Gambling Interview – Archie Karas (Soft White Underbelly)

Introduction

Soft White Underbelly interviews Archie Karas, a gambler who came to Las Vegas in 1995 with $50 and turned it into 40 million in three years from gambling, only to lose it all in three weeks [Taken from YT description]. Archie passed away at the age of 73 in 2024.

They also have a massive playlist of almost 1000 videos featuring interviews with people discussing their experiences with addiction and homelessness.

Additional Interviews With Gamblers: Byron, Dan Trolaro, Daniel, Don, Joe, Mikki Mase, Pippi, Saul

Quotes

“You have to understand something, money means nothing to me. I don’t value it. I had all the material thing I can ever want, everything. The things that I want money can’t buy – freedom, love, happiness and health, especially health. I don’t care about money so I have no fear. I don’t care if I lose it. That’s what made me a great gambler, I guess.”

“I spent all my life in casinos and finally last year I paid the price … I was diagnosed with an aneurysm in the head from all the pressure and all that from the ups and downs from gambling.”

“I had $50 when I got to Vegas, but you know gamblers, they borrow from each other, they lend money. So I borrowed $10,000 and went up to $30,000 … then I got it up to millions.”

“It was very stressful, the casinos didn’t like it. They were trying to beat me and I was trying to beat them and then it was a war between me and the casinos … I ended up being arrested and they accused me with a bunch of things … it was a horrible experience.”

“Gamblers enjoy both, both winning and losing. You get a fix by losing … when you win, it’s like the cocaine of gambling.”

“My life was in danger at all times … the casinos don’t like to get beat … it’s not a good life. It happened to be my life, I didn’t plan it, it just happened.”

“Money is overrated. It’s horrible that you cannot live without money. But all the big crimes is behind money.”