Nick Dandolos

Nick Dandolos or Nick the Greek was what one refers to as a well-rounded gambler and remains synonymous with gambling to this day. This professional gambler and high roller was born in 1883 in Crete and came from wealthy parents. He earned a degree in philosophy, and at the age of 18, he was sent to the USA and settled in Chicago until he eventually relocated to Montreal. It’s at this time he started gambling on horses where he won $500 000 on horse racing, and then lost it as quickly as he had won it. Nick, the Greek, then decided to move back to Chicago and take up gambling seriously.

Nick’s Gambling Career

Nick the Greek was a card and dice playing connoisseur and was a master of bluffing. He soon became a celebrity at Chicago clubs as he bet big, and this was when a legend was born. He was friends with Frank Sinatra, Telly Savalas and Aristotle Onassis.

Once he lost $1.6 million to a dice game in New York that lasted 12 days. At another event, he left with $500 000 after a seven-hour poker game. Nick then moved to Nevada when gambling was legalised in 1931, and the casinos in sin city became his playgrounds.

Nick was invited to play Johnny Moss by Binion, the owner of the Horseshoe Casino. Binion, of course, took advantage of this by promoting the two Poker giants competition which lasted five months. The game was exhausting, and the two only took breaks to eat and sleep. Day after day, thousands changed hands until finally Nick was penniless having lost $4 million, so he stood up and said: “Mr Moss, I will have to let you go.” This memorable battle gave birth to the World Poker Series.

Nick died broke, however during his life he donated roughly $20 million to charity. He passed away on Christmas Day of 1966 after a poker game, how befitting to a great gambler.

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