Lost Everything Roulette
- Maybe you guys were right that I don't know how to use basic strategy. I didn't want to post this, but I guess it's funny to other people.
- Betting machines: How one man lost everything, £1,000 at a time. This article is more than 5 years old. (FOBTs), which allow £100 to be laid on roulette wheels every 20 seconds, in every.
- Description You begin roulette bonus senza deposito game with a stake of one unit you will decide roulette money value of the unit until you win for lose first time. If three bets are lost, you will have to win three times before the progression is finished.
- Directed by Albert Brooks. With Albert Brooks, Julie Hagerty, Sylvia Farrel, Tina Kincaid. A husband and wife in their 30s decide to quit their jobs, live as free spirits and cruise America in a Winnebago.
We all know the house has an advantage in roulette over the long term, but there are no laws of physics that say it is impossible to win big in roulette. Isn’t that possibility the reason we all play? The house may have the advantage over the long term, but people do win. Some people win big.
Worst person I saw spent over 30k on table games over 3 days, never left the Casino. Best guy I ever saw would come in every Friday, play 500 dollars (max bet) on black jack. Win 3 times and he walks out with 2k, never in the Casino longer than 15 minutes. Won far more often than he ever lost.
This post is all about the people who have beaten the odds and taken the house for astronomical sums of money. I originally planned to rank these winners in order of the amounts of money they won. However, that soon proved to be a fruitless task as the time value of money, time’s effects on purchasing power and currency conversions make it difficult to accurately rank these winners.
All technicalities aside, there is some degree of relativism when we talk about “big winners.” Does Bill Gates placing a $200,000 bet (equal to about one hour of work for Mr. Gates) mean as much as the guy who sells everything he owns and bets it all on red? In pure money terms, sure. In “holy $%&@ that was a ballsy bet” terms, not so much.
Also, you can bet there are even bigger winners than these that we never hear about. High rollers in Las Vegas tend to guard their privacy so we’ll never know about some of the biggest wins of all time. Also, this post only includes live roulette winners. Online roulette is a private endeavor and so we don’t hear about the big winners at online casinos.
1. Ashley Revell
Total take: $135,500
Method: Wagered life savings on red
One day in 2004, Ashley Revell took his life savings to Las Vegas and wagered everything on a single spin of the wheel. And when I say life savings, I mean everything. He sold his house, his car, favorite watch, old trophies, all of his clothes except for the ones on his back and then added every penny in his bank account to create a gambling fund of $135,000.
With not a single possession except for the clothes on his back, Ashley Revell flew to Las Vegas and bet everything on red. Sky One (a UK TV channel) heard about his crazy plan and made a mini TV series out of the event.
On the big day, Revell threw down a $135,500 wager on red in front of an audience of millions. The roulette ball began making smooth trips around the wheel and then began to slow. The orbit wobbled, the ball clanged down into the bottom of the wheel, took a few bounces and eventually came to rest on red 7. With one spin of the roulette wheel, Ashley Revell had doubled his net worth.
$135,000 probably isn’t even near the top 50 largest roulette bets ever placed in Las Vegas, but it ranks very near the top in terms of pure ballsy-ness. This one bet represented everything Ashley had accumulated over 32 years of life.
Where is he now?
After winning the big bet, Ashley Revell started an online poker site by the name of Poker UTD. The site is still live, but I saw a few rumors on the internet that he was looking to sell the site in 2012. It looks like he might still run that site though, so take that rumor with a big grain of salt.
As of March 2013, he helps people find online casino jobs at igamingrecruitment.com (a WHOIS search on the domain can confirm this). The site is only a few months old, but it looks like Ashley Revell is staying busy and doing well for himself.
2. Charles Wells
Total take: 2 million francs in 1891
Method: Luck
Charles Wells won a million francs at the Monte Carlo in a single night in 1891. He returned later that same year and won another million francs. Unfortunately, his luck came to an end after that.
Charles continued gambling and lost everything. Then, he was arrested for running business scams and sentenced to 8 years in prison. His total take over the long haul was zero, but he did have one beautiful night in which he won a million francs over the course of a few hours.
Most people say he just experienced the lucky streak of a lifetime. Wikipedia even says that at one point during his escapade, he won on 23 out of 30 consecutive spins of the wheel. But keep in mind, this guy was a known scammer who did at least 3 stints in prison. Was it dumb luck or something more? We will never know for sure.
It is tough to quantify a million francs in modern times. Even if you convert francs to dollars and then calculate the effects of inflation, it still doesn’t give us a clear idea of the purchasing power that kind of money had back in the real world back then. The only thing that’s clear is that it was a massive amount of money at the time.
Where is he now?
Underground. It is said he died broke in Paris in 1922.
3. Mike Ashley
Total take: £820,000
Method: A “complete” bet on 17
Mike Ashley is a billionaire businessman and owner of Newcastle United Football Club. News outlets reported in 2008 that he visited a private Mayfair casino and threw down a complex roulette bet worth nearly half a million pounds.
In one spin, he wagered a total of £480,000 on every possible inside wager that includes the number 17. This includes a straight-up bet on 17, all the splits that include the number 17, all the streets, corners and six-line bets. This is called a full complete.
The same news reports also state that he placed wagers on black, odd, the first half, middle column and middle dozen. In the end, he took home roughly £1,300,000 for a net profit of £820,000. It’s not a whole lot of money for a billionaire, but it is impressive that the ball landed exactly where it needed to land to make the bet a perfect winner.
Where is he now?
Mike is still doing whatever it is that billionaire businessmen do. In recent news, he purchased the fashion chain “Republic” and saved 2100 jobs in doing so.
4. Joseph Jagger
Total Take: $375,000 in 1873
Method: Identified biased roulette wheels
Joseph Jagger worked in the cotton mechanics industry and took his experience with machines to the Beaux-Arts casino in Monte Carlo. There, he paid six clerks to secretly note the results of many spins of the roulette wheels there. He found that one of the wheels showed a clear bias which resulted in the numbers 7, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19, 22, 28 and 29 hitting more often than they should have in a truly random wheel.
Joseph Jagger then visited the casino himself, placed his bets accordingly and won the equivalent of $375,000 over the next few days. The casino eventually wised up to his strategy and got rid of the biased wheel. Jagger kept his winnings, retired from his job, invested the money in his own property and never again returned to the casino.
To put that in perspective, $375,000 back then would have a purchasing power of more than $7,000,000 today. The exact numbers are actually different everywhere you look, but $375,000 seems to be the most frequently cited number. Whatever it was, it was a lot of money.
Where is he now?
Joseph Jagger resides at the Bethel Chapel cemetery in Shelf, England.
5. Chris Boyd
Total take: $220,000
Method: Wagered $220,000 on red
Chris Boyd was a 40 year old computer programmer from England who saved $220,000 over a three year period. He took the money to Las Vegas and searched for a casino that would take such a massive bet. Many casinos refused, but he eventually struck a deal with Binion’s Horseshoe Club.
Binion’s had a max bet of $100,000, but they agreed to take his wager this one time. They also covered the 00 slot on their American roulette wheel, which effectively turned it into a European roulette wheel.
Chris bet all $220,000 on red and won the bet. Legend has it that the ball landed on red 7. If you’ve been paying attention, you will have noticed that this is the same exact slot the ball landed on for Ashley Revell.
Where is he now?
I can’t find any recent information on Chris Boyd. It is said that he vowed to never gamble again. Considering that he was a computer programmer and that it only took him 3 years to save an extra $220,000, I would guess that he’s still doing well barring any health issues.
6. Francis Farrugia, Francesco Baioni and Frank Camilleri
Total take: Unknown, millions
Method: Cheating / past posting
Francis Farrugia, Francesco Baioni and Frank Camilleri traveled the world for 20 years ripping off casinos using the age-old trick of distracting croupiers in order to add high value chips to wagers after the ball had come to a rest.
The trio was eventually banned from every major casino in the world but that didn’t stop them. Using fake IDs and disguises, they continued to travel around the world to ply their trade. Major casinos launched investigations and eventually the three-man team was busted.
But the story doesn’t end there for these crooks. The only charges that stuck were related to possessing false identification. Francis Farrugia was eventually sentenced to 9 months in jail, but the sentence was suspended and he was released on supervision. His accomplices also served no time.
News articles are saying these guys were “top hatting” but nowhere does it mention that casino staff were involved (top-hatting is similar to past posting except the croupier purposely helps the cheaters). I think these guys were just traveling past posters.
Where are they now?
The trio has managed to stay out of the news since 2011. It is anyone’s guess as to whether they have retired with their money or are back in the game. The next time you visit a casino, keep your eyes open for a trio of three well-disguised Italians.
7. Spot Reserved for [Your Name Here]
Total take: Undetermined
Method: online casino and good luck
If you’re feeling motivated after reading about these stories of the biggest roulette winners of all time, you’re not alone. Millions of people around the world gamble at online casinos with similar hopes of making it big.
The only thing you need to try your own luck at roulette is an account at an online casino. It is impossible to cheat at online casinos, but think of that as a good thing. It eliminates the possibility of ending up in jail (or worse).
My top pick for roulette fans is Lucky Red Casino. Lucky Red has a long reputation for fair games and lots of bonuses for both new and existing players. They have a no-download option (compatible with Macs) and a downloadable software package that will let you get started today.
Tagged with: roulette
Roulette players who bet and win big are often considered heroes. Those with the biggest wins have etched themselves in the game’s history.
But placing big wagers isn’t always a wise decision. In fact, some roulette legends have become famous for making downright stupid choices.
I’m going to discuss a few notable players who made dumb wagers. I’ll also cover better strategies to use in place of these bad ones.
1 – Ashley Revell
Few great ideas surface after a long night of drinking. Britain’s Ashley Revell is a perfect example of this fact.
Revell and his buddies were talking about roulette at the pub one night. They discussed how crazy it would be to bet everything they owned on a single roulette spin.
Most people forget these types of thoughts when they sober up the next day. But Revell somehow still thought that betting his life savings on roulette was a great idea.
He proposed this plan to his friends and family in 2004. The latter tried convincing him to drop this insane notion but to no avail.
Revell proceeded to sell all of his notable possessions, including a home, car, Rolex, and more. When the fire sale was finished, he’d accumulated $135,300.
He was able to recoup some of the money after signing a sponsorship deal with the English bookmaker Blue Square. He changed his legal name to Ashley “Blue Square” Revell as part of the deal.
Even still, the young Brit was risking a lot of money on a random outcome. Revell never wavered, though, and set off to Las Vegas’ Plaza Hotel to make his bet.
Adding to the drama, Sky One made his story into a mini-series called Double or Nothing. E! also added him to a special called THS Investigates: Vegas Winners & Losers.
With the stage set, Revell was now ready to make his wager. Interestingly enough, he still didn’t know which bet he wanted to place.
Revell finally put $135k worth of chips on red in the red/black wager. The ball came to a rest on red 7, thus giving him a $270k payout.
I needn’t go too far into the specifics of why this was such a dumb bet. First off, he was putting his life savings into a negative-expectation wager.
The casino holds a 5.26% house edge on an American roulette wheel. Revell got very lucky and overcame the odds to win.
Secondly, he concocted this idea with his drinking buddies. The fact that he went through with it afterward is even worse.
Revell at least tried to do something productive with his winnings. He started an online poker room called Poker UTD and website called iGaming Recruitment. Unfortunately for him, neither venture proved a long-term success.
2 – Jake Cody
Jake Cody is a professional poker player from the UK. He’s had a lot of success on the felt, beginning with when he won the 2010 EPT Deauville Main Event along with €857,000.
He’s since gone on to win over $4.5 million in live tournaments. These results are impressive when considering that his poker career began with a meager $10 online deposit.
Cody has become successful by playing up to 12 hours per day, studying strategy, and discussing hands with fellow pros. Therefore, he’s a pretty smart player.
But Cody wasn’t so smart after a victory in the 2018 partypoker UK Championships £2,200 High Roller.
He earned a $60,000 payout for his win. But rather than adding the money to his bankroll, Cody made the crazy decision to bet the entire amount on a single roulette spin. Déjà vu?
This wager is the same type of all-or-nothing bet that Revell made. However, I’ll cut Cody some slack because at least he didn’t put his entire net worth on the table.
The idea came from one of his friends. Word got around the Nottingham’s Dusk Till Dawn casino, where Cody was relishing his poker victory.
He didn’t truly consider putting his tournament prize into play at first. However, he relented after several people asking him about the bet.
The buzz surrounding the wager grew so loud in the room that the casino’s owner, Rob Yong, decided to spin the wheel himself.
Cody bet on black and watched intently as Yong spun the wheel. The ball quickly landed on a black space and doubled Cody’s money.
The entire event was caught on a number of smartphones. It later became a big news story.
Of course, nobody was talking about how dumb it is to bet an entire $60k poker prize on a lone roulette wager. Instead, news outlets celebrated him like a hero.
Hopefully, no one took this event too seriously. Even for a wealthy poker player, betting this much on a roulette spin is nuts.
The good news is that Cody realized it. He said that he normally gambles with an edge, but got caught up in the moment. He also noted that this was a one-off event that won’t happen again.
3 – Charlie Wells
Unlike the other gamblers on this list, Charlie Wells didn’t risk an exorbitant amount of money on one spin. Instead, he made a series of stupid decisions that not only left him broke but also imprisoned.
Wells’ story began in the latter part of the nineteenth century. He was a British conman who used various means to bilk people out of money.
One of his most-notable schemes involved cobbling together £4,000 in investments for a musical jump rope. But rather than work on the proposed invention, he took the money to Monte Carlo for a gambling excursion.
Wells could’ve easily lost the entire amount when considering the house edge. Instead, he went on what may be the luckiest gambling run of all time.
Wells “broke the bank” at several roulette tables. Breaking the bank refers to winning every chip available at a certain table.
By the end of his trip, Wells had accumulated over 1 million francs. He returned to Britain as a very wealthy man.
However, he wasn’t quite satisfied yet. Wells decided to return to Monte Carlo and try his luck again.
The hot streak continued as he netted another 1 million francs. Upon going back to England this time, he was a celebrity.
Wells became the subject of high-profile interviews. He boasted about his infallible roulette strategy and refused to reveal his “secret.”
In reality, there was no secret. Wells was just trying different betting strategies and getting lucky each time.
He proved so by doing the unthinkable and visiting Monte Carlo yet again. This third time would prove fateful as he lost everything that he’d previously won.
Besides losing his fortune, Wells had conned more people with another invention idea before leaving. He was promptly thrown in prison for years upon returning home. Wells proved that it’s best not to push your luck too many times.
What Are More Appropriate Roulette Strategies?
All-or-nothing bets and pushing your luck obviously aren’t great roulette strategies. You’ll instead want to consider the following advice in order to boost your odds.
Flat Betting
You don’t really need a fancy strategy to win in roulette. In fact, you’re better off avoiding all of the gambling systems that create a false sense of reality.
Flat betting is just as good as any specific wagering strategy. It involves placing the same-sized bets in every round. For example, you may place $10 on even-money wagers for each spin.
Rather than putting everything you have into a single bet, like Cody or Revell, you spread your gambling out over the night.
The downside of flat betting is that it’s not as exciting as using a gambling system. You merely place the same wagers every time and let fate do the rest.
Contrast this to the Labouchere, where your bets are governed by a string of numbers. This system adds more depth to the roulette experience.
Weighing the pros and cons, flat gambling is still the way to go if you want more enjoyment out of your funds. It’s not as wild of a strategy as some others use in this game.
Hunt for the Best Roulette Games
Roulette doesn’t allow for much maneuvering regarding strategy. The only thing you can do to lower the house edge is to choose the right games.
Again, the American wheel features a 5.26% house advantage. This is the worst that it gets outside of obscure roulette variations.
The European wheel has a 2.70% house edge. It only has one house-friendly pocket (zero), instead of two like American roulette (zero and double zero).
French roulette is played on a European wheel with the la partage rule. The latter refers to getting half back on even-money bets that lose when the ball lands on zero.
The French version has a 1.35% house edge, which is the best in roulette. However, you’ll have extreme difficulties finding it in land-based casinos.
You may have to head to an online casino to find this game. Realtime Gaming (RTG) casinos are examples of gaming sites where you can enjoy French roulette.
Play Online Roulette and Take Advantage of Bonuses
Almost every online casino features European wheels. As mentioned above, some even offer French roulette.
Internet casinos are great for finding the best roulette games. You won’t have to struggle to enjoy either a 1.35% or 2.70% house edge.
Internet casinos are also nice because they don’t require any travel. Instead, you just pick up your smartphone or sit down to the PC and begin playing.
Finally, online roulette offers deposit bonuses that are, in many cases, better than land-based casino comps. Some of these bonuses are worth hundreds of dollars. You just need to keep an eye on casino promotions to take advantage of these deals.
Conclusion
Lost Everything Roulette Games
As you can see, I don’t personally recommend complicated strategies when playing roulette. Your best chance to win is to simply find good games and cash in on bonuses and VIP rewards.
You might vary your strategy every once in a while for something different. But whatever you do, don’t follow the paths of the gamblers covered above.
Revell is the most-idiotic roulette player of all time. He pawned off everything he owned just for a chance at gambling glory.
The worst aspect is that he risked absolutely everything for a bet that has a 47.37% chance of doubling his money. Thankfully for Revell, the roulette gods shined upon him that day.
Jake Cody pulled the same stunt after winning a poker tournament. Pressured by friends and other casino patrons, Cody caved and placed his entire $60k on black.
At least in this case, he was dealing with the more-favorable European wheel. But he still needed to get somewhat lucky to win.
Charles Wells was a moron in a number of ways. Most glaringly, he thought that he could just continue having seven-figure roulette runs in Monte Carlo.
Not satisfied with his first two wins of 1 million francs, Wells went back one more time and lost everything. His illegal schemes unraveled around the same time, and he spent most of his remaining years in prison.
Lost Everything Roulette Movie
All three of these gamblers pulled off extraordinary feats. However, they should be chastised for their decisions — not celebrated.