As ridiculous as it may sound, this is exactly what is happening. We want to get a lot out of the money we're aiming for, which we're not even sure will be available in the future. This is not limited to gambling, but a gambler will think like this more because his expectations will always be optimistic in the context of winning a game. Your friend is a true gambler if he places so much hope in gambling and fulfilling so many of his life goals. He needs to start a business so that he can tip people on prospective games to win when they play one.
Do you really think you can build a successful business on high risk games?
I think this guy just got lucky and used that chance to improve his life instead of losing money at another casino. Nobody knows when his luck will run out and what it could lead to. Also, as professional players say, over time they start to get pinched by gambling sites, so it becomes more and more difficult to win.