132:, graduating in 1969. Majoring in electrical engineering, he enrolled at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, in fall 1969. Bergstrom, who enjoyed aviation, became a private pilot, and worked as a waiter at a local restaurant in Lubbock, often working till late at night prior to returning to his dorm room at Weymouth Hall on the Texas Tech campus. In Spring of 1971, Bergstrom departed Texas Tech and attended the
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Bergstrom never recovered from his million-dollar loss and committed suicide on
February 4, 1985, by swallowing pills. Despite this, the reason for his suicide remains unknown. Friends and family believed that he was not broke at the time of his death and still had $ 647,000.
171:. The shooter established a point of six, then made a seven two rolls later, resulting in a $ 777,000 win for Bergstrom. Binion helped Bergstrom stack his winnings into the empty suitcase. According to
120:, which he won. Bergstrom returned to the Horseshoe three years later in 1984 and placed several additional bets, including a $ 1 million bet ($ 2.93 million present-day value) which he lost.
136:, but he dropped out in 1974. His brother Alan Bergstrom described their childhood as marred. Their parents were divorced, and Bill constantly desired the respect and affection of his father.
175:, Bergstrom had borrowed most of the money for the bet and intended to commit suicide if he lost. Instead, he won and traveled the world for several years before returning on March 24, 1984.
189:, and $ 310,000 in cashier's checks. Again, Bergstrom bet the Don't Pass. This time, the shooter threw a seven on the come-out roll, resulting in a loss for Bergstrom.
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had a policy of honoring a bet of any size if it was the player's first bet at the casino. Bergstrom, who remained anonymous at the time, placed the full amount on the
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known for placing the largest bet in casino gambling history at the time, amounting to $ 777,000 ($ 2.87 million present-day amount) at the
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Then, on
November 16 he returned and placed a $ 1,000,000 bet with a suitcase filled with $ 550,000 in cash, $ 140,000 in gold
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On his second visit, Bergstrom placed a $ 538,000 bet, again on a single roll of dice. He won again, took his mother to a
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His note suggested his suicide was triggered by a breakup with a man 10 years his junior.
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312:"Biggest Bets Ever Placed – Sports Betting Picks from Sport Information Traders"
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lore and has inspired awards and prize giveaways throughout Las Vegas.
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with two suitcases: one containing $ 777,000 in cash, the other empty.
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show, and won an additional $ 117,000 on three more craps bets.
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292:"Texan Who Lost $ 1 Million on Dice Roll Kills Himself"
327:"Million-Dollar Gambler Commits Suicide, Broke at End"
264:"'Phantom Gambler' chose to die rather than be alone"
139:After dropping out Bergstrom made a living selling
128:Bergstrom was born in Austin, Texas, and attended
100:(1951 – February 4, 1985), commonly known as
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151:On September 24, 1980, Bergstrom arrived at
270:. St. Petersburg, Florida: Tampa Bay Times
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364:"The Suitcase Man $ 5,000,000 Giveaway"
350:"The Ups and Downs of the Suitcase Man"
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418:20th-century American LGBTQ people
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413:Drug-related suicides in Nevada
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143:and owning property in Texas.
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262:Montaigne, Fen (1985-04-09).
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209:Bergstrom's story remains in
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348:Mark Pilarski (2006-02-24).
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398:People from Austin, Texas
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153:Binion's Horseshoe Casino
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70:Suicide by drug overdose
408:LGBTQ people from Texas
268:The Evening Independent
98:William Lee Bergstrom
33:William Lee Bergstrom
23:William Lee Bergstrom
352:. Casino City Times.
337:on October 27, 2021.
134:University of Texas
66:Cause of death
130:Austin High School
403:American gamblers
366:. Harrah's. 2009.
297:Los Angeles Times
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88:Years active
79:Real estate agent
58:Las Vegas, Nevada
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118:Horseshoe Casino
102:The Suitcase Man
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272:. Retrieved
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233:List of bets
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161:Benny Binion
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393:1985 deaths
383:1951 births
187:Krugerrands
141:real estate
114:high roller
377:Categories
274:2014-03-03
239:References
173:Ted Binion
124:Early life
211:Las Vegas
157:Las Vegas
217:See also
147:Gambling
108:, was a
110:gambler
82:Gambler
205:Legacy
60:, U.S.
42:, U.S.
193:Death
169:craps
112:and
48:Died
36:1951
29:Born
167:in
155:in
104:or
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