In all, Johnson racked up about $15.1 million in blackjack winnings during a six-month span, although he acknowledged incurring some undisclosed losses along the way.

"I don't wear Kevlar," he said. "I'm not bulletproof. I do have some losses in between."

His huge wins capped a casino gambling career that started with him placing $25 bets at blackjack about 15 years ago. As he became more proficient, he transitioned into high-stakes wagering. At Tropicana last month, he was allowed to bet up to $100,000 a hand.

"That's the highest I've ever heard of," he said.

Johnson hardly fits the Hollywood image of a high roller. He is not decked out in Armani suits or Bruno Magli shoes. He does not drape himself in expensive jewelry. He dresses casually in sports attire, preferring sweatshirts, jeans, sneakers and baseball caps from casinos he's visited.

In one interview, he showed up wearing a throwback Wrigley Field Chicago sweatshirt and a blue Nike T-shirt. He was clad in an Oregon State Beavers sweatshirt for the second interview. He grew up on a farm in Oregon and maintains a second home there, in Salem.

By turning the tables on the casinos, Johnson destroyed the old adage that "the house always wins."