Harry Newman, one of the key players for English club Leeds Rhinos, won more than $3,500 at a Las Vegas casino just days before facing reigning world champions Hull KR in Super League. A straight-up bet on his lucky number 19 at the roulette table turned an ordinary stroll down the famous Fremont Street into a story that made headlines across the rugby world.
Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR at an arena in the middle of the desert
The match between Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR takes place on Saturday evening at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders. The event is part of a joint weekend featuring the English Super League and the Australian NRL, which for the second year running has brought the best rugby league clubs together in America’s most spectacular city. For English rugby league, this kind of trip remains unprecedented in terms of scale and media coverage.
For Newman, the upcoming clash with the reigning world champions carries particular weight. The centre holds a key position in Leeds’s attacking scheme, and the coaching staff are counting on him as one of the main figures in the attacking line.
How a walk down Fremont Street led to a jackpot
The Leeds Rhinos players spent several days in Las Vegas before the start of the gaming weekend, and the city’s atmosphere clearly set the tone for the trip. Fremont Street, the legendary strip in the old part of the city with its light shows and street performers, was the starting point for Newman’s casino adventure.
“I put $50 on 19 and it came in”
Newman told Love Rugby League how it all happened.
“Basically, I went into a casino after we’d had a walk around Fremont Street, which is just absolutely fantastic, by the way.”
“I’ve got a tattoo of my lucky number 19 on my ankle, so I decided to put $50 straight up on it at roulette. And it came in. So I won about two grand, then ran it up to three and a half. Walked away last night with $3,500. Not a bad day, I have to say!”
The maths of luck is pretty impressive. A $50 bet at a 35-to-1 payout brought in around $1,750, and Newman then kept playing and nearly doubled his initial winnings before wisely stepping away from the table.
Avid gambler or complete newcomer?
Newman himself admitted he doesn’t consider himself an avid gambler, but noted that among his rugby league colleagues, gambling has long been part of the culture. Particularly, he said, in Australia and New Zealand, where many NRL players and those in local leagues regularly spend time betting and visiting casinos.
We decided to look into this observation and examined several industry resources from the top of search results in those regions. The picture checked out: gambling in Australia and Oceania is indeed enormously popular, but in recent years activity has shifted noticeably online. The reason is simple: accessibility, a wide choice of games, and an abundance of promotions. A particular role is played by various no-deposit bonuses — offers that allow players to try gambling with a lower financial threshold, attracting both newcomers and experienced players alike. As experts from one industry portal noted, the introduction of such bonuses has pushed online gambling even further into the spotlight. Paradoxically, the popularity of land-based casinos is also growing against the backdrop of the expanding iGaming industry. And it’s fair to say that the average player has never been more of a newcomer than they are today.
As for Newman, live roulette on Fremont Street proved far more thrilling than any digital equivalent, and the main prize remains Saturday’s match at Allegiant Stadium.
From a personal jackpot to team spirit
Newman’s win was just one part of the broader positive atmosphere that surrounded the Leeds Rhinos camp throughout the week. Several players from the club publicly noted that the trip to Vegas had been one of the most memorable experiences of their careers.
Jamie Jones-Buchanan called the week in Vegas one of the best of his life
Leeds Rhinos chief executive Jamie Jones-Buchanan made no attempt to hide his emotions in an interview with Sky Sports.
“I’ve seen a lot in my life, and there hasn’t been a single day when I haven’t felt grateful to be part of this game. But this week has been one of the best. Today is game day, the most important part of the whole trip, and I’m absolutely buzzing with anticipation.”
He singled out Fremont Street as a personal highlight and raised the question of how to hold on to that momentum and bring the energy back to Great Britain.
“I always look for meaning and lessons in everything, but I came here with an open mind. It’s like Superman’s imagination exploded in the middle of the desert. We need to grab hold of that and keep it.”
Vegas as a showcase for English rugby across the Atlantic
The Leeds Rhinos versus Hull KR match on Saturday evening at Allegiant Stadium promises to be the centrepiece of the weekend. For the second season running, Las Vegas is hosting English Super League games alongside the NRL, and the format is increasingly establishing itself as the premier international showcase for rugby league in the United States.
