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Gambling has always been an activity and a hobby that just about anyone can enjoy. All it takes for one to try it out a few times and get hooked regardless of the game they play.
The overall gambling industry and the phenomenon as a whole has existed for centuries and it has always been a pastime activity of both the rich and the poor. Back in the day people would wager and bet on just about anything, only for the first gambling games in the modern sense of the word to appear and take over taverns and salons. After that, the true gambling industry started to take shape and become more and more the one we know and love. With the addition of casinos and gambling hubs like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Monte Carlo, and Macao, there was no looking back.
All of these changes and the fact that gambling has become mainstream and attractive has paved way for the richest of the rich to start playing. As mentioned, it is a hobby for anyone so why shouldn’t the celebrities play as well? The only difference between us, the common folk, and the celebrities is that their bankroll is much higher, meaning the stakes are also higher. They play with money we can only dream of and on top of that, it does not hurt them much if they lose it. Playing like that certainly has its advantages as it is more relaxed while also being high stakes. In this article we talk about celebrities who love to play the most competitive casino game of all, poker. The card game requires an almost equal amount of skill and luck to be good and win and many of these celebrities have been drawn to poker tables for decades. Read on to learn more about this. If you are interested in playing online poker at real money casinos, make sure to check out https://www.casinositesreview.io/real-money-casinos/.
1. Toby Maguire
The actor best known for playing Peter Parker AKA Spiderman in the three movies from the 2000s made a reappearance in MCU’s Spider-Man No Way Home. In his spare time from acting he enjoys playing poker and is a well-known gambling enthusiast. He is known to use various tactics to get better including gadgets like shuffle masters. It seems like Spiderman has more up his sleeve than web shooters. Maguire’s cumulative tournament winnings are close to quarter of a million dollars.
2. Jennifer Tilly
We are continuing the trend of actors who are successful gamblers on the side, or rather actresses. Tilly is a famous for her love of poker. Not only that but she is very good at it.
She has won more than $750000 during her gambling career as well as the WSOP bracelet.
It seems that she has talent for two very lucrative careers. She also played against some of the strongest competition and is far away from an occasional poker enjoyer.
3. Kevin Pollak
Another actor, another poker gambler. The “A Few Good Men” star has participated in World Series of Poker games and finished within the first 140. Not bad for his first ever poker competition. Since then he has kept playing and improving his game.
4. Shannon Elizabeth
Best known for her role in the American Pie, Elizabeth has been quite successful so far. Her third place at the National Heads Up Championship in 2007 hosted by NBC proves it. She has been so serious about poker in the past that she herself described it as being her second career. Since those years she has not appeared in any major tournaments though but we assume she still plays privately and for fun.
5. Jason Alexander
His role in Senfield is not the only thing people know him for, nor is acting the only thing he is good at. Alexander is a passionate poker enjoyer and has been playing for years. He has won more than $30000 during his career as an amateur hobbyist poker player. He is an attractive celebrity for many online poker sites for sponsorship deals. In Celebrity Poker Showdown’s 8th season, he won $500000 that went to charity. He is signed to PokerStars.
6. Kevin Hart
Comedian and actor and one of the most recognizable Hollywood figures is surely a multitalented person. However, not a lot of people know about his secret talent of poker. So far, he has won around $50000 playing poker. Hart participated in the High Rollers world circuit. His most recent big win was in 2018. He participated in many tournaments in Monte Carlo as well as the 2017 Bahamas Poker tournament. Hart also has a partnership with PokerStars.
7. Rafael Nadal
The former ATP Rankings number 1 and the record holder for the most Grand Slams with 22 is a passionate gambler, apart from one of the living legends of tennis. The King of Clay is a passionate poker enthusiast and can be seen in Monaco. He has played against the number one ranked female poker player once, Vanessa Sebst. He said he learned a lot from her and cherishes the experience. Whenever he has enough free time, he hosts game for his family members and friends at his home.
8. Ben Affleck
The Hollywood heavyweight is known for numerous roles, most recently as the Caped Crusader himself, Batman. Alongside his illustrious acting career, he is known for his passion for poker. Affleck actually won the California State Poker Championship almost 20 years ago in 2004, when he scored $356000. That same year, he qualified for the World Series of Poker. He is a high stakes player too and has accumulated half a million dollars in gambling career earnings.
9. Michael Phelps
There is a lot Phelps is known for. He has numerous Olympic and other medals and holds all sorts of records in swimming. The most decorated Olympian of all time with 28 medals (23 golds) was roommates with Jeff Gross, professional poker player, when he was first introduced to the game. He played in the World Series, in the Bahamas, and in Vegas.
While not nearly as good at poker as he is in swimming, he still managed to score a 5th place, his best result, at the No-limit Hold’em Poker tournament at Caesars Palace back in 2008.
