If anyone needed an incentive to think they can win big when gambling, they should look no further than those who have racked up the money in the most epic wins in history. And, over the years, quite a few have won life-changing sums of cold, hard cash.
Kerry Packer – £40 million+
So, we’re going to kick off our list with Kerry Packer, who was a billionaire before he got into gambling. So, you could suggest that his wealth enabled him to scoop plenty of monster wins over the years. However, when Packer stepped into the MGM Grand casino one night, he decided to place a wager worth over $250,000. Now, this isn’t something too unusual when you’re dealing with high rollers and celebrities. But, it’s estimated that his total take home as a result of that stake was over $40 million.
Archie Karas – $40 million in 30 months
Now, while some have got lucky on one occasion and managed to bag a big prize, others have racked up the millions over an extended period. And this is precisely what Archie Karas, a Greek immigrant managed to achieve. Karas put his poker skills to the test on many occasions over the course of around thirty months, and in that time, it’s estimated he was approximately $40 million up on when he started. It’s arguably the most incredible poker run in history and one of the biggest wins.
Cynthia Jay – $34.9 million
Many people will likely know the story of Cynthia Jay, but for all the wrong reasons. The cocktail waitress, who worked at the Monte Carlo casino in Las Vegas, often fancied her chances with the slots in the venue rather than the huge range of online slot machines there is to play on the internet. And, on one occasion, her ninth spin paid out to the tune of $34.9 million. Unfortunately for Jay, weeks later, she was involved in a tragic car accident that killed her sister and left Jay fighting for life.
Johanna Heundl – $22.6 million
Many, if not all, big wins where casinos are concerned come down to luck. If your luck is in, it’s just in. And it proved to be the case when Johanna Heundl decided to chance her arm by playing a Megabucks slot machine at Bally’s. Now, the elderly woman will have been hopeful of winning a bit of cash, but from the $170 she played, one spin later, she was up by a stunning $22.6 million. It proved to be enough to provide generational wealth for the Heundl family, and nobody will argue about that.
It’s rare for anyone to win money well into the millions when playing at online casinos, UK mobile casino, and land-based gaming venues, but the list above proves it’s possible. Sometimes you have to chance your arm and aim for the stars. And, if Lady Luck is shining down upon you, you never know; a life-changing prize could come your way.
