| |
| |
| |
Famous Real Money Gamblers
Internet gambling is great and it makes it possible for millions of people who have never been inside a casino to try their hand at real money gambling. The Internet also allows gamblers who could never afford a trip to Las Vegas, Atlantic City or the Riviera to play Roulette or Craps for real money, something they may never have done. But there was a time, before the advent of the Internet when gambling consisted of a deck of cards, a pair of dice and nerves of steel. And it was in this era that some great famous gamblers left their mark.
In the past 20 years poker made a remarkable renaissance and started sweeping the world. It continues to this day, mainly in the form of Texas Hold’em, and it too is producing modern day great real money gamblers.
Archie Karas – a Modern Gambling Legend
In a six-month period, Karas parlayed a borrowed stake of $10,000 into $17 million.
Archie Karas, 43, dresses stylishly forgoing loud tracksuits and ostentatious gold-chunk bracelets.
Karas' Gambling Cycle
Karas likes to be referred to as the undisputed champion of gambling. "I've gambled more money than anyone in the history of the planet," he claims. Prior to 1992, Archie's story was similar to other gamblers'. He'd win; he'd lose. One day he'd be driving a Mercedes-Benz, the next he'd be sleeping in it. When he was broke, he'd borrow a grub stake and start over. "I've been a millionaire over 50 times and dead broke more than I can count. Probably 1,000 times in my life," Archie recalls.
As a teenager new to the land of opportunity, Archie learned to play pool and poker for real money. He thought that if he won $10,000, he'd be set forever. That figure was revised upward to $100,000, then $500,000, finally to $1 million. Now he knows he'll never stop. In December 1992, Archie had lost nearly $2 million in high-stakes card games at the casinos in the Los Angeles area. He headed for Las Vegas where a fellow gambler lent him $10,000 to take a shot at a Seven-Card Stud. He promptly won $20,000.
Karas' Gambling Challenges
He moved to another poker game and beat a player out of $1 million. Archie then challenged all comers, defying anyone to beat him at a poker match. He was challenged by the then best player in the world and went on to beat him out of $2,022,000. Karas "invested" his winnings at the craps tables, betting $100,000 and more on every toss of the cubes. "With each play I was making million-dollar decisions," Archie says.
Armed security guards surrounded the craps table and awestruck onlookers craned to see the chip laden table. Karas rolled to winning sessions of $1.6 million, $900,000, $800,000, $1.3 million and $4 million. He moved back to the poker table and won $7 million.
Karas has a standing offer: he'll play anyone for any amountof money, preferably for $500,000 or more. "Money means nothing to me. I don't value it," Karas explains. "I've had all the material things I could ever want. The things I want money can't buy: health, freedom, love, happiness."
A Real Gambling Legend
In two months, Karas may be broke again. He may be sleeping in his car, scrounging to buy into a high-stakes poker game. He may be just another broken real money gambler. But he'll always know that for several glorious, odds-defying months, he made the Vegas myth come true - to the tune of $17 million.
|
|
|
|
|
