I Suddenly Became Rich, But I Have No Idea How to Spend the Money

From Hong Kong to Macau, high-speed ferries depart at least once an hour, making it a popular day-trip destination for tourists visiting Hong Kong.

Thanks to this convenience, travelers arriving by plane can transfer directly at the airport and take a ferry to Macau without much hassle.

After disembarking from my flight, I headed straight to the Hong Kong International Airport Ferry Terminal, boarded the high-speed ferry, and before long, I finally set foot in Macau.

The total travel time from Las Vegas, including layovers, was about 20 hours.

However, since I spent most of that time comfortably sleeping in a first-class cabin, the journey didn’t feel much more exhausting than a bullet train ride.

“Well, here I am in Macau…”

The cityscape of Macau was far more vibrant and beautiful than what I had known from mere knowledge.

Pulling my favorite Rimowa suitcase behind me, I exited the ferry terminal and hailed a taxi, deciding to head straight to my hotel.

“To The Ritz-Carlton Macau, please.”

“Certainly.”

The reply to my somewhat rough American English came back in fluent British English—the so-called Queen’s English.

I was a bit taken aback but quickly reminded myself that Hong Kong had been a British territory until not too long ago. Still, I wasn’t particularly fond of that refined style of speech, and inwardly, I felt a slight sense of irritation.

Upon arriving at The Ritz-Carlton Macau, I was already used to the routine. Without any hesitation, I greeted the doorman and headed to the front desk on the 51st floor.

“I don’t have a reservation, but do you have any available rooms?”

“Hello, and welcome to The Ritz-Carlton. Yes, we do have rooms available. What type of room would you prefer?”

“Anything is fine. Just give me your recommended room.”

All rooms at The Ritz-Carlton exceed 80 square meters, placing it among the most luxurious hotels in Macau, both in terms of quality and price.

Knowing this, I deliberately asked for their recommendation.

“In that case, how about our Carlton Club Suite? As the name suggests, it is a suite room, and it also includes access to the Club Lounge, offering both excellent views and convenience.”

“That sounds good. I’ll take it. I’d like to stay for two nights. How much would that be?”

“Thank you. If paying in cash, the total for two nights, including a deposit, would be 20,000 HKD.”

“About 400,000 yen, huh…”

Without hesitation, I paid using my Bank of America debit card. A bellboy took my luggage, and I headed to my room.

After receiving a thorough room orientation, I was absolutely thrilled.

“Lucky me, it has a shower toilet! The bathroom is entirely made of marble—no complaints there! Plus, there’s a guest room. This is the best!”

I placed my nearly full suitcase in the luggage space inside the walk-in closet, changed into my lucky outfit, and immediately set off for an evening of entertainment.

The Ritz-Carlton Macau is located within the integrated resort, Galaxy Macau.

I had debated whether to stay at The Ritz-Carlton or its competitor, JW Marriott Macau. But in the end, I was drawn to the prestigious Ritz-Carlton name, deciding that if it didn’t meet my expectations, I would switch to the JW Marriott instead.

As I left my room, I contemplated where to grab a meal. The enticing aromas of high-end hotel cuisine were tempting, but I decided to save the luxury dining for after a win and steeled my resolve.

As I passed through the lobby floor and exited the entrance, I spotted a café nearby.

However, I thought to myself, “Cafés exist in Japan too. If I’m in Macau, I should go for Portuguese cuisine.” So, I headed to GOSTO, the most popular restaurant in Galaxy Macau (according to my research).

Once inside GOSTO, I informed the staff that I was dining alone and told them to bring me whatever they recommended. Soon, I was served sautéed shrimp and seafood risotto, and I indulged in the flavors.

An impromptu dance performance took place, adding to the lively atmosphere, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying the experience.

“From here on, it’s my time to shine!”

With that inexplicable thought, I made my way to the casino.

My ultimate goal was to compete at Sky Casino, but first, I needed to increase my funds.

My current holdings were:
Around 80,000 HKD, converted from the 10,000 USD I had brought.
The hotel expenses had been withdrawn from my Bank of America account, which contained the winnings from Las Vegas, so my on-hand capital remained unchanged.

I set my goal for the night: increase my funds to 500,000 HKD. To get started, I asked a GOSTO staff member for casino recommendations.

“This isn’t Las Vegas—it’s an integrated resort. There aren’t multiple casinos; there’s just one big casino where everyone plays. Of course, VIPs are a different story.”

“Oh, I see! Thanks for the info!”

No wonder I hadn’t been able to figure out how to get to a casino despite Macau’s reputation. I headed to the one I was directed to.

After successfully finding the casino entrance, I presented my ID, registered for a membership card, and finally stepped into the gaming floor.

Although I had been treated as a VIP in Las Vegas, at Galaxy Macau’s casino, I was just another regular player.

So, I decided to start on the general floor and gradually build up my bankroll.

Following my usual Las Vegas protocol, I converted my entire bankroll into chips and sat down at a baccarat table.

Baccarat is a simple game where players bet on either the “Player” or the “Banker”—whichever hand comes closest to 9 wins. The simplicity of doubling one’s bet makes it popular among high rollers. While roulette is considered the “Queen of the Casino” in Europe, in Asian casinos, baccarat reigns as the “King.”

Once I started playing, I experienced a cycle of wins and losses. But with the power of my Rolex, I steadily climbed the ranks in this high-stakes doubling game, racking up 100,000 HKD in winnings in no time.

The key is to lose small and win big.

Within an hour, I had already amassed 200,000 HKD.

Once you reach this level, the snowball effect takes over:

100,000 becomes 200,000. 200,000 becomes 400,000. 400,000 becomes 500,000, then 900,000, then 1.7 million, then 3 million!

Before I knew it, in just a few hours, I had won the equivalent of 60 million yen.

A crowd had gathered around me.

Just as I was about to place my next bet, a casino manager approached.

“Sir, given the presence of other guests, might I suggest moving to the VIP floor? We’ve already arranged a seat for you.”

Remembering that Hitomi had told me to take as much as possible, I accepted the offer.

Long story short, I went wild in the VIP room as well, to the point where the manager asked for my name.

“My name is Akira Kirishima. I’m currently on a casino tour.”

“T-the Demon of Las Vegas…”

What a ridiculously lame nickname… I immediately knew where it had come from—Daniel. Who else?

I figured word would reach him soon enough. Looking at the towering stacks of chips I had won, I smirked.

After my nerve-wracking battles in Las Vegas, my resolve had only strengthened. In this exponential game of baccarat, I had won approximately 100 million HKD.

“Well, some CEO apparently lost over 10 billion, so this much should be fine.

…Though filing taxes in Japan is going to be a pain.”

My sense of money was already becoming numb.