Celebrities are sure to earn top dollar and one of the places they spend their money is in casinos. Wherever celebrities go, rumour isn’t far behind as us mere mortals enjoy the drama of their ups and downs vicariously. Some of these famous people just play for fun, but others have taken it a little too far.
Charlie Sheen
Sheen is no stranger to public scrutiny for his many vices, sports betting being among his hedonistic pursuits. Apparently the “Two and a Half Men” star eventually quit gambling, but not before an online sportsbook actually offered a series of wagers on his future behaviour.
Ben Affleck
Academy Award-winning Actor, screenwriter, and Director Ben’s game is blackjack. He got so good that he was banned from the tables at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in 2014. He was accused of counting cards, but hotly denied it.
Matt Damon
Damon is famous for many roles including ‘The Rounder’ where his character was involved in high stakes poker. He and Ben Affleck are long-time friends and enjoy gambling together, often playing invitation games of Texas Hold’em at luxury hotels. Matt is thought to be more of social player.
Tobey Maguire
Most well-known for his role in Spiderman, Tobey Maguire is also a pro Poker player. He’s had spectacular wins of up to $50,000 a night on a regular basis. Some say he’s a sore loser, but that doesn’t seem to happen often.
Victoria Coren-Mitchel
Victoria is not only a popular British writer and TV presenter, but also an accomplished poker player. She won the European Poker Tour Title in 2006, becoming the first woman to win it. Among other tournaments she’s participated in, she also won the main event of the 2014 European Poker Tour Sanremo.
Shannon Elizabeth
Another successful female Poker player is former model and star of “American Pie”, Shannon Elizabeth. She started playing Poker with her family from an early age and after discovering Texas Hold ‘em later on, she was mentored by some of the world’s best. From 2006 she became a significant player cashing in 12 major tournaments between 2006 and 2010.
Michael Jordan
Easily the most famous basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan skills seem not to have followed him into the world of gambling. He managed to rack up substantial debts through late night gambling and betting on golf.
50 Cent
Popular rapper and actor, 50 Cent is well known for his avid and extreme sports betting. He bet $2 million bet on Floyd Mayweather in a boxing championship and $50 000 on a championship match between New York Giants and Francisco 49ers. Fortunately for him, he won both bets.
Pamela Anderson
Sex symbol of the TV series Baywatch, Pamela Anderson drew attention more from the rumours around paying off poker debts with sexual favours, than her gambling skills themselves. She is said to have married former porn producer Rick Solomon as a result of a lost bet.