Hero worship is one of humanity’s defining traits—and it’s not new. We can just as easily name Roman charioteers alongside modern legends like Lebron James and Harry Kane.
In card gaming, the most well-known “athletes” usually come from poker, players like Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, Vanessa Selbst, and Jennifer Tilly. There are more than a few famous baccarat players, though.
What Makes a Baccarat Player Famous?
Getting famous from a game of luck is quite a feat and knowing how to play baccarat and win is the key to success. Arguably, pro baccarat players’ fame comes less from the cards themselves and more from the “presence” of the person. It’s a game of personalities, epitomised by the most famous baccarat player, superspy James Bond.
Of course, the big wins, risky bets, and legendary losses etch names in stone for the next generation to see.
Akio “The Warrior” Kashiwagi bet hands worth $200.000 in the late 1980s and early 1990s – and lost $10m in his final game. American barbed wire mogul John Warne Gates bet a million at the baccarat table, too.
Legendary Baccarat Players
Mikki Mase
Described as “notorious” by the magazine site Medium, Mikki Mase is allegedly not welcome in Las Vegas anymore.
The New Jersey-born player has racked up a fortune of 43.5m from baccarat and various investments, and once pocketed 11.5m in one game. Mase has a fondness for numbers and claims to recognise patterns in cards dealt.
Phil Ivey
Crossing disciplines from poker, professional baccarat player Phil Ivey invented the “edge sorting” technique.
He’s another controversial figure, once earning 20.6m in a scandalous spree that took him from Atlantic City to London. Ivey has reportedly racked up a similar amount of money playing poker, where he’s known as one of the greats.
Tommy Renzoni
The father of baccarat in America, WWII veteran Tommy Renzoni introduced the game to Sands in Las Vegas. He’s the author of the 1977 book, Baccarat: Everything You Want to Know About Playing and Winning.
Renzoni’s experience with baccarat came from France, although the game is more closely associated with Asian casinos.
Archie Karas
Famed for “The Run”, a high-stakes journey from $50 to $30,000, Karas would eventually earn 40m from craps, baccarat, poker, and 9-ball pool.
He was the 33rd person banned from all Las Vegas casinos in 2015, never to return. “I have no fear. I don’t care if I lose [the money]”, Karas once said. “Money means nothing to me.”
Henry Tamburin
An unusual pick, chemistry professor Henry Tamburin is famed at the baccarat tables for losing $100,000.
However, like baccarat writer Frank Scoblete and Tommy Renzoni, above, Tamburin is better known as a scholar of the game, producing ten books dedicated to the craft. He did manage to win a few games in the end.
What Today’s Baccarat Players Can Learn from the Pros
Archie Karas’ “Run” would ultimately end in disaster. The Greek had poor bankroll management skills that meant that most of his money was gone by the time Las Vegas added his name to its Black Book – not that he cared.
Stories about famous baccarat players are often cautionary like this. Confidence, discipline, and knowing when to walk are skills even the pros sometimes lack.
Henry Tamburin offers a more positive role model. Some lessons are in the losses, and plenty of pro baccarat players have made a name for themselves away from the table.
Live Baccarat at McLuck – Where New Legends Begin
The best way to grow your knowledge about the rules of Baccarat is by playing it! McLuck has free-to-play live baccarat games running 24 hours a day. You can play it any way you like, on mobile or desktop, without the pressure of the pro circuit. After all, everybody has to start somewhere!
Why not check out our Ultimate Online Baccarat Guide to learn more about this popular casino game? With our guide to live dealer baccarat at McLuck social casino and even a guide to understanding Mini Baccarat games for beginners, you’ll be well on your way to having fun and raking in the rewards.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. It does not encourage or promote gambling in any form.
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