Many fans aren’t aware that their favourite celebrities enjoy spending their free time testing blackjack strategies and spinning slot reels. That’s right, celebrities and gambling go arm in arm, regardless the fact you had no idea about it. Many actors, artists and athletes have lost everything because of their gambling addiction. Also, there are examples of smart gamblers that practise this activity as long as it doesn’t hurt their budget and/or personal life.
No matter whether you’ll see them taking part in reputable poker tournaments or find out they’ve been playing games at online casinos, these are several celebrities whose names are well known in the gambling world. Some of them have gone broke, others were left by their spouses; however, you’ll be surprised to discover that some managed to end first on popular gaming championships as well.
Ben Affleck
There’s never been a list related to celebrities and gambling without our beloved Batman on it. Everyone knows that Ben Affleck enjoys playing poker and blackjack. Back in 2004 he even won the California State Poker Championship; three years before that he had checked into rehab to treat his alcohol and gambling addictions. One of the juiciest gossips related to him was the top secret poker game in which Affleck reportedly lost a $400k hand to the President of Universal Studios Ron Meyer.
Charlie Sheen
Charlie is Hollywood’s favourite bad boy whose gambling habit has been public ever since 2006 thanks to his ex wife, actress Denise Richards. According to the details provided by Richards in divorce papers, Sheen was spending around $20,000 per week on gambling or, more precisely, on sports betting. The actor himself admitted being too invested into betting and revealed that once he had lost a million-dollar wager.
Pamela Anderson
Ladies aren’t immune to the thrill gambling provides either. Thus, Baywatch star Pamela Anderson has made a name for herself as a passionate slot machine and poker fan. Poker, however, never proved to be her strong side and she even lost a total of $250,000 in a single night in Las Vegas. Luckily for her, and this is something she actually confirmed, she was able to clear the debt with sexual favours.
Allen Iverson
Even though this once magnificent basketball player retired five years ago, what gambling did to his life is something hard to forget. “The Answer” during his fruitful NBA career earned more than $200 million and scored lifetime collaboration with Reebok. Nevertheless, Iverson managed to spend all his money on gambling and drinking; this was enough for his wife to leave him and get a full custody of their five children.
Tobey Maguire
Long before he became Spiderman, Tobey Maguire joined AA when he was only 19 years old. Nonetheless, his addictive nature didn’t seem to affect Maguire’s love for poker, a game he has been playing in public for many years now. The actor learned to play thanks to his friend and pro player Daniel Negreanu. It’s believed that gambling at tournaments and casinos earned Spidey approximately $10 million over the years. He did have a legal issue once though; reportedly, Maguire took part in an illegal gambling ring and won more than $300k of illegal cash.