Updated:
Jan 2, 2023
Gambling is one of the oldest and most popular past-time activities that bring joy and excitement to players. It is especially popular with pro athletes that have a lot of money to spare.
Over the years, we’ve seen many popular names from professional sports that enjoy casino games.
Since most of the pro athletes have huge salaries, this proves that casino games are more than just a way to make money. The overall gambling process at a casino or online also provides entertainment for the players and it is a great way to escape from all the drama in professional sports.
Here are some pro athletes that love to play casino games.
Pro Athletes that Enjoy Casino Games
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan, perhaps the most well-known player on this list, is a basketball great known for his competitive attitude and love of casino games.
Jordan has been open about his gambling habits, which have included high-stakes poker games and casino vacations, around a roulette wheel. If you are not familiar with the roulette game click here: mbitcasino.io/roulette.
He was also suspended from the NBA for a brief time in 1992 after it was discovered that he had bet on golf games. Jordan has had significant disappointments despite his passion for gaming, including a reported $1.25 million loss at a casino in 1993.
Now he is a well-established businessman, and who knows, maybe his passion for casino games is still present.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
If we talk about money, the first athlete that comes to mind is Floyd Mayweather. In fact, he is so obsessed with money that he added the nickname Floyd “Money” Mayweather.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a legendary boxer, and another athlete noted for his love for gambling. Mayweather is a big roller who has been known to gamble on sports like basketball and football.
Mayweather has been known to like playing slot machines and other casino games in addition to sports betting. Despite his addiction to gambling, Mayweather has had some large victories, including a $5.9 million slot machine jackpot in 2013.
Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley is another basketball professional athlete that enjoys gambling . Barkley has always been open about his gambling habits, which have included casino vacations and high-stakes poker games.
Barkley has even published a book on his gambling addiction and spoken about it in interviews. Despite his passion for gaming, Barkley has experienced several disappointments, including an estimated $400,000 loss at a casino in 2006.
Shaquille O’Neal
Here we have another retired legendary NBA player that has a history with gambling.
O’Neal has been spotted in casinos and has competed in celebrity poker tournaments. O’Neal enjoys sports betting as well as casino gambling and has been known to wager on a different sport.
Despite his passion for gaming, O’Neal has experienced several big losses, including a reported $400,000 loss at a casino in 2003.
Tom Brady
Tom Brady, the now-retired quarterback that played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is well-known for his passion for gambling. Brady has been spotted in casinos and has even entered celebrity poker tournaments.
Brady enjoys sports betting and has been known to wager on a number of sports in addition to casino gaming. Despite his hectic schedule, Brady takes time for his hobby of gambling, which he describes as a method for him to relax and decompress.
Antonie Walker
Basketball player Antoine Walker is another professional athlete that enjoys gambling. This is also another sports athlete that has opened up to the public about his gambling addiction, which has included high-stakes card games and casino excursions.Walker’s addiction to gambling is said to have led to his financial difficulties after retiring from the NBA. Walker has continued to gamble despite his failures and has even competed in celebrity poker events.
