McIngvale had placed a number of bets adding up to aroundR$10m on the Astros to take the World Series, which meant he netted $75m when Houston closed out the championship with victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Minute Maid Park. The sum is believed to be the largest payout in the history of sports betting.

1. Harry Kakavas: AlmostR$1 Billion. The biggest loss on this list goes to Harry Kakavas, an Australian real estate agent who made a fortune selling properties on the Gold Coast. Unfortunately for Kakavas, the more success he found as a real estate agent, the more he lost betting at the casinos.