Gambling has always drawn outsized personalities. Some were billionaires who treated casinos like private playgrounds. Others were analytical geniuses who turned probability into profit. A few were so secretive that the scale of their winnings is still debated today.
What they all have in common is that their exploits still capture our imagination. Beyond the headlines and legends, there’s the inevitable question: what are these gambling giants worth today?
Of course, gambling itself has changed dramatically. The age of glamorous casino high-rollers has blended into a digital era where online platforms now dominate. Today’s players are less likely to chase fortune across Vegas tables and more likely to browse online platforms for structured promotions, cashback, and loyalty schemes. If you’re curious about how those modern offers are designed, casinowhizz.com provides a clear picture of how today’s online casinos operate and where they fit into the broader gambling landscape.
With that modern backdrop in mind, let’s rewind to the biggest gamblers in history and measure where their fortunes stand today.
The Numbers at a Glance
| Gambler | Main Arena | Net Worth (2025 est.) |
| Denise Coates | Online betting | ~£7.5 billion |
| Kerry Packer | Casino high-stakes | $5–6.5 billion |
| Bill Benter | Horse racing | $1–1.5 billion |
| Tony Bloom | Sports betting / poker | $1.5–1.7 billion |
| Edward Thorp | Blackjack / investing | ~$800 million |
| Zeljko Ranogajec | Multi-discipline | $600M–$3B |
| Billy Walters | Sports betting | ~$200 million |
| Phil Ivey | Poker | ~$125 million |
Kerry Packer – The Casino’s Greatest Nightmare
Australian media mogul Kerry Packer was as famous for his business empire as he was for staggering gambling sessions. Casinos told tales of him dropping millions in a single sitting, then winning it all back the next night. He once reportedly tipped dealers more in an evening than most players would earn in a year.
At the time of his passing in 2005, his net worth was already in the billions. Adjusted for today, his fortune still lands in the $5–6.5 billion range. He remains the archetype of the fearless billionaire high-roller.
Bill Benter – The Man Who Cracked Horse Racing
Unlike Packer, Bill Benter didn’t rely on bravado. He built a statistical model in Hong Kong horse racing that predicted outcomes with uncanny accuracy. His system was so successful it eventually had to be dialed back to avoid breaking the pools entirely.
Benter’s wealth today is estimated between $1–1.5 billion. He largely stepped away from betting years ago, channeling his fortune into philanthropy, but his story is proof that data science can outwit the odds.
Tony Bloom – “The Lizard”
Poker tables and football pitches alike know the name Tony Bloom. His poker career gave him credibility, but it was through sports betting that he built generational wealth. His private consultancy, Starlizard, turns sports outcomes into data-driven investments, blurring the line between gambling and hedge-fund operations.
Bloom’s net worth currently sits at around $1.5–1.7 billion. Beyond gambling, he owns Brighton & Hove Albion football club, which has become a Premier League mainstay under his stewardship.
Edward Thorp – From Blackjack to Wall Street
Edward Thorp wasn’t just a player; he was a mathematician who proved blackjack could be beaten. His 1962 book Beat the Dealer brought card counting into the mainstream, changing the casino industry forever. When the casinos caught on, Thorp applied his probability models to investing—arguably his most profitable gamble.
His estimated net worth is roughly $800 million, with much of that earned outside the casino but rooted in the same mindset: calculated risk-taking.
Zeljko Ranogajec – The Phantom Gambler
Few gamblers are more shrouded in mystery than Zeljko Ranogajec. Known in Australia as “The Joker,” he began with advantage play in blackjack before expanding into horse racing and exchange betting.
Depending on who you ask, his wealth is anywhere from $600 million to $3 billion. The wide range reflects how little is publicly known about his operations—but within gambling circles, he’s considered one of the most successful bettors of all time.
Billy Walters – Sports Betting’s Relentless Winner
For decades, Las Vegas sportsbooks dreaded seeing Billy Walters’ action. Known for using cutting-edge analytics long before they were mainstream, Walters went on one of the longest sustained winning streaks in sports betting history.
Despite legal troubles that slowed him down, his net worth is still estimated at over $200 million. His story highlights how information, discipline, and nerve can make sports betting as profitable as any casino floor.
Phil Ivey – The Face of Poker Greatness
Phil Ivey isn’t just a poker player—he’s a cultural icon within the game. With ten World Series of Poker bracelets and a reputation for dominating in live cash games, he’s widely regarded as one of the best to ever play.
Today, his fortune is pegged at around $125 million. While disputes with casinos over edge-sorting techniques cut into his wealth, Ivey’s status as poker’s gold standard remains unshaken.
Denise Coates – The Billionaire Bookmaker
Though she doesn’t gamble in the traditional sense, Denise Coates transformed gambling on a scale few can match. As the founder and CEO of Bet365, she built one of the world’s largest online betting companies from the ground up.
Her net worth today exceeds £7.5 billion, making her one of the richest women in Britain. Coates represents the shift from individual gamblers making daring plays to entrepreneurs building entire gambling ecosystems.
Final Thoughts
When you look across this list, a pattern emerges. Gambling greatness comes in many forms: the high-risk thrill-seeking of Kerry Packer, the cold logic of Edward Thorp, the algorithmic brilliance of Bill Benter, and the entrepreneurial empire-building of Denise Coates.
What makes these figures remarkable isn’t just their wealth—it’s how they approached risk. Some leaned on raw nerve, others on intellect, and still others on technology and data.
In an age where online casinos dominate, their stories remind us that gambling is never just about luck. It’s about vision, timing, and the willingness to put everything on the line.