a network of people involved in Walsh’s outfit, most notably his business partner of 30 years, Zeljko Ranogajec. Walsh met Ranogajec at university where the latter studied law and economics before he too dropped out to pursue a career in gambling. Walsh describes Ranogajec as a “relentless motivator and a loyal friend” who, despite not sharing his interest in art, has provided financial support for his collecting mania “whenever my cashflow dried to a trickle”. As Walsh inelegantly puts it: "I am throwing the shit, he is happy to be the fan. And he doesn’t even like the shit."

Other names whose win/loss positions move in the multiple millions in a single night include Malaysian tycoons Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay and Quek Leng Chan, Indonesia’s Putera Sampoerna, and Hustler founder Larry Flynt.

Website Network

Media Man Int

Media Man

Media Man News

Media Man Entertainment

Casino News Media

Global Gaming Directory

Australian Sports Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment To Get More Games Via Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment

Marvel Hero Jackpot Marvel Entertainment bwin.party digital entertainment

PartyCasino.com already offers Thor, The Incredible Hulk, The Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four and hundreds more games, and in the near future PartyCasino.com is tipped to get even more Marvel comics themed slot games. Go for the Marvel Hero Jackpot, Super Hero Jackpot and more. New players get up to $3000 sign up bonus. As Marvel Entertainment legend Stan Lee says, Excelsior!

Websites

PartyCasino.com

PartyCasino.com Marvel Slots

Profiles

Marvel Slots

Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Comics

Stan Lee

bwin.party digital entertainment

PartyCasino.com

Website Network

Media Man Int

Media Man

Marvel Slots Online

Marvel Heroes Casino

Super Heroes Casino

Casino News Media

Global Gaming Directory