Zeljko Ranogajec
Encyclopedia
Zeljko Ranogajec is a professional gambler from Australia, with an annual, global betting turnover that is claimed to be over $1 billion.
, Australia, in a family of Croatia
n immigrants. He was at the University of Tasmania
, studying for a degree at Commerce
and Law
, part of which included the study of tax, money and banking, when he started card counting at Blackjack
in the Wrest Point Casino, where he later also worked as a part-time employee. While working there, Ranogajec met his future wife and business partner, Shelley Wilson, who was a full-time employee. He subsequently transferred to the University of NSW in Sydney
, where he settled permanently.
Ranogajec eventually dropped out of his university studies to concentrate fully to advantage gambling.
Eventually, Ranogajec was banned from most casinos in Australia, starting with Wrest Point, the Jupiters Casino
on the Gold Coast
, and then, after he moved overseas, in the United States as well. Ranogajec, by that time, was already moving to other areas of advantage play, in any area of gambling where an advantage could be identified.
In 2011, Ranogajec was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame
.
jackpot at the leisure and entertainment complex North Ryde RSL Club, of New South Wales
, after reportedly betting "significantly more than $7.5 million" to win it but coming out ahead on account of the additional, smaller prizes awarded along the way to the jackpot.
, for significant rebates
on his bets. The latter has created controversy in the horse betting world, with many punters complaining about the alleged deal. A TabCorp spokesman stated, in response to the media reports, that the corporation "investigated the incidents" and found "no evidence of illegal activity", but reminded the betting public that "the offering of tote
-odds betting products by corporate bookmakers has inherent risks of pool manipulation [by large bettors]."
Ranogajec reportedly accounts for 6-8% of Australian bookmaker TabCorp’s $10 billion annual revenue.
Ranogajec has gradually organised an extensive network of spotters, analysts, bettors and administrators, directing activities from office space he is allegedly occupying in the Fox Sports
building at 235 Pyrmont Street, in Sydney's inner suburb of Pyrmont
. Gambling insiders claim that he employs directly or indirectly between 30 to more than 100 staff "just to analyse form".
The secrecy extends to his exact wealth, on which only speculations are being made, as he has never been mentioned in a "Richest Australians" list
. A reporter claims that he was able to contact a relative of Ranogajec from his father's side, who asked not to be named, and who told him that Ranogajec is a "multi-billionaire". The reporter ostensibly met Ranogajec in person, while the latter was in Mosman, and asked him if he was indeed the world's biggest punter
. Ranogajec supposedly replied "I believe that's absolutely untrue" and assured the reporter that all the talk about the magnitude of his betting and wealth is "all just a big exaggeration".
Introduction to advantage play
Ranogajec was born in HobartHobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, Australia, in a family of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n immigrants. He was at the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
, studying for a degree at Commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
and Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, part of which included the study of tax, money and banking, when he started card counting at Blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
in the Wrest Point Casino, where he later also worked as a part-time employee. While working there, Ranogajec met his future wife and business partner, Shelley Wilson, who was a full-time employee. He subsequently transferred to the University of NSW in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, where he settled permanently.
Ranogajec eventually dropped out of his university studies to concentrate fully to advantage gambling.
Blackjack
While he was playing blackjack, and according to professional blackjack players, Ranogajec was "one of the most prolific and innovative advantage players of all time". His starting bankroll was allegedly "a few hundred dollars", through which he won "millions".Eventually, Ranogajec was banned from most casinos in Australia, starting with Wrest Point, the Jupiters Casino
Conrad Jupiters
Jupiters Hotel and Casino was Queensland's first casino and hotel complex, which is located in the suburb of Broadbeach on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. The casino is situated next to the Nerang River and is operated by Echo Entertainment Group...
on the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
, and then, after he moved overseas, in the United States as well. Ranogajec, by that time, was already moving to other areas of advantage play, in any area of gambling where an advantage could be identified.
In 2011, Ranogajec was inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame
Blackjack Hall of Fame
The Blackjack Hall of Fame honors the greatest blackjack experts, authors, and professional players in history. It was launched in 2002, and its physical premises are in San Diego, California.-History:...
.
Keno
In 1994, Ranogajec reportedly won a $7.5 million KenoKeno
Keno is a lottery or bingo gambling game often played at modern casinos, and is also offered as a game in some state lotteries. A traditional live casino keno game uses a circular glass enclosure called a "bubble" containing 80 balls which determine the ball draw result. Each ball is imprinted...
jackpot at the leisure and entertainment complex North Ryde RSL Club, of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, after reportedly betting "significantly more than $7.5 million" to win it but coming out ahead on account of the additional, smaller prizes awarded along the way to the jackpot.
Horse racing
Ranogajec, according to insider accounts, deployed, for his horse betting activities, a strategy combined of specific factors: identifying betting opportunities with as high liquidity as possible, meaning betting pools with significant money being bet by the regular gambling public; deploying a "highly sophisticated betting system"; identifying small margins, on which he bets significant amounts of money; and, importantly, closing deals with bookmakers, including industry leader TabCorpTabcorp Holdings
Tabcorp Holdings is an Australian company with interests in gaming, wagering and related media. It was formed through the privatisation of the Victorian Totalisator Agency Board in 1994. The TAB ran all off-track betting on horse racing, greyhound racing, and harness racing in Victoria, as well...
, for significant rebates
Rebate (marketing)
A rebate is an amount paid by way of reduction, return, or refund on what has already been paid or contributed. It is a type of sales promotion marketers use primarily as incentives or supplements to product sales. The mail-in rebate is the most common...
on his bets. The latter has created controversy in the horse betting world, with many punters complaining about the alleged deal. A TabCorp spokesman stated, in response to the media reports, that the corporation "investigated the incidents" and found "no evidence of illegal activity", but reminded the betting public that "the offering of tote
Tote board
A tote board is a large numeric or alphanumeric display used to convey information, typically at a race track or at a telethon .The term "tote board" comes from the colloquialism for totalizator , the name for the automated...
-odds betting products by corporate bookmakers has inherent risks of pool manipulation [by large bettors]."
Ranogajec reportedly accounts for 6-8% of Australian bookmaker TabCorp’s $10 billion annual revenue.
Ranogajec has gradually organised an extensive network of spotters, analysts, bettors and administrators, directing activities from office space he is allegedly occupying in the Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...
building at 235 Pyrmont Street, in Sydney's inner suburb of Pyrmont
Pyrmont, New South Wales
Pyrmont is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Pyrmont is located 2 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Sydney...
. Gambling insiders claim that he employs directly or indirectly between 30 to more than 100 staff "just to analyse form".
Privacy
By most accounts, Ranogajec is secretive and does not give interviews. According to some reports, there could be some intentional confusion as to his real name, whereby he'd be using his wife's surname, registering as John Wilson for investment or gambling endeavors, .The secrecy extends to his exact wealth, on which only speculations are being made, as he has never been mentioned in a "Richest Australians" list
BRW Rich 200
The BRW Rich 200 is a list of Australia's two hundred wealthiest individuals and families, ranked by personal net worth. The list is released annually during May in a special issue of the Business Review Weekly, published by Fairfax Media....
. A reporter claims that he was able to contact a relative of Ranogajec from his father's side, who asked not to be named, and who told him that Ranogajec is a "multi-billionaire". The reporter ostensibly met Ranogajec in person, while the latter was in Mosman, and asked him if he was indeed the world's biggest punter
Punter
The word punter may refer to:* A speculator in the stock market* A gambler, particularly an amateur betting on horse racing or a player in the game of Baccarat* A beginner skier or snowboarder, especially one with particularly bad style...
. Ranogajec supposedly replied "I believe that's absolutely untrue" and assured the reporter that all the talk about the magnitude of his betting and wealth is "all just a big exaggeration".
External links
- TabCorp official website