Although you might not realize it, gambling games such as poker and slots aren’t only enjoyed by common folk, instead, they’re also enjoyed by professional athletes. In fact, for many professional sportsmen, placing a wager on different games can provide them with the same feeling as when they’re on the field and it’s no secret that these individuals can be seen in popular casinos worldwide.
If you recently started placing wagers on different casino games, you might be wondering what are the most popular gambling games in the world of professional sports. If so, you’re reading the right article! Here is our list of the top five most popular casino games among professional athletes:
1. “Poker”
Source: pexels.com
It might come as a surprise, but many professional athletes love playing poker! One of those individuals is Cristiano Ronaldo who frequently likes joining online games of poker, so much so, that some fans had the privilege of playing against him! Although he usually uses his smartphone for playing poker against different individuals, he also likes heading to some of the most popular casinos out there, where he also chooses to play poker!
During the last two to three years, this particular category of gambling games has increased in popularity. Because of this – and the global outbreak of COVID-19 – many professional athletes opted for playing such games. Some websites that you can find out there even establish athletes as brand ambassadors, hence if you see Cristiano Ronaldo’s name somewhere on a website, you can rest assured that it’s a reliable platform to use.
2. “Slots”
Source: unsplash.com
Next on the list are slots, a game perfect for individuals that don’t like to put too much effort, planning, and strategy into the game they’re playing! In fact, all that is required to win a round of slots is luck and that’s it! There is a wide array of machines to choose from, all of which will have different settings, layouts, themes, music, bonuses, as well as RTP! One of the professional athletes that enjoy playing slots at online sites such as play-aviator.com is the NBA star, J.R. Smith!
He is well-known for playing other gambling games as well, however, he is so good and lucky with sloths that he chooses not to use the bonuses and free spins provided by the machines! In the past, he was seen multiple times carrying a suitcase full of cash to some local gambling establishments so that he can place as many bets as he wants! An interesting fact that we must share is that one of his suitcases containing over 15.000 was once stolen while he was exiting the casino.
3. “Roulette”
Source: pexels.com
A lot of people refer to roulette as the most luxurious game in the world of casinos and besides being available in brick-and-mortar casinos, it’s also available online! You could choose to play it on a wide range of platforms and professional athletes also like trying their luck while playing a round of roulette, in fact, it’s, perhaps, one of the most common games athletes like playing both online and in physical casinos.
One of the athletes that have a huge passion for roulette is Mario Ballotelli, a footballer who enjoys playing the game whenever he has free time. An interesting story revolving around him is that he managed to win a huge prize during one of his games and then, he decided to give 1.000 dollars to an individual that used to stand in front of the casino asking people for money. Today, he still enjoys a few rounds of roulette and since his first major win, he managed to win a few more.
4. “BlackJack”
Source: pexels.com
Besides poker, Blackjack is also an extremely popular casino game, with approximately three times as many players as roulette. It is popular for a reason – for starters, everyone knows how to play since it’s easy, and second it offers the best odds. Now, to play it, you will require knowledge and skill, which means that you cannot simply rely on your luck – which is the case with other games such as online slots.
Tiger Woods is one of the professional athletes that love indulging in luxurious things, including a few rounds of high stakes Blackjack games. He has been seen often at different resorts and casinos where he chooses to play, all of which treat him like a real VIP. This is quite logical since he is known to spend approximately 4 million dollars every time he plays Blackjack amongst other people. Whether or not he plays it online is not familiar.
5. “Sports Betting”
Source: news.asu.edu
Did you know that, according to a survey conducted on over 1.000 Americans, over 60% of them actually approve of sports betting? Yup, a lot of Americans love betting on different sports and games, and yes, even professional athletes like placing a wager or two on some of their favorite soccer, baseball, rugby, and basketball games. Michael Jordan is one of those professional sportsmen that love placing wagers on games.
Back in 1996, he has placed a wager of 100.000 dollars on the Super Bowl! He seems like he likes taking risks while betting and it hasn’t prevented him from winning big several times. Besides placing wagers on his favorite teams and players, he is also well known for enjoying craps, as well as roulette, which is why you and his fans can still see him frequenting some of the top casinos and resorts out there!
Conclusion
Yes, even the top and most experienced athletes in the world enjoy a wide range of gambling games. From poker to slots, all the way to blackjack and roulette, it’s pretty safe to say that professional athletes enjoy the same things as we do – with the only difference being that they usually choose to wager more money than we do!
Since you’re now well aware of some of the favorite casino games of professional athletes, you shouldn’t lose any more of your time! Instead, if you haven’t tried some of the games we’ve mentioned above, find a provider, and start enjoying them, just as some of your favorite sportsmen!
