Who hasn’t dreamt of winning millions of dollars at an online casino? Maybe you’ve always wanted to try your luck but never got around to it. Perhaps you’re already playing and want to learn more about some of the biggest winners in online casino history.
It’s no secret that online casino gambling has become a big business in recent years, especially since online casinos have reached the tipping point where they now outnumber land-based casinos by about two to one. The industry’s growth, as seen on casinotopsonline.com, resulted in larger and larger jackpots to play for and more and more players participating in them.
Casinos have been around for almost as long as games have been. Over the past couple of decades, things have changed from the days of Las Vegas and Atlantic City to the convenience of playing at home in your pyjamas with an online casino. What hasn’t changed is people’s desire to win big money. Here are some of the biggest wins ever on an online casino table.
First win – $187,500
George Foulds won $187,500 by playing Keno. The Scottish man bought a ticket on a whim while holidaying in New Mexico, and he was so taken aback by his win that he almost fainted. A modest man who didn’t like to talk about his good fortune, Mr Foulds donated some of his winnings to charity. He also gave £10,000 to charities that helped children with autism and cancer when one of his sons fell ill with leukaemia.
Second win – $135,000
Phil Ivey, the Tiger Woods of Poker and winner of more than $18 million in tournament winnings, took down a $1.7 million pot from Hong Kong businessman Cheung Yin Charlie Yang during a high-stakes baccarat game at Crockfords Club, London, the UK, on February. 11, 2012. Ivey won his first Royal Flush, worth four figures rather than tens of thousands or millions of dollars.
Third win – $104,500
They call it Black Friday, and on October 13, 2013, Jerry Wong turned that bad name into a positive. Late at night, Wong logged into his account and began betting $100 hands of 3-Card Poker. Soon after he clicked the deal, his phone started ringing. Who would be calling him so late? He didn’t even bother looking at it. At around 1:30 AM, casino security entered his room to inform him he had hit one of their top jackpots– $104,500!
Fourth win – $90,250
A Russian roulette player named Ilja Zaragatski won $90,250 playing at Golden Palace online casino. This record was set on March 31, 2000. The same day, he lost over $15,000 in another game at Golden Palace: Blackjack. His total earnings that day were over $100,000 – his second-highest winnings ever. Zaragatski is still actively playing; as of 2015, he has over $20 million in lifetime winnings and continues to play at Golden Palace and competitor casinos.
Fifth win – $85,000
A pair of Australian grandmothers took home $85,000 by playing online slots. Vera Simpson and Mavis Wilkins were reportedly sharing a plate of cheese and crackers when they heard they’d won such a huge sum of money. The two women played for six hours on a Burning Reels Extreme Heat machine before landing five reels at once, winning them A$87,900—more than $58,000. They shared their winnings with other players who had been betting alongside them.
Final Thoughts
When someone initially starts gambling, they frequently have grandiose thoughts like entering a casino, placing one bet, and instantly winning a million dollars. Of course, we may dream all we want, but the reality is that winning a large sum of money when playing casino games is more of an anomaly than a rule.
The idea that the house always has gaming advantages is widely held. Rarely can a stranger come into a casino and give the house a real run for its money. This article explores some of the biggest wins in the history of online casino gaming. This list has some powerhouses, particularly for online casinos.