Although playing games of chance is certainly not a way to get rich or earn a living, some people manage to get extremely wealthy thanks to their gambling habits. In this GBC Time article, we will take a look at the world’s ten wealthiest gamblers.
Daniel Negreanu – $60 million
One of the most popular and successful poker players of the latest years – Daniel Negreanu – was bound to be on this list. In his career, this Canadian player won six WSOP bracelets and earned $60 million in net worth. 1997, when Negreanu was only 24, he became the youngest person to win the Series of Poker bracelets. Now, poker player actively participates in tournaments and online games. He has also monetized his popularity, becoming an ambassador for famous poker brands and streaming his games on Twitch.
Phil Ivey – $100 million
The other professional poker player on this list is Phil Ivey. At an age of 38, Ivey managed to win 10 WSOP tournaments. Besides, it took him only 14 years to win these bracelets. His net worth is estimated at $100 million, which is impressive for a poker enthusiast.
Dan Bilzerian – $200 million
With his net worth estimated at $200 million, Dan Bilzerian is also among the richest poker players in the world. Some people, however, claim that Bilzerian lies about the origins of his fortune and that the majority of it comes from family money.
The poker player has made most of his money playing high-stake tables, including WSOP events. Now, Bilzerian is a brand ambassador for GGPoker.
Billy Walters – $200 million
This iconic bettor has an estimated fortune of $200 million, though some believe it is even higher – around $500 million. Walters had a 30-year winning streak since 1981 when he quit his car salesman job to pursue sports betting in Las Vegas. The legendary gambler used computer analytics to predict the outcome of various events. Now, Walters is retired and enjoys his massive winnings.
Alan Woods – $500+ million
Woods was known as one of the most successful gamblers in the world before his death in 2008. His net worth was estimated as AUD670 million (more than $500 million).
Alan Woods was a mathematic enthusiast, who studied at the New England University in Australia. He started out with the poker machines but quickly switched to card games. Woods was a bridge dan and player a professional blackjack. Later, he moved to Hong Kong, where the Australian player met Bill Benter. Together, men created horse racing software.
Edward Torp – $800 million
Edward Torp is a mathematician who has made a fortune playing blackjack. Torp has created his own system to overcome the house advantage of the game. Torp uses card counting to create the best outcome for a player. The book Beat the Dealer, which describes this method, is quite popular in the blackjack community.
Torp also utilized his mathematic skills to make money in the stock market.
Bill Benter – $1 billion
With a net worth of $1 billion, Bill Benter is sometimes called the wealthiest gambler in the world. Benter has used his degree in physics and mathematical skills to achieve superb results in gambling. He started his “career” at blackjack tables of Las Vegas but was ultimately banned at casinos in Las Vegas after a seven-year winning streak.
Later, Benter went to Hong Kong and took an interest in horse-race betting. Together with Alan Woods, he crafted an analysis software that allowed him to predict the winners of the race.
Tony Bloom – $1.7 billion
Perhaps, the richest person on this list, Tony Bloom is a poker and betting enthusiast. While Bloom made his fortune running multiple businesses, his gambling skills also played a part. The businessman also invests in reals estate and has created several gambling websites.
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