Jimmy Wike's family moved to Las Vegas in 1958 when he was nine years old. He graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Jimmy started as a dealer at the Las Vegas Club and was also a dealer at the Fremont Hotel and Casino, at the Stardust, and at the MGM Grand that later became Bally's. He was a supervisor at Bally's and also taught in a dealers' school while he worked there, he became a pit manager, and ended up a vice president. Jimmy also worked in management at the Hilton and at Casesars Palace.