In this story, the rich get even richer. A billionaire businessman from Brazil named Pedro Grendene Bartelle wagered in roulette almost a whopping $35,000 on number 32 at the casino of the Hotel Conrad located in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
That lone bet he made on the roulette has made him even richer after the spin when the ball landed on his chosen number, and he won $1,225,000! The lucky player celebrated his victory with his friends amidst dozens of spectators.
It happened on the eve of January 3, a couple of days after New Year; however, the story was just reported in the UK and EU media this past weekend, along with some misinformation being reported by the journalists regarding the incorrect amount of money won (due to some confusion on the conversion of Uruguayan pesos to euros to pounds, creating an over-exaggerated amount).
Albert Einstein once quoted, "No one can possibly win at roulette unless he steals money from the table while the croupier isn't looking." Well, in this case, Einstein's quote did not apply to this one.
In roulette, there are 36 numbers, including the zero and double zero on the board, and to hit the grand prize, Pedro had 1-in-38 chance.
Spectators recorded the video of the colossal bet and posted the footage on YouTube. Calmly sipping on a glass of red wine prior to the spin, Pedro looks anything but nervous as his stacked tower of chips on the number 32 solely stands on the roulette table. After his incredible win, Pedro and friends celebrated - much like a team of athletes after winning the World Cup.
Roulette, the Wheel of Fortune in Casinos
Roulette is a casino game commonly found inside casino gaming halls, which is undeniably a game reserved for those who are willing to face substantial risk head on. Of course, the higher your bet, the higher your possible rewards too.
The risk associated with playing roulette made it a favorite game amongst high-stakes gamblers. Its unofficial name is the "Devil's Wheel."
In roulette history, the most remarkable roulette play was perhaps by famous actor Sean Connery (a.k.a. James Bond himself). In the year 1963, Sean went to Italy and played at the Casino de la Vallee in Saint Vincent. He wagered on and won three times in a row with the number 17, making $27K in mere minutes. In today's calculation (with inflation factored in), that would be about $213K. Because of Sean's success, the number 17 has remained one of the most popular roulette straight number bets.
Already a Rich Man, by the Billions
Pedro Grendene Bartelle is actually the nephew of Alexandre Grendene Bartelle, and according to Forbes, he's a tycoon worth $2.1 billion. On the list of the world's richest people, Alexandre is ranked #1,121. The family made their fortune by selling affordable footwear.
Currently, the company of Grendene is renowned as the world's biggest sandal manufacturer. Pedro is continuing the family's legacy, albeit running his own business. He is the chairman and president of Vulcabras Azaleia, a Brazil-based footwear company that sells over half a billion dollars worth of shoes annually and employs 35,000 workers.
Source: https://www.cardschat.com/news/brazilian-gambler-scores-1-2-million-on-35k-roulette-bet-in-uruguay-37359
