Would you sit in a glass booth for days to win $500,000? The latest Mr. Beast video pits 100 people against each other, ages one through 100. It’s a great video watched by over 50 million people in one day, including me!
The lucrative world of gambling livestreams
Losing it all at the casino isn’t something to brag about … unless you do it for a living!
Gambling guru Brian Christopher lost a staggering $300,000 on slot machines last year but somehow came out on top. How did he do it? Through building an empire out of livestreaming his gambling adventures.
Thousands of fans tune in to YouTube daily to see how much Christopher will win (or lose). Regardless of how much the house takes from him, he’s still a winner.
Teach me your ways
How in the world does one build a lucrative business out of playing a game of chance? Christopher recently spilled the secrets of his success to the Wall Street Journal.
Throughout the week, Christopher heads to the casino and hops on slot machines, bringing his YouTube and Facebook audiences along for the ride. He livestreams himself playing games and walking through the process, which includes the good, bad and sometimes ugly reality of losing.
In the past, casinos banned people from filming while they visited. However, they’ve recently changed their minds, especially with influencers. Christopher and other gambling livestreamers often get special permission to shoot footage. Casinos also offer promotional deals to gambling influencers — cha-ching!
The business of betting
Christopher’s business currently consists of 10 employees who do everything from packaging and shipping merchandise to running his busy social media accounts. The team also helps secure sponsorship deals and partnerships to fund the venture.
He also has an assistant and a videographer on staff who help with filming and video production. Christopher games online from his home in Palm Springs when he’s not at a casino.
Plus, Christopher offers cruise voyages through a partnership with Carnival. Upwards of 650 fans join him aboard and try their hand at the cruise ship slot machines. He’s got even bigger plans next year, with trips departing in multiple U.S. locations and Australia.
Although he didn’t disclose an exact number, Christopher says he makes enough dough to pay his staff and turn a profit, even after claiming $300,000 in gambling losses. Not too shabby!
2023, when even the volcanoes livestream
YouTube has it all: A capybara eating an entire watermelon, Mr. Beast giving away puppies, my show and a massive volcano erupting in real time.
Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, is on the Big Island of Hawaii. It’s been erupting constantly since 1983. Sometimes things are low-key. Right now, not so much.
Nice one for YouTubers: The new Thumbnail Test & Compare lets YouTube creators publish a new video (or update an existing one) and show three thumbnails evenly across viewers. You’ll get back data about which one drew the most watch time and engagement. Fun fact: Mr. Beast spends up to $10,000 per thumbnail to get them just right.
1,000 deaf people hear for the first time
Deaf people heard their loved ones again thanks to YouTuber Mr. Beast. They used $3 million worth of cutting-edge hearing aid tech. You have to see this. Bet you’ll cry.