Roulette, often considered the king of casino games, is a game of pure chance. The thrill of watching the little white ball spin around the wheel has led to some of the most incredible gambling stories in history. From single-number wins to jaw-dropping bets on red or black, the roulette wheel has created legends. In this article, we’ll dive into some of the craziest and most iconic roulette wins that have ever been verified—stories that have become folklore in the world of gambling. If you were going to do it, would you do it online or offline?
1. The Man Who Put It All on Red: Ashley Revell
Perhaps the most famous modern roulette story involves British gambler Ashley Revell. In 2004, Revell sold everything he owned, including his house and all his possessions, to place a single spin bet in Las Vegas. He walked into the Plaza Hotel and Casino with £76,840 ($135,300) and did the unthinkable: he bet it all on red.
As the ball spun, tension filled the room. Then, in what could be described as a life-altering moment, the ball landed on Red 7. Revell doubled his money instantly, walking away with £153,680 ($270,600). Remarkably, he didn’t push his luck further—he cashed out and used his winnings to start a business. Revell’s story has become legendary, a true “all-in” moment that epitomises the allure of roulette.
Why It’s Legendary:
Few people would risk their entire net worth on a single roulette spin, but Ashley Revell did just that—and won big. It’s a prime example of roulette’s ability to turn everything around in the blink of an eye.
2. The Unbelievable Double-Zero: Pedro Grendene Bartelle
Pedro Grendene Bartelle, a Brazilian businessman, made headlines with his jaw-dropping roulette win in 2017. While playing at the Hotel Conrad in Punta del Este, Uruguay, Bartelle placed an enormous bet of $35,000 on number 32. In a game where the odds of hitting a single number are 37 to 1, most people would have considered the bet insane.
However, fortune favoured Bartelle. When the ball dropped onto 32, he scooped up an incredible payout of $1.2 million. His win became one of the most talked-about roulette stories of the decade, not just because of the amount but because of the sheer guts it took to bet so much on a single number.
Why It’s Legendary:
Bartelle’s win demonstrates the high-risk, high-reward nature of roulette. Betting on a single number requires a huge leap of faith, but the rewards can be astronomical if you get lucky.
3. The Unstoppable Run of Charles Wells: Breaking the Bank at Monte Carlo
One of the oldest and most famous roulette stories involves Charles Wells, a British gambler who is remembered for breaking the bank at the Casino de Monte Carlo in 1891. Wells walked into the casino with 4,000 francs and over the course of several sessions managed to break the bank—that is, win more than the casino could cover in chips—12 times in a single day. At one point, he was winning so consistently that the casino had to bring out reserve funds to keep the game going.
Wells reportedly walked away with 1 million francs, a fortune at the time, and his exploits became the inspiration for the famous song “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo.” Although some suspected Wells of cheating, no evidence ever surfaced to prove it, leaving his winning streak one of the great mysteries of roulette.
Why It’s Legendary:
Wells’ winning streak was so extraordinary that it became part of casino lore. His ability to beat the odds repeatedly created a near-mythical status, and his story has lived on for over a century.
4. Sean Connery’s Lucky Number 17
Even James Bond himself couldn’t resist the lure of the roulette wheel. Sean Connery, the actor best known for playing 007, had his own real-life roulette story that sounds straight out of a movie. In 1963, Connery was playing at a casino in Italy when he made a series of bets on Number 17.
In an unbelievable streak, the ball landed on 17 three times in a row. The odds of this happening are astronomically small, about 50,000 to 1. Connery, riding his streak of incredible luck, turned his original £10 into £10,000, a huge sum at the time.
Why It’s Legendary:
Hitting the same number three times in a row is something most gamblers can only dream of. Connery’s story has become a symbol of how sometimes, even in games of pure chance, luck can shine in the most unexpected ways.
5. The Russian Banker’s Double Spin Win
In a tale that seems almost too wild to be true, a Russian banker reportedly walked into a Moscow casino and, within 20 minutes, hit one of the most incredible roulette streaks ever witnessed. The man, whose identity remains anonymous, placed a $100,000 bet on black. When the ball landed on black, he took his winnings and did something even crazier—he bet it all again on black.
In an unbelievable twist, the ball landed on black again. In just two spins, the banker had turned his initial $100,000 into a staggering $400,000. After the second win, he calmly collected his chips and walked out, never to return to the casino.
Why It’s Legendary:
The sheer audacity to bet a huge sum twice in a row on the same colour, and win both times, cements this story in gambling history. It’s the perfect example of how quickly fortunes can change on the roulette wheel.
6. Mike Ashley’s Million-Pound Bet
Mike Ashley, the billionaire owner of Newcastle United Football Club, is known for his risk-taking personality. In 2008, he walked into a London casino and placed an audacious bet of £480,000 on a single number—17, his lucky number.
Incredibly, the ball landed on 17, and Ashley walked away with a whopping £1.3 million. He was so confident in his bet that he reportedly told the croupier to let the chips ride before the ball had even stopped spinning.
Why It’s Legendary:
Ashley’s million-pound win is another testament to how some gamblers, no matter how wealthy or famous, rely on their gut instinct and a favourite number. His boldness to stake nearly half a million pounds on a single spin and win showcases the fine line between reckless gambling and a calculated risk.
7. Online Roulette’s $3.5 Million Jackpot
In 2017, an anonymous British player won one of the biggest online roulette jackpots in history, scooping up a staggering $3.5 million on the best UK casino online platform. This player was casually playing roulette when, in a dramatic moment, they placed a modest bet on a single number and hit the jackpot. The win was celebrated across the online gambling community, showcasing that digital platforms can offer just as much excitement as land-based casinos.
Why It’s Legendary:
This online victory was one of the largest ever recorded in roulette, proving that massive wins are not just reserved for physical casinos. The ability to win such an amount online has drawn many players to explore their luck on the top UK casino sites, where big payouts are always a possibility.
Final Spin
The roulette wheel has long been a source of fascination for gamblers, both in physical casinos and on the best UK casino online platforms. From Ashley Revell’s all-in gamble to Pedro Bartelle’s million-dollar win, these stories highlight the game’s unpredictability and the massive rewards that can come with taking a risk. Whether you’re playing online or in a luxurious casino, every spin holds the potential for a moment of magic, where fortunes can be won in the blink of an eye.
