In "The Bet," both the lawyer and the banker experience a realization at the end of the story. The lawyer realizes life is empty and meaningless because all pursuits and interests are "illusory" and "deceptive." By this, he means human pursuits and interests, like drinking "fragrant wine" and singing songs, do not last forever or create true happiness. This realization has an important effect on the lawyer: it prompts him to forfeit the bet (and his right to the money) because he no longer values material wealth.
Similarly, on learning that the lawyer intends to forfeit the bet, the banker has a realization of his own. He feels "contempt" towards himself, presumably because he values his two million rubles more than he mourns the lawyer's physical and mental state. It is worth noting Chekhov does not make clear the reason for his contempt. Whatever the case, the banker hides the letter in his safe so the lawyer's true feelings never come to light.
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