Kerry Packer

Kerry Packer was Australia's richest man for many years. He was a media mogul who owned Channel Nine television network and 60% of the magazine market. He had interests in Pay TV, and in many other markets. He established his media empire in 1933 with Women's Weekly. He was able to expand his business beginning with newspapers like Sydney's Daily Telegraph after the success of Women's Weekly. Along with owning and controlling an empire, he was considered one of the great high rollers at the casinos. Kerry Packer was a well known gambler, and he seized control of Melbourne's Crown Casino when PBL started a takeover bid in December, 1998.

Kerry Packer in the Beginning

Kerry Packer said that he had a hard upbringing with his father. He was sent to boarding school at the age of five, and then caught polio one year later. He spent nine months in an iron lung that helped him to breathe. He didn't return to boarding school until the age of nine, when he was certainly behind his peers. He felt inferior academically, but was able to excel at sports. He finished school at the age of 19 and went to work for his father's newspapers. Kerry Packer eventually took over the business when his dad died in 1974.

Kerry Packer and the World Series Cricket

Kerry Packer did everything as high rollers do. He liked to win and to excel at whatever he did. When, in 1977, he couldn't get exclusive television rights to Sheffield and Test cricket, he simply made up his own teams with the greatest players in the world! He started World Series Cricket in this way. His greatest love was always polo, and Kerry Packer spent three months every year in England playing polo. He, of course, as high rollers do, spent millions of dollars on horses, stables and players for his own team. IN 1990, while playing polo, he nearly died and was revived by ambulance officers.

Kerry Packer Passes

In December of 2005, Kerry Packer passed away. He was one of the most amazing of the high rollers in every aspect of his life. He controlled a huge empire which ranged from magazines and television networks to ski resorts, rural properties and diamond exploration! He also invested in casinos, supermarket coupons and more. He was said to have a personal wealth of 6.9 billion dollars! He was listed in BRW magazine's list of Australia's most prodigious moneymakers. As high rollers go, Kerry Packer was definitely at the head of the pack of successful achievers in the casino world, and everywhere else!