Brian Zembic is a skilled professional blackjack and Backgammon player but the bet that made him famous world wide has little to do with any casino game. As crazy as it might sound the bet involves his breast. For $100,000 he was willing to operate himself into the size of 38C which is a common number, for women. It wasn't the first time Zembic accepted an insane bet. With a reputation of having no limits the "breast-bet" didn't come as a great surprise to those who know him.
It all started when Zembic and a few of his gambling buddies discussed how it can be that women are willing to go under a knife just to please men. Zembic proclaimed that if he had breasts like a woman he would get all the attention too. This developed into an "I'll eat my hat" kind of bet in which Zembic would receive $100,000 if he had the operation and kept the breasts for a year. The terms for the bet were set down in what was to be called the "titty-tribunal" and it was decided that Zembic had to pay for the operation himself.
In his group of gambling friends there was a surgeon that carried out the actual operation and in one October afternoon Zembic went from being a normally built male to being one with a slight tilt forward. Zembic got out of having to finance the cost of the surgery by playing some Backgammon with the surgeon. Their wagering took care of the costs and Zembic could get his saline infusion for free.
Zembic outlasted the bet and more. The bet was made in 1997 and in 2005 he still hadn't gotten rid of them. Except for some problems when traveling with customs suspecting him of carrying explosives he seemed to be content with his lot. If forgetting for a moment about the discomfort of being a man with breast this might make some sense. The whole breast affair made him a lot of money. Not only did he win the set prize sum of $100,000 but he also wrote a book about it that certainly appealed to people's curiosity.
Zembic says he brings this book with him everywhere he goes. It serves as a way of explaining himself and it probably also works wonders when it comes to promotion. Today Zembic spends most of his time at home with his daughter. His does play online poker and ping pong and he also occupies himself with his skills as a magician. For payment he'll do a magician show but considering his background it is probably not the kind you'll order for your 5 year old's birthday party.
Where Zembic draws the line is hard to tell. His friends cancelled the bet of him living in a bathroom for a month for $14,000. For $7,000 he came out after 4 days to his more then shocked friends. One thing is for sure, this man is crazy about wild bets and that's what we will most likely hear about in the news.
Thomas Johnson