: Their journey back across the border, evading both federal agents and potential killers, was later chronicled in the book The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told . The Heating Engineer’s £1.5 Million Miracle

In 2011, , a 61-year-old heating engineer, experienced what many call the ultimate stroke of luck.

: They unknowingly placed the wager with bookmakers linked to a drug cartel. When Winning Colors defied the odds to become one of the few fillies to win the Derby, the men had to figure out how to collect their winnings without getting killed.

One of the most legendary figures in horse racing is , a physics dropout who applied advanced mathematics to the track. Benter moved to Hong Kong and developed a computer model that analyzed over 130 variables for every horse in every race.

: Against all logic, Lupita won, completing Whiteley's six-race accumulator and turning his £2 into £1.45 million . Fast Facts: Famous Wagering Feats

: In 2001, Benter's model correctly predicted the "Triple Triple" at Happy Valley—a jackpot requiring the bettor to pick the top three finishers in three specific races.

A gripping true story involves three gamblers—Miami Paul, Dino Mateo, and Big Bernie—who bet everything on a filly named for the 1988 Kentucky Derby.

The world of horse betting is filled with "hard-luck" stories and legendary windfalls, ranging from high-tech algorithmic wins to raw, cinematic luck. The Algorithm that Conquered Hong Kong