If you had to make one big bet, what would you bet on?

Quote:

The old Binion’s Horseshoe Casino was a favorite among people who wanted the best odds in town without a lot of extras. One of our favorites stories from this casino was that of an adventurous gambler named William Lee Bergstrom from Austin, Texas.

Bergstrom had heard that Benny Binion’s latest gimmick was that the “sky’s the limit” when it came to maximum betting amounts at the Horseshoe. Bergstrom called to ask Binion if he would really accept a bet of a million dollars. Binion assured Bergstrom he would book a million dollar wager, so long as it was his first bet.

So one day in comes Bergstrom with $777,000 stuffed into a suitcase, plopped it down on the crap table (they never bothered to convert the money into chips) and told the dealer to put the entire amount on the Don’t Pass line. On her third roll, cinco dos, adios, an elderly woman sevened out. Bergstrom was handed an additional $777,000, then walked straight out the casino front door escorted by Benny’s son Ted.

Naturally, no fevered gambler can forget and forgo that kind of action for long, so Bergstrom returns and wins another $590,000 all-or-nothing bet; then he comes back and wins a similar $190,000 wager, then beats Binion’s again for an additional $90,000.
In November of 1984, Bergstrom finally had his one million dollar war chest to wager. He calls Binion’s to ask if he could once again bet the whole shebang, and Binion, already down over $600,000 to Bergstrom, backed up his often quoted phrase: “Your biggest bet is your first. After that, let it roll” and said yes.

Bergstrom returns with one million bones and tells a dealer to once again to put the whole stack of one million dollars on the Don’t Pass line. It was the come out roll, meaning, no point had been established, so on the initial roll, Bergstrom had only four ways to win (by a 2, 3 12 rolling) and eight ways to lose (if a 7 or 11 rolled). The lady roller tosses a six-one: a front line winner, back line skinner. He was done. Bergstrom’s $1,000,000 was gone.

Three months later at a Strip hotel Bergstrom committed suicide, although one version of the incident that I have read had him playing Russian roulette with his six-shooter and he drew the short bullet. Either way, he wagered his own life, and lost.

Quote: teddys

I was bored at work (TAX LAW), so was reading about the famous "briefcase bet" at Binion's Horseshoe. Here's the story:

Nothwithstanding that Harrah's promotional literature leaves out the part about the loss and the suicide, I found it interesting that Bergstrom placed his money on the don't pass, the traditionally "dark side" of the layout. So comes my question: If Mark Cuban granted you $10,000 (the max limit for most table games in Las Vegas) and said, "It's yours, however, you must make at least one even money casino bet with the full amount," what would you choose? I would have to go with sporting event to get the most excitement for my money. If not, I would have to say Roulette (but not like that British moron who bet $170,000 on a double-zero wheel; I would use single-zero) or European-style Baccarat. Nothing beats those two games for a big rush, IMO.

(Assume odds are not offered on the craps table, the roulette wheel is single-zero, and you do not have additional funds to double or split in blackjack.)

Quote: teddys

So comes my question: If Mark Cuban granted you $10,000 (the max limit for most table games in Las Vegas) and said, "It's yours, however, you must make at least one even money casino bet with the full amount," what would you choose?

Quote: ruascott

Oh, most certainly a sporting event...either college BB or NFL. Park myself in a comfy seat in a nice sports book, order up a cold beer and enjoy.

Quote: DeMango

Lay the 10 on a comeout roll only.

Quote: teddys

Mark Cuban is watching you from the surveillance room, and signals the dealer to call no action on your bet. He comes down to the floor, snatches the chips back from you and kicks you out on the street. "Even money bets only!" he snarls.

Quote: NicksGamingStuff

How about a sucker double six, 30:1 a very longshot but a nice win or even better 1 number on roulette, if its free its easy come easy go but a 35:1 win would be great!

Quote: teddys

I give up ... go crazy, folks.

How about how far I can kick a piece of cheesecake?

Quote: BigTip

This was not a hypothetical question for me. It happened. The best offer I ever got from a casino happened January 2009 from Monte Carlo. It included $1000 in free play. I was going to take it and play black jack, but when I got there, it turned out they were giving me ONE thousand dollar chip that was good for ONE play only. Lose, they take it, win, they take the chip, but give you the winnings. So what to do, what to do?

Long story short, I sat down at a baccarat table and started playing. After player won three times in a row, I put the chip out on banker. I won. I was never so happy to pay a baccarat commission in my life!

Quote: mkl654321

This is easy. I select a game where I can bet on both of two possible outcomes, then I beg, borrow, or steal $10,000 MORE dollars, and bet both sides of that proposition. If roulette, I peel off $300 from each bet and bet on 0/00. If craps, I peel off a similar amount and bet on 12. If sports, I make sure that both sides pay the same amount (not, for example, a baseball or hockey bet).

In this way, I pay a little extra vig, but safeguard a win of about $9,700.