Many people find themselves playing at the casino for two main reasons: the possibility of winning the game of chance and the excitement of the game. No matter the outcome, many gamblers leave casinos with a smile on their faces because the bottom line is to have fun. Yes, many people daydream about what it is like to be rich, waking up on their own terms, and doing what they want. Well, this article puts together five people who realized their dreams by winning big in casinos. Like Archie Karas.
Ashley Revell
Bold and daring, Ashley Revell, a 32-year old man from the United Kingdom put up all his possessions for sale to try his luck at gambling. With his cash from the sale, he entered the Plaza Casino, Vegas. The man who wore a rented tuxedo converted his money to chips before placing the whole thing: $135,300 to be precise, on the roulette table. The ball bobbled and danced to land on Red 7, just as he wanted. Walking away with $270,600, Ashley made history that still lingers in the minds of many.
Amy Nishimura
Probably, her winning marked one of the best birthday celebrations ever in history. Amy was a Hawaiian who decided to celebrate her 71st birthday in style by trying her luck at the casino at the Freemont Hotel, Vegas. Little did she know that she would pocket $8.9 million on this special day.
Elmer Sherwin
This must be one of the luckiest people in the world because he escaped the bullets of the World War II and won two big casino slots. At 76, this war veteran saw it appropriate to walk into The Mirage in Vegas where he pocketed a cool $4.6 million Megabucks jackpot on the opening day of the resort. What was even more interesting was the fact that Elmer continued to gamble after the big win. As though he had seen it coming, he won $21 million 16 years down the line. He used some of his cash to support the Hurricane Katrina victims and other charity work.
Cynthia Jay Brennan
Cynthia Jay made headlines when she became the lucky winner of the Megabucks jackpot in Las Vegas in 2000. From a mere cocktail waitress to a $34, 959, 458.56 jackpot winner, she made history for winning the largest jackpot at the time. However, her happiness was short-lived as she was involved in a road accident just nine weeks after the win. The accident left her paralyzed, forcing her to use a wheelchair.
Mike Ashley
A multi-billionaire who also owns the Newcastle United Football Club, Mike Ashley is not new to big money. He won £1.3 million in three hours at a casino in London in 2008. Having chosen 17 as his lucky number, Ashley’s £480,000 multiplied almost three times when the odds hit the number, letting him to collect his winnings before calling it a day. However, a strange thing happened to Mike when he lost £1 million in just two hours. As they say, easy come, easy go.