Out of all the popular pastimes around the globe, none have generated more controversy than gambling. It’s an industry that’s steeped in exotic dealings, small amounts of crime & lavish spending. This wild mix has made gambling the backdrop to countless adrenaline packed storylines. From 007 to Ocean’s 11, plenty of epic movies revolve around this vibrant pastime. This is due to the fact that gambling evokes every emotion, since the stakes are high. Punters can make or break themselves with one spin, so they throw themselves against the odds with no fear. Here are some craziest gambling facts!
Gambling is the epitome of luxury, so players routinely bend the rules while chasing their fortune. With so many players, it’s no surprise that plenty of crazy things have happened to those who pursue the dream. From odd coincidences to wild schemes, gambling attracts the best and worst displays of humanity. Fact is often stranger than fiction, and this mantra is even more relevant with gambling. With so many crazy stories to choose from, finding the craziest gambling facts can be daunting. It’s impossible to keep track of all of them, so blow your mind with these facts!
Craziest Gambling Facts
Crazy Gambling Fact #3: Ben Affleck Counts Cards
He may not have starred in Ocean’s 11, but Ben Affleck is no stranger to casinos. Over the years, his passion for blackjack has been a blessing and a curse. It has won him massive amounts of money, but it has also gotten him banned from casinos. This is due to his infatuation with card counting, which makes him more than the average punter.
Even though card counting isn’t illegal, it’s frowned upon by every major casino. Ben Affleck found this out firsthand when he got banned from the Hard Rock Casino for life. While killing time in between shooting Batman, Affleck made a series of high profile wins. He turned $60,000 to $800,000 in one night at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the staff weren’t impressed during his next visit. They realized that he wasn’t just getting lucky, and banned him from playing blackjack on the premises. Ben Affleck left without incident, and has never played blackjack at the Hard Rock Casino again.
Crazy Gambling Fact #2: Steve Job’s Biological Father is a Casino Tycoon
Even though the iPhone stole the show, Steve Job’s family is far from blue collar. His biological father is Abdulfattah John Jandali, the vice president of Reno Casino. This Syrian immigrant rose from rags to riches, quickly becoming a billionaire through his casino ventures. Even though he had no problem conquering his financial situation, his Syrian pride forbid him to reach out to Jobs. According to this cultural tradition, it’s distasteful to reach out to long lost family members who are richer than you.
This was created to keep people from harassing wealthy family members, but it produced nothing but irony in this situation. Faced with an unsupportive father, Steve Job’s mom fled to San Francisco when she became pregnant. Jandali wanted her to keep the baby, but she gave Steve Job’s up for adoption instead. He ended up becoming even wealthier than his father, so Syrian tradition prevented them from being reunited. It was a classic catch-22, but unfortunately dogma kept this wealthy pair from meeting.
Crazy Fact #1: One Company Bought All the Lottery Tickets
Normally it’s not profitable to buy all the lottery tickets, but one firm pulled this feat off. Tempted by an inflated jackpot prize, one Australian gambling firm decided to take the Virginia Lottery by force. In 1992, they spent five million dollars purchasing all the lottery tickets to win the $27 million prize.
The plan almost didn’t work, since buying all the tickets from the 125 participating stores was a daunting task. They only managed to buy 5 million out of the 7 million combinations, but they still managed to win. This is hands down the most daring investment we have seen that actually paid off!
