Win It or Die
Some money bets made while gambling or on particular actions turned out to be fatal. Of course, it was not the wager itself which killed people, but its consequences that ruined lives of thousands of reckless people.
Swimming the Rapids
Matthew Webb made a bet on swimming the Whirlpool Rapids at Niagara Falls in 1883. Before that, he successfully swam across the English Channel. He was in great physical shape and confident in himself – the whole world was quite impressed by his first swim! However, it appeared that he couldn’t do it – this bet cost Michael his life. It wasn't a matter of risking everything – the sum was not that big, after all, just $10,000. It was rather a pleasure, an unexplainable subconscious desire to make a breathtaking record.
William Kendal was a man with the same intention. He made a bet worth $1,000 in 1883, but he also couldn’t finish it. The man was rescued after being battered by the rapids – since he nearly faced death, he swore never to try this again, ever.
When Third Time Is Not a Charm
William Lee Bergstrom, known as The Suitcase Man (because he was carrying a suitcase packed with money) made a fortune on craps twice. He earned $777,000 and $538,000 in 1980 and 1984, respectively. However, he didn’t have the chance to enjoy the winnings to the fullest: in eight months, his beloved died, and Bergstrom made a reckless bet of one million dollars. One of the richest gamblers lost everything and committed suicide a couple of months later.
Fatal Party Bet
This incident happened at the party. A couple offered 5 dollars to guests for being punched in the face by a female. It took an unexpected turn for a raising rapper Flatboy. As a result of the punch, his neck artery was damaged, and he died later that day.
Body-Related Bets
t’s insane how many bets have been made on doing something naked or transforming your body in one way or another. Some of these cases became iconic and are represented in gambling-themed books.
Thrilling Forecast
Doria Tillier, an actress, model, and TV host, promised to appear on the forecast show completely naked if France made it to the World Cup in 2014. The premise wasn’t so unrealistic, and the team did make it. Doria delivered on the promises, and that forecast was a huge hit.
Butt Tattoo
Will Hirons bet on Andy Murray winning the Wimbledon in 2013. He earned money but also promised to make a tattoo of a tennis pro nowhere else but on a butt cheek.
Man’s Boobs
Brian Zembic is among the most notorious people in the gambling world. Once his friends challenged him to have breast implants in return for $100,000! He not only took the bet which required him wearing C-sized boobs for a year but left the implants seemingly forever, receiving money annually. This incident has made it to history, and it is depicted in a collection of short stories by Michael Konik.
Nothing Is Sacred for These People
Lots of couples make prankish bets or gamble together. Sometimes, it gets a bit unhealthy, or not even a bit.
Staking Wives
A Russian gambler Andrei Karpov was in a desperate position at the poker table and decided to put his wife on a stake. He lost her to Sergey Bodrov. The unexpected part of it was that a new couple eventually married. The wife admitted that her husband’s decision made her feel miserable, and she was sure about leaving him the moment he placed such a bet.
A similar story happened with Henry Dhabasani and Rashid Yiga. They made a bet on the football game: the former staked his house, and the latter put his car and his wife at risk. Rashid ended up the winner, but we can hardly say it was a decent win.
Dangerous Games
In 2013, a married couple, the Grants, once made a bet on the American football game. The husband supported the Green Bay Packers, while the wife was going for the Chicago Bears. What they agreed upon seemed like a bad joke – the bet was about using a taser (a type of electric-shock weapon) against the one who would lose. The wife didn’t take it seriously, but the husband actually tasered her, and he did this three times. Mrs. Grant could not help but call the police. Mr. Grant was charged for felony possession of such a weapon.
Just Some Strange Bets
Back in 1989, a man who lived in Wales put $50 for a five-fold accumulator claiming that certain things would last until 2000 – some soap operas would be still on air, U2 would be together, and Cliff Richard would be granted the status of a knight. Well, it all turned to be quite profitable – a small investment brought a man $320,000 in 2000.
In 2005 in London, an old man Arthur King-Robinson made a bet on his own death wanting to avoid an inheritance tax his wife would have faced. This is practically a perfect bet since the man had nothing to lose. A spokesman for bookmaker William Hill, which accepted the wager, said the situation was unique, and he was glad to know the man survived.
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