Top 10 High Rollers

Author: Simon Dexter

If money makes the world go round then high rollers certainly contribute a few revolutions on the casino circuit. Being a high roller may be a pipe dream for most, but for those wealthy or brave enough to put their money where their mouth is, the stakes and rewards can be high.

Playing high stakes poker or blackjack takes good judgement, quick thinking and a steady nerve. Join Littlewoods Casino at the premier end of online casino gambling - as we take a look at some of the most famous high rollers.

Stanford Wong

Stanford Wong is a pseudonym for John Ferguson, author of what many believe to be the definitive book on Blackjack gambling, Professional Blackjack.

If James Brown is the Godfather of Soul, then Stanford Wong is the Godfather of Blackjack. You know you’ve made it in the high roller stakes when you have a gambling phrase coined in your honour. The term ‘wonging’, a method used by Wong in the 1980s, is an advantage technique which involves watching the play of the cards but only wagering your own cash when the count is in your favour.

If you’re in some Vegas casinos you’ll notice that they may have signs above the Blackjack table saying ‘No Mid-Shoe Entry’ – this means players cannot enter the game mid-round – so ‘wonging’ is a no-no!

Mike Aponte

Aponte is a professional blackjack player and a former member of the MIT Blackjack Team.

If you’ve never heard of the MIT Blackjack Team before, they were a group of students who won millions playing Blackjack in casinos around the world by counting cards. Aponte was the self-styled leader.

The MIT story is the focus of a novel and will soon be on the big screens. A Hollywood version of their Blackjack success is being made into a motion picture, called ‘21’ which will be released this year.

As far as professional achievements go, Aponte won the inaugural World Series of Blackjack in 2004, before setting up the Blackjack Institute, which provides instructional products and services on how to win at blackjack.

Anthony Curtis

Curtis’ gambling journey started when he received a book on Blackjack as a present from a family friend.

The rules of the game clicked with him straight away, so as soon as he was 21 he made his way to Vegas with ,600 dollars in his pocket and a dream of winning a massive jackpot.

A couple of early losses and he was down to his last 0 – but then came the spark that led to Curtis becoming the authority on gambling in Las Vegas. His brainstorm was to realise that the free casino coupons given away on street corners and local shops to entice gamblers into a particular casino could make his money go further.

At a low level, Curtis was playing casino games for free, learning the ropes before working his way up to the high-roller big league. A handy tip for anyone planning a trip to the Strip in the near future – get you hands on all the free casino game coupons you can!

Mickey Rosa

Another member of the famous MIT Blackjack Team, Rosa is seen by many as a controversial figure on the World Series of Blackjack circuit.

After dropping out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (hence MIT), Rosa effectively ‘ran’ the team in the 1990s – but with more of a business mind than previous members.

The controversy surrounding Rosa centred on what many believed to be ‘seedy’ investments to keep the MIT team running. Add to this the fact that Rosa organised ‘invasions’ of casinos in Las Vegas, Chicago, Louisiana, and Mississippi, where the maths whizzes would count cards and take home some serious cash.

Michael Konik

A man of many, many talents, Konik has an impressive CV that not only includes appearances at the World Series of Poker and World Series of Blackjack, but also takes in television personality, author, jazz singer, improvisational comedian and a degree in Drama.

Maybe it was his acting skills that led to high stakes success in Poker and Blackjack! After being published in over 100 gambling publications, it’s fair to say that Konik knows a thing or two about gambling.

Perhaps his most famous act, aside from six outings at the WSOP, is a book called The Man with the 0,000 Breasts, which contains 26 stories, the titular one of which recalls a man named Brian Zembic, who accepted a bet to have breast implants and wear them for a year!

Regina Guzior

You might think that a female player mixing it with the boys is a fine accomplishment in the macho world of professional gambling, but Regina Guzior’s reputation as one of the best Blackjack players in the world is made even more amazing when you consider that she is blind.

During the World Series of Blackjack, Guzior has her husband, John Peters, on hand to read the cards, and is popular not only for her skill and judgement, but also her sense of humour. This quote from a game with Robert Blechman emphasises the point:

Robert: I’m going to make a somewhat colourful bet, if you will.
Regina: It doesn’t matter. I’m colour blind too.

James Grosjean

Like many of our featured high rollers, Grosjean was a bit of a numbers whizz who translated his obvious talent into casino games and gambling.

Originally a graduate student at the University of Chicago’s Department of Economics, Grosjean dropped out a wrote the 2000 book Beyond Counting: Exploiting Casino Games from Blackjack to Video Poker, which set out various mathematical theories for gaining legal advantages in casino games.

His long-running ‘battle’ with various Las Vegas casinos has so far resulted in two legal victories going his way, including a 9,999 payout in 2005. Add to that the fact that he is the youngest member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame and you can see why professional critics regard him as one of the strongest players ever to grace a blackjack table.

Previn Mankodi

Used to ‘gambling’ with large sums of money, Mankodi used to work at an investment bank and hedge fund.

He turned his back on a lucrative career in finance and turned his hand to his one great passion – finding profitable gambling opportunities.

Close friends with James Grosjean, Previn has written many gambling-related articles covering topics such as tournament play, advantage techniques and Kelly betting. Not just your average card counter, Previn holds a BA from the University of Chicago, a Masters in Economics from Cambridge, and an MBA from Stanford University!

Ken Einiger

A true Blackjack power house! Brooklyn-born Einiger, a Blackjack World Champion is both respected and feared on the world gambling circuit.

After moving to Las Vegas in 2003, Einiger started to gamble full time – and it paid off in style. During 2004-05 he played in the finals of the seven biggest Blackjack tournaments, winning four of them - the best run in Tournament Blackjack history to date!

During that time he won around 0,000 in prize money – not bad for 12 months ‘work’! In just 15 short years of playing blackjack, Einiger has won six major tournaments and made 20 appearances at the final table.

Kerry Packer

Perhaps the biggest high roller of them all! Packer, who died in 2005, was the richest man in Australia, worth an estimated .5bn.

With a passion for gambling and a bank balance that meant he could indulge this passion to a mind-boggling degree – he once apparently went on a three-week losing streak at various casinos in London – costing him m (Australian)!

Not letting that affect him to much, Packer also, according to legend, went to the MGM Grand Casino in Vegas and won m (Australian). Perhaps his most famous gambling act of all occurred at the Stratosphere Casino, when a Texan oil investor, trying to goad Packer into a poker game, claimed "I’m worth ,000,000!"

Famed for his love of confrontation, Packer apparently pulled out a coin and said nonchalantly, "I’ll toss you for it”.

Whether you’re a high roller or a novice, LittleWoods Casino Casino is the perfect place to play online casino games in the comfort of your own home. Register now and get access to our comprehensive range of casino games - including the famed Littlewoods video poker, all ready to play now, with some amazing jackpots to be won.

Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.