Zeljko Ranogajec, The Worlds Biggest Sports Gambler
Australian Zeljko Ranogajec global gambling operation x... With an annual turnover estimated at $1 billion, Ranogajec does not just restrict himself to horse racing, also betting on other sports and a flutter at the casino.
Zeljko Ranogajec Biography
This estimated billionaire is very secretive about his horse racing gambling, but racing industry insiders consider Zeljko Ranogajec to be the world's biggest racing gambler.
Zeljko,pronounced Jelko, is estimated to turn over $1billion a year in his professional gambling operation.
Ranogajec was born in Hobart, Australia in 1961, to Croatian immigrants, and originally studied to become a lawyer at the University of Tasmania. He then transferred to New South Wales, but was distracted by the lure of casinos.
Ranogajec’s blackjack skills have seen him inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame at the Barona Casino in San Diego, California.
In 1994, Ranogajec won a world record Keno jackpot of $ 7.5 million. Although he bet more than the $7.5 million jackpot that was on offer to win, Ranogajec’s accumulative win, including the minor prizes, plus the rebates he received, made the outlay beneficial for this professional gambler.
Like other racing king William Benter, Ranogajec’s gambling career started as a small time casino card counter at the Blackjack table. After becoming known by most of the east coast Australian casinos, and being politely refused service, he dropped out of university and turned his attention to horse racing.
Ranogajec’s gambling operation is not just limited to Australia. Horse racing industry insiders believe that he bets in profitable horse racing markets including Japan, England, Hong Kong, New Zealand and America.
With an estimated global annual betting spend of well over $1 billion, this Australian mathematics genius has come a long way from card counting at casinos, and is estimated to account for about 5% of the Australian racing pool turnover.
This gambling genius resides in Sydney Australia but likes to keep to himself.
This mystery man is thought to have offices in both Sydney and overseas, employing over 100 staff, including researchers to analyze the form, to keep his profitable gambling operation going.Further Reading on Zeljko Ranogajec
“Secretive Mr Big of betting”
HERALD SUN, February 13, 2010
“A former Hobart boy is said to be not only the biggest punter in Australia, but also the world.
Australia's most mysterious and elusive gambling figure is Zeljko Ranogajec.
The former Hobart man has come a long way from his days of being kicked out of Wrest Point Casino in the 1980s as a mathematics whizkid beating the casino at blackjack by keeping track of each card played.
Today it is believed he accounts for 6-8 per cent of Tabcorp's $10 billion Australian betting turnover or $600-800 million and bets tens of millions more with local bookmakers.” http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/02/13/127555_tasmania-news.html
“The world's biggest punter is Zeljko Ranogajec, and he's an Australian”
Nick Tabakoff, February 13, 2010 12:00AM
“Some call him the "Loch Ness Monster" because of his rare public sightings. Casinos have dubbed him "The Joker". High-profile racing industry figures say he is the biggest punter not only in Australia but in the world.
Meet Australia's most mysterious and elusive gambling figure: Zeljko Ranogajec, the man acknowledged even by sources close to the TAB to be, by some margin, its largest punter.
Those who know him well describe him as just a normal bloke and one relative says: "If you met him on the street, you would never think he's rich." Others describe him similarly as "polite" and "unassuming": descriptions that matched his demeanour when The Daily Telegraph finally caught up with him this week.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/the-worlds-biggest-punter-is-zeljko-ranogajec-and-hes-an-australian/story-e6freuy9-1225829857479
“Playing percentages all the way to a billion”
Max Presnell, The Sydney Morning Herald, August 14, 2009
This article looks at the strategy of the three biggest punters in the racing industry of all time: William Benter, Alan Woods and Zeljko Ranogajec. And how Benter, Woods and Ranogajec all make billions from horse racing.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/08/14/1249756405619.html?feed=fairfaxdigitalxml
Australia's Biggest Punter - Zeljko Ranogajec
Profile on Ranogajec:
http://www.racerate.com/Zeljko_Ranogajec.htm
Zeljko Ranogajec
Profile on betting method:
http://thegreattipoff.com/Engine/PTMC.cfm?Action=Legend&LegID=5
