Which Sports Stars Excel at Gambling

 

IGaming is a booming business in Portugal, where much of the revenue comes from sports betting and online casinos. As gambling is getting more popular in the country, you might see some familiar faces who like it as well, such as your favourite sports players.

 

In addition to some Portuguese sports stars in gambling, there are many others renowned for their involvement in gambling. You’ll come across most of them at high-end VIP casinos spending thousands. Some of them have been successful in their gambling careers, while others ended up bankrupt.

 

In this article, our author Martim Nabeiro, a gambling expert, has researched and gathered information about famous sports stars who excel at gambling.

  • Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo could be the most illustrious sports star ever throughout history. Of course, everybody knows this Portuguese football legend’s glorious career is full of success. However, not many people know his involvement in poker. He’s a member of the official PokerStars team. He even participated in several poker events.

 

  • Mario Balotelli

Balotelli is also one of the best football icons, having played for Manchester City among other major clubs. Besides being a talented football player, he does well at casino tables. He went viral one time for giving out a large amount of money to a homeless man outside a casino after winning a handsome payout.

 

  • Charles Barkley

Barkley’s passion for gambling is not a secret. He has been spotted several times at casinos as much as he does at basketball events. Back in 2007, he was all over the media for winning $700,000 in a single weekend on blackjack and Super Bowl.

 

  • Michael Jordan

Jordan is a well-reputed basketball player. Apart from having intelligent moves on the court, he is renowned for his skills at casino games. His close friend and gambling partner disclosed one time that MJ could sometimes have $100,000 at stake when they played together.

 

  • Floyd Mayweather

The hometown of Floyd Mayweather might have played a significant role in his love for casinos. The globally-celebrated boxer is good at both knocking opponents out of the ring and casino blackjack games. He frequently shares his high-stake tickets on Twitter after winning. At one point, he staked $50,000 on Oklahoma and won $102,000.

 

  • John Daly

John Daly is a professional golfer and well-known gambler. He is respected at casinos for playing as many as seven blackjack hands simultaneously for up to $15,000 per hand. However, he set a loss limit and now stakes a maximum of $25.

 

  • Wayne Rooney

When it comes to famous sports stars and gambling, we can’t help but mention Wayne Rooney. He is an English football star who enjoys betting on a range of games. Although he has been spotted for making some huge losses, his passion for gambling is unstoppable. Sometimes he records winnings of over £300,000 per week.

 

  • Teddy Sheringham

Teddy Sheringham is a professional footballer and a big fan of poker table games. He has participated in various tournaments, including the World Series of Poker, with estimated career winnings of over €3,000.

  • Pete Rose

Pete Rose used to play in Major League Baseball before he was banned. His love for gambling got him fired and blocked his entry into the MLB Hall of Fame. The star still gambles and bets on his favourite teams to this day.

 

  • Phil Mickelson

The left-handed golfer may not be an avid gambler but has hit news headlines during the trial of well-known gambler Billy Walters. Though he was not charged alongside his long-time friend, the court unearthed a case that proved he owed Walter about $2 million in sports betting debt.

 

  • Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson is a legendary boxer dubbed the boxing fraternity’s Baddest Man on the Planet. Apart from his KO’s in the ring, he’s good at playing casino games and betting on sports. Though he is still rich, rumours say he squandered much of his winnings on gambling.

 

Many superstars like Mike Tyson can afford to lose high-stakes because they earn big salaries from their competitions. But, not everyone can do that. That’s why many gamblers are shifting to online platforms because of casinos bonus sem deposito and other offered promotions.

 

Another reason why online casinos are quite advantageous is that they offer alternative innovative payment methods, including Paypal. Gamblers can enjoy fast and secure transactions thanks to these improvements in banking options.

 

Conclusion

We need to see gambling as entertainment rather than a way of making a living. As you’ve read, even the rich superstars follow this passion.