Many celebrities, including famous athletes, have a passion for gambling. This is why it’s not too surprising when people encounter their favorite athletes in a casino. Moreover, the gambling industry and sports are tightly connected. If you look at the Premier League you will see that some of the best casino sites are often sponsoring the events. The majority of people who enjoy watching football, also love to play casino games and are regarded as a target demographic for gambling sites. This is why this media exposure is so important to real money gambling operators. If you love to watch football and if you want to learn more about your favorite players, then stick around. We will be going over some of the famous football players in the UK who love to score a casino win every now and then and play these games.
Tony Adams
Tony used to be a dominant force in London’s Arsenal during the 80s and the 90s. He was one of the most formidable defending players of his time, and after his career, as a player, has ended, he became a coach. However, Tony wasn’t exactly a role model outside of the court. He had a nasty habit of drinking and driving and really struggled with alcoholism. Tony also loves to gamble, and he is a fan of poker, but he never became a professional poker player later in his career.
He was actually successful in beating his alcohol addiction and even opened up an institution to help others who are struggling with addictions. If there is one main takeaway, it is that you should do everything in moderation, and be responsible. Even when playing casino games you should be responsible with your money, and most operators agree with this. They urge players to be cautious and to play mainly for entertainment purposes. One way to be responsible is to play using low wagering casino bonuses that are periodically available. You will have to actively look for those deals though. This way you won’t have to worry about money withdrawal, and you won’t have to make heavy financial commitments.
David Beckham
Even after his retirement in 2013, David Beckham continues to dominate the mainstream media. Both David and his wife Victoria are globally renowned celebrities, and they own different brands. David isn’t exactly known for being a passionate gambler, but he did sign different deals that involved gambling companies. He even owns a company called Guild eSports, which only tells you he strongly believes in the gaming industry and that he is a gamer himself.
It would be rare for someone to make investments on a whim, so chances are David Beckham both gambles and plays video games in his spare time. This is a great way for gambling sites to get new users as well because partnerships with celebrities give them credibility. So, you can look for reliable casinos by looking for operators who have athletes as brand ambassadors. The same logic applies to online casinos that sponsor big sports events. No one in their right mind would spend millions on marketing just so they could maintain a scam website.
Matthew Etherington
Matthew used to be a famous wing player and he was a part of the Stoke City team. Matthew is also known for his passion for poker and for betting on dog races. Unfortunately, he is not famous for being lucky when it comes to gambling. He lost over a million pounds due to his passion for high stakes games, so he mainly serves as a cautionary tale. That being said, Matthew did the responsible thing and admitted he had a problem. He said that his irresponsible spending has resulted in many troubles for him and his family, but in the end, he successfully recovered.
There aren’t any casino life hacks you can learn from this story, but it clearly shows that keeping track of your expenses is important. So, opt for operators who have casino features that allow you to have a clear overview of your spending.
Michael Chopra
Michael is known as one of the best strikers in football history. He played for both Cardiff and Sunderland throughout his career and scored over a hundred goals. Given how he is on this list you can pretty much guess that at one point he developed a gambling habit. In fact, he started gambling at the age of 17, and even at that time, he was making big wagers. In truth, he had a decent instinct about betting. Sometimes he would win, and there were times when he would lose. So, he wasn’t really in any major financial issues because of this hobby.
Unfortunately, before he reached the age of 25 he did have some debts under his belt. It started as a debt of 80,000 pounds, and he continued to invest in his hobby. Eventually, he ended up owing over 2 million pounds. Luckily, he managed to turn things around and limit the influence this gambling habit has on his life.
Roy Carroll
Roy is a famous goalkeeper who used to play for Manchester United. During his football career, he discovered a passion for poker, and invested a lot in order to become a pro poker player. Soon after he started to bet on horse racing, and he even started to play the lottery. He wasn’t as lucky as he hoped, and there aren’t any meaningful casino tips he can share with his fan base.
Conclusion
These were some of the famous football players who have a strong passion for gambling. Do you know of any other famous athletes from the UK that we missed and that should be on this list? If you do, then let us know. Hopefully, you learned something new and interesting while reading. If there is one main takeaway from all of these is that regardless of who you are and how much you earn, you should always be careful with how you manage your expenses and entertainment.