Have you ever heard of a gambler who had such a fantastic beginning in the world of gambling that he gained almost immediate recognition, only to lose so much money that he became an outcast in the industry?
Is it possible that there is someone who has had such terrible luck?
One individual in particular, Anargyros Karabourniotis, commonly known as Archie Karas, has a history that tends to stand out more than the rest of the cases, and this is because gambling has been known to bring both highs and lows to the lives of many individuals over the course of many years.
Archie understood from an early age that he wanted to be a gambler for the rest of his life. He had no interest in pursuing any other career. Archie, an immigrant from Greece, was born into a family that struggled financially and never had much of anything. He had a clear understanding from an early age that he did not want to lead that kind of life, and as a result, he worked to alter the course of his life. Archie’s career as a gambler began when he and his father, who he did not have a very good relationship with, often found themselves in conflict with one another.
Archie, in contrast to the vast majority of other gambling greats, has, during the course of his career, found himself in a very perilous position. As a result, he has decided to retire from the gaming industry, which he cherished so much.
The Initial Years
Antypata, which is located on the island of Kefalonia in Greece, is the place where Archie Karas was born on November 1st, 1950.
He did not come from an affluent family and had a somewhat difficult childhood because of this. His mother was a stay-at-home parent and didn’t have a job of any kind throughout her life. During the time that Archie’s father was away working in construction, she looked after Archie and his siblings.
Archie and his father have a contentious relationship from the very beginning. This provided Archie with an alibi for leaving the home and spending time away from his father in order to engage in activities that he found enjoyable.
The circumstances of the family meant that they often had to go without food since they were unable to afford it. Because of this, Archie felt compelled to assist his family and look for methods to bring in more income so that everyone would have something to eat. His first plan was to compete in a game of marble shooting with the children in the neighborhood in order to earn their money. He was skilled at the activity and would in most cases come out on top. It was in this setting that he first began developing his talents as a gambler.
The tension that had been building up between Archie and his father finally came to a head in 1965, when Archie was 15 years old. Archie and his father got into a disagreement while they were working together on a construction project, and the disagreement swiftly became physical when Archie’s father threw a shovel at his head.
This was more than Archie could take, so he decided to leave both the mansion and the country of Greece and start a new life somewhere. He found employment as a waiter on a cruise liner, where he remained employed for the subsequent two years until he made the decision to abandon ship while on a vacation in Portland, Oregon.
After arriving in the United States, Archie made the decision that he wanted to remain there. After hitchhiking all the way from Portland to Los Angeles, where he eventually found work as a server, he began his career as a gambler at the bowling alley that was located just next door to his place of employment.
Bets or wagers
After he moved to the United States, his gambling really took off and became a major part of his life.
After each day of work, Archie would often find himself spending time with his colleagues at the local bowling alley. The bowling alley’s rear area had pool tables, as well as a few poker tables, and was open to the public.
Archie, who had just recently disembarked the ship, had a limited command of the English language and had never previously participated in any of these activities. It didn’t take him long to figure out any of the games, and he quickly developed incredible ability at both. When Archie was 19 years old, he made a solemn vow that he would never again have a legitimate employment position.