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Charles Deville Wells, the famous roulette player, did not cheat at casinos. At least, none of the gambling clubs where he played could prove it. However, he made a real splash in the gambling circles of that time when he repeatedly "broke the bank." We used the phrase in quotation marks for two reasons.
- Firstly, it has since become a set phrase.
- Secondly, in the case of Wells, it was not entirely consistent with reality.
Below, we will explain everything.
Bio of Charles Wells
Charles was born in 1841. In his childhood, he dreamed of wealth and fame, and when he grew up, he decided to fulfill his dream.
He skillfully pretended to be the inventor to get money and took loans for his products. He never invented anything and spent all the money on roulette.
What Does "Break the Bank" Mean?
And now to the beginning of the article and the phrase "break the bank at a casino." The first owner of the famous casino Monte Carlo was Francois Blanc. He introduced an exciting rule to attract customers to the vast winnings, perfect for advertising.
When at some table, all the chips passed into the hands of a lucky player (or group of players), they were not immediately replenished from the cash register, and the table was covered with a black cloth.
They said that the lucky gambler "broke the bank".
The game at this table continued only after some time when the new chips were added. This gave time to discuss what was happening to eyewitnesses, the envy of the winner, and spread the news of such a significant event in the city.
Charles Wells in Monte Carlo
So, in July 1891, Wells appeared in Monte Carlo with four thousand pounds in his pocket. He got money from investors; he promised to develop and produce the musical rope.
He played eleven times and "broke the bank" twelve times! The total amount of his winnings were more than a million francs!
It seemed that luck was for his outstanding debt, so it did not turn away from him. For example, there was evidence that at a particular stage of the game, twenty-three of the thirty were back to winning Charles.
In November of the same year, Wells came to Monte Carlo again. In remembering his past achievements, Casino management pestered him with private detectives, but nothing suspicious was detected. And Charles again won a million francs, frankly playing on Martingale. Now, it took him more than three days, though. The most memorable moment of his game series was five consecutive big wins with five rooms.
The fame spread worldwide, and in April 1892, the famous composer Fred Gilbert wrote the song "The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo." Of course, this only served to increase the popularity of Charles. He was in books and movies, and his very name became a brand and has acquired numerous speculations.
He began calling himself an engineer who invented a device that reduces fuel consumption in steamships. This allowed him to rediscover the unsuspecting investors who lent him the money because the money he had won was not enough.
In winter 1892, he again arrived in Monte Carlo, now on his yacht and accompanied by a beautiful girl. He still managed to break the bank six times, but in the end, he lost.
Bad Luck, Jail, and Death
As expected, this was followed by a black streak in the life of Wells.
He was arrested and sent to Britain, where he was put on fraud trial and sentenced to eight years.
After leaving prison, he paused briefly. Soon he was again accused of fraud and arrested for three years. Ultimately, he migrated to France, where he was caught in a financial scam, jailed for five years, and died in poverty in 1926.
Charles Wells was a pathetic con man who suddenly became wealthy and could not dispose of his wealth wisely. However, for gamblers who believe in his lucky star, he will always be the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo.
