Ashley Revell: One Lucky Spin

Posted: June 4, 2020

Updated: June 4, 2020

I guess that deep down we all like to think of ourselves as willing to take a bit of a risk once in a while. Yeah, we're really daring in our sad and normy lives. Not! Any risks are really just fantastic extensions of our pathetic imaginations, and the only way we really live them is by going to the cinema and pretending we're the hunky star, righting wrongs whilst hanging upside down from a soon to be crashing helicopter. how often have you really stepped out from your cocooned comfort zone and done something where the risk is real? Enter Ashley Revell stage right...

Image source: Minxymoggy / CC BY-SA via Wikimedia Commons

Introduction: Ashley Revell

This guy, Ashley Revell, really did risk everything he owned on a single spin of the roulette wheel in Las Vegas. In the time it takes for the ball to fly around the rim and drop onto a number all the stars became aligned, all the Gods steadied the wheel and let the ball fall into either a red or black. And just as he’d predicted, the ball came to rest on the red, and in the blink of an eye, he had doubled his money. That’s a real man!

Ashley Revell: Sitting at the Bar

The story began as many do, whilst sitting with friends at a bar. The conversation was about how great it would be to go to Las Vegas and bet everything on the roulette table. The next morning, when most normal people would simply smile at the idea as they were brushing their teeth, he decides that there was something to this idea. His profession was as a poker player and he was pretty successful at it. Never the less, he was young, free, and single. He had no children and no real obligations. This was the freest he might find himself in life. There might never be another chance to pursue such an idea. As you can imagine, his parents tried their best to talk him out of this crazy endeavor.

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A Very Determined Young Man

But deep down he knew it was now or never. Undeterred by family and friends he set about getting rid of all the unnecessary things he had in his life. All those foolish luxuries we buy to make ourselves feel better. The nice watch and fast car. It all went. The more expensive items he auctioned and the rest he sold, even holding a garage sale for the smaller items. All told, he ended up with around $135,000 in cash. A UK bookmaker also stepped in to help add some more cash to the pile and as a result, Ashley changed his surname to Blue Square Revell. The whole effort took six months. Now it was time to head over to the States and go visit the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ashley Revell: The Spin

Ashley Revell hired a tuxedo and, along with his parents and friends in tow, made his way to the gaming floor. The manager chatted with him and asked if he was certain in his desire to wager all his life’s savings on a single spin of the roulette wheel. After being wished good luck and shaking hands, the manager stepped back, allowing the croupier to do his job. Just before the ball was thrown, Ashley declared the “red” would be his lucky color. He later claimed that he had no idea what color he would pick up until the very last moment. The ball seemed to take forever spinning around the rim. Then it dropped only to bounce around wildly. And finally, it settled and Ashley Revell could see the result as the wheel slowed.

Just the One Spin Thank you

And there it was, In a matter of moments he increased his saving to $270,000. Ashley Revell’s win was broadcast across the UK. Afterward, he said, “That was the most amazing experience I have ever had in my entire life.” No kidding! But he was realistic about it all, saying, “… it was a mad thing to do. And I’m thinking back now about what would have happened if I lost. I’d have had nothing to go back to, nothing to wear. But I’d still have my friends, my family, and they’d always be there for me. So they gave me the security to be able to do this.” But the young an was no fool. He called it a night after just the one spin, not wanting to tempt the Gods again.

Ashley Revell: Non Materialistic Life

On his return home, Ashley Revell didn’t fall into the usual trappings of a winner. He found that he was happier with less. Selling everything taught him the value of experience over things. Before this adventure, he had a lot of unnecessary “things” in his life that really had no true value. He wanted to focus on making memories. After buying himself a motorcycle, he set off touring around Europe. And then whilst in Holland, he met his future wife. They are now happily married with a couple of kids.

You can watch the spin here: