The world of poker has more than its fair share of ghost stories. But none is quite as chilling as that of William Mackenzie.

It might not be as well known as the tale of the Dead Man's Hand, but this story will surely leave you with goosebumps…

And if you're brave enough to play a few hands of poker yourself after reading this tale, make sure you use this bet365 bonus code if you're a new player.

The early life of William Mackenzie

Before we delve into the spookier aspects of William Mackenzie, let's take a look at his early life. William was the son of Alexander and Mary Mackenzie. His father was a Scottish contractor and William was their eldest child. He was born in Nelson, Lancashire and he had 10 brothers and sisters.

Originally, his goal was to become a weaver. However, he abandoned his apprenticeship to switch paths to work in civil engineering. In 1811, this saw him take up an apprenticeship with a lock carpenter on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

It turns out that this was the exact right career move for this man. By the 1840s, William Mackenzie was one of Europe's leading contractors.

A deal with the devil

But apparently business wasn't his only interest… He was also an avid gambler and would do literally anything to win at the card table. Including, making a deal with the devil.

He made a deal to swap his soul for an incredible lucky streak that would stick with him until the day he died. The But William Mackenzie had no intention of really parting with his soul. Instead, he would cheat the devil out of the prize of his soul, if all went according to plan.

He asked that when he died, he wouldn't be buried under ground. Instead, he would be placed sitting upright in a big pyramid-shaped tomb made of granite in St Andrew's Church, Rodney Street, Liverpool. He would sit at a table, holding a royal flush for the rest of eternity.

He died in 1851. But did it all go according to plan? Absolutely not. The devil didn't get his soul. However, without a proper burial, his soul couldn't rest. As legend has it, William Mackenzie's soul now wanders Rodney Street in Liverpool, wearing a large top hat and cloak.

Is this story true?

Whether or not you believe in ghosts, it's interesting to tease out how much of this legendary story can actually be verified. Now, it seems that William Mackenzie was in fact buried in the ground, like a regular dead person of the 1850s. And, it seems that the giant granite pyramid was erected long after Mackenzie died, in fact, it was 16 years after the fact. So it doesn't seem very likely that he was placed sitting up at a table above ground.

But that's not to say Liverpool locals and ghost tourists alike haven't noticed spooky goings on on Rodney Street late at night…

BET247

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets

Bet365 Review   ⊕ Min Deposit: £5    ⊕ Expiry: 30 days    ⊕ Min Odds: 1/5 (1.20) 

GO TO BET365

Sign up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in Free Bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settled. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits. Min odds/bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply. The bonus code BET247 can be used during registration, but does not change the offer amount in any way. Registration Required.

TOP30

Bet £10 and Get £30 In Free Bets

William Hill Review » ⊕ Min £10/€10/$10 stake    ⊕ Expiry: 30 days    ⊕ Min Odds: 1.5

GO TO WILLIAM HILL

18+. New customers using Promo code TOP30 only, Min £10/€10/$10 stake, min odds 1.5, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15/$15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is settled, payment method/player/country restrictions apply.

NEW BONUS

DEPOSIT £10 GET £60 FREE PLAY

GG Poker Review »  ⊕ Min Deposit: £10    ⊕ Limited period    ⊕ $1 for ever $ in Rake

GO TO GG POKER

18+ GGPoker’s game currency is USD ($), other currencies such as GBP (£) are only used for illustrative purposes. Welcome Bonus and Honeymoon promotion for new players only over a limited period. Welcome Bonus only available to new players that make an initial deposit. Minimum deposit is $10/£10. £60 Free Play offer made up of $52.50 in free All-In Or Fold SNG tickets from Welcome Bonus and $2.50 in free tickets from Daily Freebie. Free tickets automatically credited to eligible players’ accounts over a 6 period. A 100% matched deposit bonus worth a maximum of $600 can be claimed by players selecting ‘Match Bonus’ when making their first deposit(s) over a limited period. Bonus cash is released at a rate of $1 for every $5 paid in net rake/tournament fees.

All contents are ©

18+ Worried about your gambling?   
Gamcare - When the fun stops – STOP!