Title: 5 Unbelievable Baccarat Wins That Left Casinos Stunned
Description: The biggest baccarat wins of all time—millions won in high-stakes games. Meet the players who beat the odds and changed casino history forever!
Unlike poker, which requires strategic thinking, or blackjack, where card counting can be an advantage, baccarat is a game of pure chance. Its simplicity—players betting on whether the “Player” or “Banker” hand will be closer to nine—has made it a favorite in casinos, particularly among high rollers in Asia and Europe.
By the mid-20th century, baccarat had fully established itself as the game of choice for high-stakes gamblers worldwide. Some of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, and Macau dedicated exclusive rooms for baccarat, attracting wealthy businessmen, celebrities, and even royalty.
Here are the five biggest baccarat wins ever recorded:
- $55M – Anonymous high rollers, Crown Casino (Australia), 1990s
- $15M – Akio Kashiwagi, Diamond Beach Casino (Australia), 1990s
- $12.9M – Lin Haisan, MGM Grand Macau, 2015
- $9.6M – Phil Ivey & Cheung Yin Sun, Borgata (USA), 2012
- $1M – John Warne “Bet-a-Million” Gates, unknown casino (Europe), early 1900s
Leading 5 Biggest Baccarat Wins
1. Anonymous Group at Crown Casino, Australia – Approximately $55 Million
This is arguably one of the most astounding wins ever experienced at the Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia, where a bank of high-rolling players took in a collective win of approximately $55 million. Details are still a little shady, but this gobsmacking run of luck is thought to represent the largest-ever baccarat win to have taken place in the casino world.
These big-time gamblers from Asia allegedly exploited the very high-betting limit promotion package for VIP gaming at Crown Casino. The group was playing in the exclusive Mahogany Room, which is a private area given to big spenders who often bet six or seven figures per hand. In a string of several nights, they achieved unbelievable wins that sent the casino reeling in its aftermath.
This event served as a big defeat for Crown Casino and hence sparked internal investigations into whether strategic playing or any irregularity contributed to such a win. No foul play was, however found, but Crown still curtailed high stakes gaming promotion policy, reducing their betting limits and amending incentives awarded to the VIP players. This remains one of the most talked-about baccarat wins and has become a reference point, often mentioned on baccarat.wiki, in the pantheon of high-roller gambling history. This would not be the only time gamblers beat the odds in baccarat.
2. Akio Kashiwagi – $15 Million
Akio Kashiwagi was a real estate tycoon from Japan and one of the more notorious high-rollers of his era. With his nickname “The Warrior,” Kashiwagi was notorious for gambling millions in ultra-marathon sessions. His bold betting and enormous bankroll made him feared and respected by casinos all over the world.
Probably the biggest win by Kashiwagi in baccarat happened early in the 1990s, when, after an extensive multi-day session, he managed to walk out with $15 million. That time, he was playing in the Diamond Beach Casino (now Mindil Beach Casino & Resort) in Australia, placing multiple bets of from $100,000 to $200,000 per hand. At his height, he is said to have had over $100 million at play in casinos.
Despite this massive win, Kashiwagi’s luck was unpredictable. He had equally massive losses, including a $10 million defeat at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. His gambling habits eventually led to trouble, and in 1992, he was tragically found murdered at his home in Japan, allegedly due to debts owed to the Yakuza.
A person willing to try his or her luck in the game of baccarat will get ample opportunities for high-roller action. Casinos in Macau, Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, and Singapore top the list of the best places where gamblers can wager millions on a single hand, just like the most famous high rollers in history.
3. Lin Haisan at the World Series Baccarat Championship – $12.9 Million
In 2015, the World Series Baccarat Championship in Macau made history by awarding one of the largest-ever tournament winnings. Lin Haisan, a relatively unknown player at the time, took home a staggering $12.9 million prize, setting a new record for baccarat tournament payouts.
The event, held at MGM Grand Macau, featured a massive prize pool of over $15 million, making it one of the most lucrative baccarat tournaments ever organised.
Lin’s victory was recognised by the Guinness World Records as the largest payout in a baccarat tournament at the time.
This monumental win further cemented Macau’s status as the world’s baccarat capital, with thousands of high rollers flocking to the region each year, hoping to replicate Lin’s legendary success.
4. Phil Ivey and Cheung Yin Sun – $9.6 Million
One of the most controversial baccarat wins involved Phil Ivey, a professional poker legend, and his gambling partner Cheung Yin Sun. In 2012, the duo managed to win $9.6 million playing baccarat at the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City. However, their method—edge sorting—led to a legal battle that remains one of the most debated cases in gambling history.
Ivey and Sun took advantage of imperfections on the back of playing cards, using these tiny design flaws to identify valuable cards.
They convinced the casino to use specific decks and have the dealer rotate certain cards, giving them an edge without technically breaking any rules.
Despite their success, Borgata sued Ivey and Sun, claiming they exploited an unfair advantage. The courts ruled in favour of the casino, and Ivey was ordered to return the winnings. This case shook the gambling world, prompting casinos to tighten security measures and scrutinise high-stakes players more closely.
5. John Warne “Bet-a-Million” Gates – $1 Million
While modern baccarat tables have seen staggering payouts, massive wins in the game date back to the early 20th century. One of the earliest known high-stakes baccarat players was John Warne “Bet-a-Million” Gates, an American industrialist famous for his love of risky wagers.
True to his nickname, Gates once placed a $1 million bet on a baccarat game—an unimaginable amount for the early 1900s. Though reports differ on whether he ultimately won or lost, this audacious wager cemented his legacy as one of history’s most fearless gamblers.
If adjusted for inflation, Gates’ million-dollar bet would be worth over $30 million today—one of the largest single baccarat bets in history.
The Thrill and Risks of Baccarat
Baccarat has long been a game of prestige, attracting some of the biggest risk-takers and wealthiest gamblers in the world. It has produced some of the largest wins in gambling history, as seen in the legendary victories of Akio Kashiwagi, Lin Haisan, and the anonymous high rollers at Crown Casino.
However, with great rewards come significant risks. Many high rollers who won millions also faced devastating losses, proving that baccarat is a game where fortunes can be made and lost in the blink of an eye.
