For common people, gambling can be risky and often doesnt result in any financial gain. In fact, most gamblers lose money instead of making any. However, some understand the dangers but know how to navigate through them. They ended up becoming the richest gamblers in the world.

1. Bill Benter $1 Billion

Bill Benter is the most successful gambler still alive today. By playing blackjack and betting on horse racing, he accomplished a feat not many players have done, become a billionaire.

He couldnt have done it without his vast knowledge of mathematics. Bill studied physics and decided to use his ability at blackjack tables. He was banned in Las Vegas due to his success on the casino tables.

Benter moved to Hong Kong and crafted a formula for guessing the results of horse races with fellow mathematician Alan Woods. This was how he earned a net worth of $1 billion.

2. Edward Thorp $800 Million

The Father of Card Counting, Edward Thorp, built his wealth with blackjack and baccarat. Hes also a mathematician known for co-inventing the first wearable computer with Claude Shannon in 1961.

Before his gambling success, he worked as a math professor at various universities. The math genius wrote his world-famous book, Beat the Dealer, in 1962.

After years of dominating casinos, he went to Wall Street and used his skills to predict market movements. With this, he added stocks to his multiple income sources, amounting to a net worth of $800 million.

3. Zeljko Ranogajec $439 Million

Zeljko Ranogajec is known in the gambling world as The Joker. He is notorious for profiting massively from different games, including sports betting, horse racing, blackjack, and keno.

He mastered banking, finance, and tax legislation as a skilled mathematician. While employed at a casino, Ranogajec trained himself how to count cards at the blackjack table.

The man mastered it so well that he got banned from all casinos in Australia and Las Vegas. He holds the record for the biggest win in keno, with $7.5 million. Now, his wealth is at $449 million.

4. Billy Walters $200 Million

Sports betting may be one of the most unpredictable games to play, but its what made Billy Walters a millionaire. He is considered a high roller, betting as big as $3.5 million.

Billy is a legend in the Las Vegas sports betting scene with his winning streak of more than 30 years. Before this, he made a reasonable income as a car salesman.

In the late 1980s, he joined the Computer Group, which used computer analysis to assess sporting events. Though he is currently retired, his wealth remains at the top with over $200 million.

5. Dan Bilzerian $200 Million

Dan Bilzerian may be one of the most controversial poker players today, but he is undoubtedly one of the richest. He also earns from his businesses and social media.

Apart from gambling and entrepreneurship, Bilzerian has a massive trust fund. Its all thanks to his father, who used to work as a Wall Street business raider.

In 2008, he joined the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, but he never made it to the finals. Dan may not be the best poker player, but he is arguably the richest, with a fortune of $200 million.

6. Phil Ivey $125 Million

When talking about the best poker players in the world, Phil Ivey is always in the discussion. He has clinched one World Poker Tour title and ten WSOP bracelets.

As a teenager, he was nicknamed No Home Jerome because he faked IDs to play poker. When he turned pro, he was given more names, including The Tiger Wood of Poker and The Phenom.

He became one of the youngest members of the Poker Hall of Fame. His live tournament wins are expected to be about $32.5 million, and its a big factor in his $125 million wealth.

7. Sam Farha $100 Million

Ihsan Sam Farha is a professional poker player who is primarily known for his ability in high-stakes Omaha cash games. There are three WSOP bracelets under his name.

He has played many games in his career, but he is perhaps most remembered for his 2003 match against Chris Moneymaker, who delivered what fans called the bluff of the century.

Farha lost, but his career didnt end there. He continued to profit big at games. He also worked on a couple of books. With this, he earned a net worth of $100 million.

8. Chris Ferguson $80 Million

Though he has won six WSOP events, Christopher Ferguson doesnt have a good record in poker. Thats because he was involved in the notorious Full Tint Poker $400 million scheme.

Chris began playing poker at the age of ten and continued to improve his abilities in college as he studied computer science. There, Ferguson played IRC poker.

He became a renowned player, but he ruined his reputation with his malicious acts. His case has been dismissed, and he agreed to pay back a portion of the money he swindled. He was left with a fortune of $80 million.

9. Doyle Brunson $75 Million

Doyle Brunson is an idol of many poker players today. During his 50-year career, he won ten WSOP bracelets. He was the first player to win both the World Poker Tour and the WSOP Main Event.

He was among the first competitors to enter the WSOP and the first to win a million dollars in an event. This is why he is one of the most iconic people to enter the Poker Hall of Fame.

Furthermore, Brunson is the author of the iconic poker strategy book Super System. This has aided him in becoming one of the richest gamblers, with a net worth of $75 million.

10. Howard Lederer $60 Million

Last on the list is another poker millionaire, Howard Lederer. He plays professionally and has garnered two WSOP bracelets and two World Poker Tour championships.

Lederer began playing chess as a youth and eventually dropped out of university to pursue a full-time career in poker. He also co-founded Tiltware, Inc., the firm responsible for Full Tint Poker.

In addition, Lederer appeared on Poker After Dark a dozen times and delivered commentary for various tournaments. Currently, Howard has a net worth of $60 million.

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Top 10 Richest Gamblers in the World - Techie + Gamers