What would you do if you won the lottery? Or hit a jackpot in a casino? Many people dream of hitting it big, but very few actually achieve that dream.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the biggest wins in casino history – and find out what these lucky individuals did with their newfound wealth.
Archie Karas- $40 million
Born in 1950 in Greece, Archies’s early life was one of poverty and violence. He moved to the United States at the age of 17, where he started working as a waiter in a restaurant close to a pool and bowling alley.
In 1992, he went on the longest winning streak ever recorded. Starting with just $50, he turned it into $40 million over the course of three years.
Unfortunately, Karas’s winning streak didn’t last. He lost it all within a few weeks and went back home to Greece for a short time. Despite his fall from grace, Karas is still considered to be one of the luckiest gamblers of all time.
Anonymous Software Engineer- $38 million
In 2003, a software engineer was playing slots in Las Vegas at the Excalibur casino. After wagering on a Megabucks slot machine, the man won one of the hugest slot winnings in the history of Vegas. He decided to remain anonymous and collect his earnings in a lump sum payment. While the odds of hitting the jackpot are slim (1 in 16.7 million), the anonymous software engineer’s story is a reminder that sometimes, even the longest of odds can pay off big time.
Cynthia Jay-Brennan- $35 million
Cynthia Jay-Brennan is a retired cocktail waitress from Sacramento, California. In 2000, she had one of the biggest wins in casino history at the time. She was playing Megabucks, a slot machine with a progressive jackpot. After putting in $100, she hit the jackpot and won $34,959,458.
Unfortunately, Jay-Brennan’s story has a tragic ending. Several months later, she was involved in a car accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. While she may not have been able to enjoy her winnings for long, Cynthia Jay-Brennan will always be remembered as one of the luckiest gamblers in history.
Kerry Packer- $26 million
Kerry Francis Packer was a renown media tycoon who owned one of the biggest gambling companies in Australia. He often wagered large sums of money on horse racing, cricket, and casino games. Packer had suffered many losses over the years, but he always managed to come back.
In 1997 however, he had one of the biggest wins in casino history. He was playing at the MGM Grand when he won over $26 million playing 8 hands of blackjack for 250k per pop.
Packer continued to gamble until his death in 2005. He was one of the most successful and well-known high rollers in the world.
Elmer Sherwin- $25 million
Elmer Sherwin was a World War II veteran and retired businessman. He was also a two-time Megabucks winner. In 1989, at the age of 76, he hit the jackpot for $4.6 million dollars. He decided to take the lump sum payment of $2.2 million.
In 2005, at the age of 92, Sherwin hit the Megabucks jackpot again. This time he won $21 million. He was the oldest person to ever win the Megabucks jackpot. Sherwin donated much of his winnings to charity. He also used some of the money to go on a nice vacation with his family.
Conclusion
These are just some of the biggest casino wins in history. These stories show that it is possible to win big at the casino, and that anyone can have a chance at hitting the jackpot. If you’re feeling lucky, why not try your hand at gambling? You never know, you could be the next big winner.
