Casinos have always been a source of inspiration for dreams of riches and fame. While most players understand that the odds are not always in their favor, every once in a while, luck smiles on someone and they hit it big. Here are the 10 biggest casino wins of all time we know about and the stories behind them. Note that things do change rapidly – this list could already be out of date!

1. Kerry Packer – $33 million – Kerry Packer, an Australian media magnate, was known for his high-stakes gambling and his big wins at the casino. In 1997, Packer hit it big at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, winning a whopping $33 million at the baccarat tables. Packer was so confident in his luck that he even offered to bet the entire casino, but they declined. (Kerry Packer died in 2005 – James Packer owns Crown Casino, Melbourne).

2. Don Johnson – $15.1 million – Don Johnson, a professional gambler, hit it big at the Atlantic City casinos in 2011. Using a blackjack strategy called “card holing,” Johnson was able to win over $15 million in just a few months. Card holing involves taking advantage of tiny variations in the cards to gain an edge, and Johnson’s winnings caused a stir in the gambling world. (Since 2011 many casinos have introduced changes to blackjack games).

3. Elmer Sherwin – $21 million – Elmer Sherwin, a 92-year-old World War II veteran, hit the jackpot twice in his lifetime. In 1989, Sherwin won $4.6 million at the Mirage, and then in 2005, he hit it big again, winning $21 million at the Megabucks slot machine at the Cannery Casino in Las Vegas. Sherwin’s win is considered to be one of the luckiest in casino history. (I wonder how much money he gambled in between the two visits?)

4. Cynthia Jay-Brennan – $34 million – Cynthia Jay-Brennan, a cocktail waitress, hit the jackpot in 2000 at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas. Playing the Megabucks slot machine, Jay-Brennan won a massive $34 million, but her luck quickly turned sour. Just six weeks later, Jay-Brennan was involved in a car accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. (Perhaps this is proof that all the money in the world can’t buy you happiness).

5. Archie Karas – $40 million – Archie Karas, a Greek-American gambler, is considered to be one of the greatest gamblers of all time. In 1992, Karas arrived in Las Vegas with just $50 in his pocket, but over the next three years, he managed to turn that into an incredible $40 million. Karas won big at the poker tables and the craps tables, but he eventually lost it all and had to return to his old job as a pool cleaner. (Greed will get you in the end).

6. Antonio Esfandiari – $18 million – Antonio Esfandiari, a professional poker player, won the largest prize in poker history in 2012. Playing in the Big One for One Drop tournament, Esfandiari took home a staggering $18 million, beating out a field of the world’s best poker players. Esfandiari’s win cemented his place in poker history as one of the greatest players of all time.

7. Jamie Gold – $12 million – Jamie Gold, a professional poker player, won the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event, taking home a whopping $12 million. Gold’s win was the largest prize in poker history at the time and made him one of the most recognizable names in the world of poker.

8. John Huston – $1.1 million – John Huston, a professional gambler, won $1.1 million at the Bellagio in Las Vegas in 2005. Huston’s win was notable because he won big playing Let it Ride, a relatively unknown casino game at the time. Huston’s win put Let it Ride on the map and inspired other gamblers to try their luck at the game. (For the record, there’s a high house edge on Let it Ride of 3.51% – so this is not recommended).

9. Andreas Thorson – $11.7 million – Andreas Thorson, a Swedish online gambler, hit the jackpot in 2011 when he won $11.7 million playing Mega Fortune, an online progressive slot machine. Thorson’s win was one of the largest online casino wins in history, and it put Mega Fortune on the map as one of the most popular online slots in the world. (You can still play Mega Fortune slot machines at many of our featured online casinos).

10. William “Bimble” Benter – $100 million – William “Bimble” Benter, a professional gambler, is estimated to have won over $100 million in his career. Benter is known for his success in horse racing, but he also had a successful run at the blackjack tables. Benter’s success is attributed to his mathematical expertise and his ability to count cards.

These are just a few of the biggest casino wins of all time. I know that “Mattress Mack” won $72 million in sports bets back in late 2022 – $30 million of this was from Caesars Palace alone. How much he placed in bets to win this amount is not known (by me) – so it may or may not be a good sized net win.

While these stories may seem rare, they serve as a reminder that anything is possible at the casino. The odds of casino games not always in your favor, and you should always gamble responsibly. You never know what might happen when playing, and you could get very lucky at any time. So, head to one of our featured online casinos and try your luck. You never know, you may end up on this Top 10 winners list!