ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / NEWS

Man bet entire life savings and sold everything he owned on a single roulette spin: "I picked red..."

He made a whopping $195,000, doubling his life savings in under a minute.
PUBLISHED NOV 6, 2024
Representational photo of two men playing Russian Roulette | Cover Image Source: Getty Images | William Thomas Cain
Representational photo of two men playing Russian Roulette | Cover Image Source: Getty Images | William Thomas Cain

It's hard to imagine someone risking all their life savings on a single roulette spin, but that's exactly what Ashley Revell did. He took a gamble that most of us wouldn't even consider. Revell sold his home, his entire wardrobe, and everything he ever owned to gamble $97,500 at the Plaza Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas.

This rare incident was showcased in the Sky One reality show "Double or Nothing" and viewers were more than happy to help him make a decision over whether to go with red or black. "It was just… pleading that I’d pick[ed] it and that it would come in red," he told CNN at the time.



 

“Before I actually walked up to the wheel, I was thinking about putting it on black, and then suddenly the guy was spinning the ball around and all the Sky viewers said … they [had] voted that I should put it on red," he added. Eventually, he decided to put it all on red. “But … I was just pleading that it would come in and I’d get lucky this time. What I was really worried about was that I’d lose and my parents would be upset and my family would, you know, all my friends would be upset," he said.

Ashley revealed that his father was totally against the idea, as any parent would. The dad said that he was a "naughty" and a "bad boy" and advised him against the decision. "So, you know, I think most all dads are just concerned, and he’s seeing all my friends being married off and having kids and stuff, and he’s like any father, he just wants me to settle down and make sure I’m secure," Ashley said in the interview.



 

All his doubts vanished when his daring move doubled the money. Revell made a whopping $195,000, doubling his life savings in under a minute. Needless to say, his daring feat soon became a viral hit across the globe, so much so that it inspired another reality show, "Red or Black." After the win, he was greeted with a bottle of champagne from his family.

"It was just wicked. I can't describe my feelings going through that. It has just been a complete sort of roller coaster ride. First, it's on, then it's off," he said about his decision to bet his entire life savings.  

Image Source: Getty Images | William Thomas Cain
Image Source: Getty Images | William Thomas Cain

As per reports, Revell spent some of the cash on a cross-Europe motorbike trip, where he ended up meeting his future wife. Fifteen years after the big win, Revell returned to Las Vegas where the hotel commemorated the win and its new single zero roulette table with a promotional free chip to players.

Ashley was an avid poker player all his life, so he set up his online poker site, pokerutd.com shortly after his trip to Vegas. However, he later shut it down because of unknown reasons. He then moved on to start a recruitment agency for gambling companies, as per Roulette Star. However, it's safe to say that he is still very much in the gambling world.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
Grant Cerwin sent an email to Craig Jelinek asking if Costco could donate one of the famous 93-inch teddy bears for his middle school fundraiser in LA.
8 hours ago
The man said that his girlfriend often tosses clothes into the washing machine without checking their pockets.
17 hours ago
The A-list actor was extremely happy with the food and blessed her and her family.
19 hours ago
The video has gone viral and people are responding with their own scary experiences at ATMs.
20 hours ago
The organization asked Simmons' employers to send a deserving candidate and they nominated her.
21 hours ago
A "gift from God," Otha Anders started collecting pennies after he found one lying on the ground.
1 day ago
Perks of the job also include year-long subscriptions for all major streaming services.
1 day ago
The TikToker turned out to be a philanthropist who has dedicated his life to make dreams come true.
1 day ago
The parents were surprised when they found a note written in response to the child's gesture.
1 day ago
The woman got an email that looked authentic with the transaction platform's logo at first.
2 days ago
The child was putting items in the shopping cart but then suddenly started unloading it.
2 days ago
The man was finally able to pay off his debt and spend time with his family in Florida after years.
2 days ago
The guest got emotional since the family hadn't seen much wealth for generations.
3 days ago
Apart from the hip-hop legend, NBA star Kyrie Irving was another celebrity among the donors.
3 days ago
Jaime Siminoff, whose pitch was rejected by all but one shark, walked out without a deal. He returned to the show as a millionaire investor.
4 days ago
Actor Charlie Sheen is most known for his role on syndicated tv show 'Two and a Half Men.' How much are reruns paying him?
5 days ago
Others commented sharing their own experiences with salespeople pestering them.
5 days ago
The woman said that Jelly Roll's music had inspired her to overcome bullying and alcoholism.
5 days ago
Jaden became the youngest millionaire in the history of e-sports after his performance at the tournament.
6 days ago
The woman had been struggling financially as her parents were old and she had to care for the toddler.
6 days ago