What do sportsmen and women do when their playing careers come to an end? There are plenty of options but a select few have made a successful transition onto the poker tables. Former Spurs, Manchester United and England striker Teddy Sheringham is known to have made over £330,000 at the poker tables and there are many like him.
The origin of some of our favourite table games is often disputed but we know for certain that the first slot machine saw life way back in 1887. It was known as the Liberty Bell and was developed by Charles Fell who released the completed design in 1891.
We know that, along with skill and a certain amount of luck, it also requires a degree of patience and stamina to really succeed at poker. In the modern era, tournaments will last for hours, days and even months but that’s nothing compared to the world poker endurance record.
While hard evidence may be a little lacking in this story, it’s certain that an incredible marathon took place down in that theatre and, it is said that some $10,000,000 changed hands.
One evening at Les Ambassadeurs Club in Mayfair, Maxwell managed to lose £1.5 million in three minutes while playing at three tables simultaneously. A staggering and record loss but it was one that the multi-millionaire businessman could presumably cover quite comfortably.
10. One Man Sold Everything and bet it on a Single Roulette Spin
In time, through a series of car boot sales and auctions, Revell had raised £135,300 and he was left with no more than the clothes on his back. Heading to the roulette wheel at the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, he staked it all on red and, thankfully for Revell and most of his television audience, number 7 Red landed and paid out a cool £270,600.
Las Vegas holds a number of gaming records but we have to move across the US to find the largest casino in the country. It’s called the WinStar World Casino and it’s situated in Thackerville Oklahoma and that puts it about an hour’s drive away from Oklahoma City.
The WinStar World Casino also boast a hotel, two pools and no fewer than 12 restaurants. It truly is a monster but it is dwarfed by the world record holder. In Macao, the Venetian measures an astonishing 10,500,000 square feet.
The use of fruit in slot games continues in the digital age with games such as Jackpot Jester and Double Diamond using classic fruit symbols on the reels. Slot titles also pay homage and examples include the rather obvious Very Fruity and Fruit Blast.
The idea of becoming a professional gambler is a dream for many people who like to have a flutter regularly.
Fast cars, perfect poker hands, and vodka martinis – shaken not stirred – aren’t always guaranteed.
To help you understand all the steps we’ve put together this detailed guide. As you’ll see, there’s a lot more to being a professional gambler than Hollywood suggests…
As you would work at a regular “proper” job, you must do the same with betting.
Most of your time as a budding professional gambler should be spent on developing the following three practices:
If it’s sports, there is always another soccer match or horse race to watch. For poker players there are always opponents to study and odds to calculate.
Studying is so important because it is only with knowledge that you can make the best decisions possible and maximize your chances of winning.
If you don’t have a full understanding of the odds behind every bet then you can’t make the best decisions. Poor decisions will ultimately lead to you failing as a professional gambler.
Knowledge is only useful when paired with commitment.
Best Online SportsbookFor example, twin brothers Gavin and Alex Walker watch four or five matches a day when betting on soccer. This dedication to their craft saw them make £440,000 in an 18-month period.
If you want to have similar success you have to treat gambling as your full-time job. Turn up every day and put the work in.
As a professional, your betting decisions must be based on cold, hard logic.
Closely tied to logical decision making is avoiding superstition.
Lucky charms and rituals may be comforting to you, but even professional gamblers don’t win all the time.
The difference between a pro and the average bettor is that they get things right more often than they get them wrong. Being overly superstitious might prevent you from doing this.
Leaving your luck charms at home and not betting on your favorite sports team is one thing but when it comes to casino games, letting go of your emotions is even more important.
Leaving your luck charms at home and not betting on your favorite sports team is one thing but when it comes to casino games, letting go of your emotions is even more important.
Leave your emotions at the door and focus on the job at hand.
To succeed in the casino, you need to be able to count cards and bluff well, but those attributes won’t help you if you like betting on sports.
This has led to the rise of the matched bettor, gamblers who make their money through so-called “free bets”. The beauty with such bonuses is that you don’t risk any actual capital.
While stakes aren’t returned from any wagers placed with free bets, anything made off them is pure profit.
Long before soccer was the most popular betting sport, professional gamblers were seen on racecourses all around the world.
Horse betting is known for being incredibly statistical.
Of course, an understanding of how handicapping works is also important. This is because most horse races run are handicaps.
Thanks to both exchange betting and the widespread use of statistical models by today’s gambling syndicates, the average bettor can now see which horses are being backed and which are being bet on to lose.
This presents alternative ways for professional gamblers to make money: Follow the syndicates or take on favorites – who typically lose around two-thirds of the time.