If you’ve ever wondered roughly how much money some of the world’s richest live gamblers have made throughout their ‘careers’ as ‘professional gamblers,’ you’ve come to the right place.
Here are the names of some of the world’s most iconic gamblers and a quick look at the net worth some of these people have amassed over the years.
Their wealth came from either placing countless successful sports bets, playing competitive poker, winning major tournaments, or playing traditional table and card games like poker, craps, baccarat, blackjack, baccarat and slots at land-based and online casinos.
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Who are the world’s richest and most famous gamblers with the biggest net worths?
Although the list changes constantly, a handful of names with the biggest net worth always seem to appear somewhere in the world’s top 10 or 20 richest gamblers.
Here are some of the most successful gamblers of all time. The following list includes each gambler’s name, their net worth, and the form of gambling that made them their money:
- Tony Bloom. Gambling format: Playing poker and placing sports bets. Estimated net worth: Somewhere in the region of $1.7 BILLION
- Bill Benter. Gambling format: betting on the horses and playing blackjack. Estimated net worth: Approximately $100 million per year
- Edward Thorp. Gambling format: Playing blackjack and baccarat. Estimated net worth: $800 million
- Andrew Black. Gambling format: Playing bridge and betting on the horses. Estimated net worth: $670 million
- Zeljko Ranogajec. Gambling format: Sports betting, horses, and playing keno and blackjack. Estimated net worth: AU$600 million
- Billy Walters. Gambling format: Placing sports bets. Estimated net worth: $200 million
- Terry Ramsden. Gambling format: Betting on the horses. Estimated net worth: $200 million
- Phil Ivey. Gambling format: Professional/competitive poker player. Estimated net worth: $100 million
- Chris Ferguson. Gambling format: Professional/competitive poker player. Estimated net worth: $80 million
- Doyle Brunson. Gambling format: Professional/competitive poker player. Estimated net worth: $75 million
Are there any other rich gamblers with high net worth?
Yes. There are many other famous gamblers and poker players who have also amassed a huge net worth.
Some of the richest gamblers around the world that many of you may already be familiar with by now are Howard Lederer (approx. $60 million), Daniel Negreanu ($60 million), Jonathon Duhamel ($32 million), Mikael Mase ($8 million), Patrik Antonius ($4 million), and Haralabos Voulgaris (approx. $500k to $2 million).
Is there any skill involved, or are these gamblers just lucky?
Some people will argue that winning at casino games, sports betting, or professional poker is down to pure luck, but others will argue that a huge element of skill and knowledge is also involved.
When playing slots, for example, it’s usually good old lady luck that can turn you into an instant multi-millionaire from just one paid spin. There is no skill or proven strategy involved.
However, in other games, like blackjack and poker, when certain betting strategies and techniques are applied at the right time, it can help gamblers win.
Also, in poker, even when you have a bad hand, being skilled in the art of bluffing can occasionally see you win huge pots with a rubbish hand against players with much better hands than you.
Therefore, a major part of winning will always be luck, but skills, experience, and knowledge of the games you are playing can make a huge difference in how much you win or lose.
Similarly, in sports betting, people who are more successful in their bets are the ones who research the upcoming sports events before placing a wager and use as many relevant statistics and data to help them place more informed bets that are more likely to return a profit.
Sports bettors who understand what the odds and implied probability rates are trying to tell them can place more winning bets and fewer losing bets. However, don’t forget that anything can happen in sports and that no bets are ever guaranteed to win.
Conclusion
The most important thing to remember about gambling with your hard-earned cash either at a land-based or online casino is that you are subject to losses, and there’s a great deal of risk involved.
In other words, never borrow money to gamble or gamble with money you can’t afford to lose. Don’t ever treat gambling as a job; instead, think of it more as a fun way to pass the time, and never gamble out of necessity or while under the influence.
Finally, to ensure you gamble responsibly and always have fun at licensed and regulated iGaming sites when playing from your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer, always remember to use the ‘safer gambling tools.’