Legends of Baccarat Who’ll Inspire You to Play

Legends of Baccarat Who’ll Inspire You to Play

Staff Writer
October 16, 2020
1611

Baccarat Legends

Baccarat Legends is not just the thrilling casino game to download. It is also the topic of this article.

In this post, we talk about legendary baccarat players who are the epitome of this card game.

We’ve already tackled female gamblers who defied the odds. But they were predominantly poker players. Now, it’s time to turn to baccarat.

Check out the biggest baccarat legends ever.

Akio Kashiwagi

Speaking of legends, we knew where to start. Akio Kashiwagi is not only a baccarat legend but also an icon of gambling in general.

The life of Akio Kashiwagi was a tempestuous one. His assassination is still unsolved murder. Ok, let’s begin from the start.

One thing to remember about Akio Kashiwagi is that he loved being called The Warrior. He was as wealthy as a samurai as can be. Born in Tokyo, the Japanese gambler preferred to stay famous as a real estate investor. Even in casinos, if you asked about his profession, you would hear simply, “business.”

As for his gambling behavior, baccarat was more than just a hobby to the infamous Warrior. Notoriously good at the game, Kashiwagi regularly staked between $100,000 or $200,000 a hand. Baccarat was always his game of choice. The Warrior would sit at the table for many hours incessantly; he wouldn’t sleep for days at all.

One memorable moment from his stormy life had to do with the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. In 1990, Kashiwagi wagered as much as $12 million.

Sadly, his life ended fairly quickly. Akio Kashiwagi was just 54 when he was stabbed to death multiple times.

Kashiwagi remains as mysterious as he was while he was roaming through Vegas. In Scorsese’s 1995 film Casino, he was depicted by Nobu Matsuhisa, although with a different name. The character inspired by the works of Mr. Kashiwagi was called Ichikawa in the movie.

Baccarat players of the 21st century still remember the Warrior, and high-rollers look up to him.

John W. Gates

Traveling back in time a little bit, we’re going back to the 19th century when industrialist John Warne Gates was born.

From the get-go, it was clear that Mr. Gates was meant for great things. Although reared on a farm, John never had a propensity for farming. Instead, he expressed a tendency toward business from an early age. He studied bookkeeping and business law, which he translated onto his hobbies later on.

Certain acquaintances invited Gates to poker parties, where he realized he was excellent with cards. This baccarat legend gained a nickname Bet A Million after winning $600,000 on a horse race.

Much like The Warrior, Bet A Million was a high-stake punter. He would bet multiple thousands on poker and baccarat. John Gates did not play slots or blackjack.

The Hall of Great Westerners inducted Mr. Bet-A-Million in 1972.

Phil Ivey

Leaving the memory lane behind, let’s focus on the present moment. If you’re a poker player, you probably know about Phil Ivey, who has won 10 WSOP bracelets to date.

However, Ivey is also a keen baccarat player.

This American gambler has nourished an interest in multiple forms of gambling. His preferred baccarat variant has always been Punto Banco. He became a notorious baccarat player in Atlantic City and London. Reportedly, Ivey was accused of using the edge-sorting strategy to lower the house edge. Nobody would mind it if he hadn’t won a whopping $23 million while sorting edges in baccarat.

To use edge sorting in a card game, you need to find a somewhat damaged or malfunctioning deck. Then, you use the fault to your advantage. In land-based casinos, some card patterns might not be symmetrical. When an advantage player spots this, they are likely to capitalize on it. But as casinos frown upon this behavior, they condone players who exercise edge sorting.

Be that as it may, Phil Ivey is a real celebrity of gambling. You can see him at various tables, scooping wins like there’s no tomorrow.

Phil Ivey’s name can be found in the Poker Hall of Fame.

Archie Karas

Gambling enthusiasts love nicknames. Such is Archie Karas, who was born Anargyros Nicholas Karabourniotis. But to avoid mispronunciations and confusion, he goes under Archi Karas. Over the span of his gambling career, he adopted the nickname The Run.

Why The Run?

Archie Karas is famous for the longest winning streak in the history of brick-and-mortar gambling. In 1992, Karas wagered $50, loaned $10,000 more, and won well over $40 million by 1995. Rumor has it that he lost it all before 1996.

However, there’s a silver lining in Archie’s cloud. This baccarat legend once won about $13 million playing baccarat. But avid as he is, he would easily be on a roll, losing most of his winnings.

Needless to emphasize, Archi Karas is a high-roller. Other than placing high stakes, his presence at baccarat tables is felt through his incredible skills. Although baccarat is officially a game of chance, Karas has seemingly used his impressive photographic memory to win at baccarat.

Karas maintains that he holds the record for the most money placed in a casino ever. The public has often compared him to Nick the Greek.

Kerry Packer

Going down under, we’re meeting Australian media tycoon Kerry Picker. His dynasty is a famous one in Australia. His son, James Packer is a well-known billionaire investor. Gretel Packer, his daughter, is a philanthropist and artist.

However, Kerry Packer made a name for himself at baccarat tables.

This baccarat legend was also an ardent player of poker and roulette. As with most players on this list, he was keen on card games. In casinos, Kerry Packer was famous as one to disrupt the balance in a heartbeat.

The high stakes he would place on his favorite games could easily shake any gambling operator out of balance. At the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas, he once won $33 million. It was said that he would win at least $7 million on his annual holidays to the UK.

But his visits were always a potential hazard to casinos. Why? He would hit such intense winning and losing streaks that casinos would fear being unable to afford the payout. Once in London, he walked into a casino, wagered $15 million, and lost it all in just four rounds.

And Packer’s fierce temper rarely helped the inconvenience. A real trouble-maker he was. Kerry Packer passed away in 2005.

Let’s wrap up with this memorable quote by Kerry Packer:

“I pay whatever tax I am required to pay under the law, not a penny more, not a penny less.”

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