We’ve all heard stories about incredible gamblers. Las Vegas has no shortage of high rollers who come and go, winning and losing millions. But there is one stunning gambling story that has amazed, shocked and delighted hordes of people all at the same time. Archie Kara’s story of his remarkable winning run is simply called “The RUN”. It’s the story of a gambling legend who managed to turn $50 into $40 million in just over two years. The story not only deserves to be captured in a best-selling book, but maybe even in a blockbuster movie.
In the next few paragraphs we will delve into the fascinating and incredible story of what is probably the greatest gambler of all time. We will tell you breathtaking details about the life of Archie Karas, his gambling preferences, his skills and his way of understanding the gambling business. Many Non GamStop casinos’ players who understand the stress a player experiences when going up and down with large swings will likely find this story not only incredible.
Archie Karas’ Story – How He Became a Gambling Legend
Archie Karas, also known as “the Greek”, was born Anargyros Nicholas Karabourniotis in 1950 in Greece. He grew up in a very poor family. He and his siblings could not enjoy luxuries and even had to go without meals at times. This drove Archie to try to help his family and find ways to get some money so everyone could eat.
He started shooting marbles with the neighborhood kids and winning their lunch money. He was good at it and quickly realized that he somehow had an advantage over the other kids. And those were his playing skills. He wasn’t afraid to wager what little money he had and had a kind of sixth sense for when to increase the bets.
Archie had a strained relationship with his father and they often argued. At the age of 15 he ran away from home and got a job as a waiter on a ship.
America Offers New Opportunities
After two years at sea, the ship he was on docked in Portland, Oregon. This was the first time one of the ships he was on had sailed to America, and Archie knew this was his opportunity to quit his job and seek a better life in the land of opportunities.
He immediately found a job as a waiter. There was a pool hall and bowling alley right next to the restaurant, and Archie spent most of his free time there. At the age of 19, Archie won a lot of money, and very soon he realized that he no longer had to work in his life. In the meantime, he learned the rules of Texas Hold’em.
What most impressed and scared Archie’s rivals was his quality and his desire to play against the best players at the highest limits. He was fearless and ready to take on anyone, even at such an early age.
The First Steps to Become One of the Most Famous Players
Anything related to gambling seemed to come naturally to Karas. In the years that followed, he continued to increase the limits he played. He claims he’s gone from bankruptcy to millionaire and back multiple times . Karas had a unique complacency about money. He couldn’t control his losses and wanted to play higher and higher stakes.
Most players cut their losses and lower their stakes when they feel they are on the wrong track or their bankroll is melting away. But not Archi Karas. Although he managed to build a bankroll of more than $2 million without proper bank management, in fact none at all, the Greek lost his entire income in just a few weeks in late 1992.
Without a doubt, Karas’s strongest yet most dangerous trait was his ability not to stress himself. Going up and down so often with such large swings would definitely spell the end of their gambling careers for most players in the world. After the December 1992 losing streak, he literally had $50 left in his pocket. It was time to reassess the situation and start over. Archie decided he needed to shift gears and head to the gambling capital of the world.
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas
Karas had only one thing on his mind – gambling. He was determined that he would succeed, and he didn’t give a damn about the $2 million he’d lost just days before. Any normal human trust would have been shaken. But not for Archie, with his nerves of steel and mindset he couldn’t lose.
As soon as he got to Las Vegas, he went straight to a casino. Perhaps that was his idea of sightseeing, as he headed straight for one of the city’s most famous casinos, and certainly the one where the biggest bets are allowed – the Binion’s Horseshoe. He knew the $50 he had wasn’t enough and wouldn’t get him very far.
Luckily, he met an old poker friend at the casino who had become acquainted with his talent. Archie asked for a $10,000 loan to play the $200/$400 Razz game. And that was the start of what would come to be known as “The RUN” – the longest and most successful winning streak in casino gambling history.
Karas managed to triple the amount in just 3 hours. Karas went to a bar with a pool table near Liberace Plaza in East Tropicana. There he found a wealthy and respected poker player. He immediately challenged him to $5,000 a game 9 ball pool and they started playing.
Game after game, win after win, Archie won several hundred thousand dollars and they gradually increased the stakes up to $40,000 per game. Karas ended up winning $1.2 million. The Greek player won an additional $3 million from his opponent! After just 3 months living in Sin City, Archie has built a bankroll of $7,000,000.
