Celebrities with Gambling Addiction
Celebrities love spending their money on luxurious things. However, some stars gamble away their earnings at casinos. Some of the most known movie and sports stars are even addicted to gambling. This article discusses famous gamblers and their brief stories of addiction.
Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez is the most-known baseball player of all time. He is known for having played illegal poker games. Major League Baseball’s main concerns with Rodriguez’s involvement in poker were the presence of cocaine, his debt amount, and whether his activities led him to bet on baseball. While he may not have a serious gambling problem, he definitely had a problem with using PEDs during his baseball career.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is a legendary basketball player. He has been the subject of multiple gambling gossip. In 1993, some people said he left the sport because of gambling. There even was a rumor that NBA commissioner David Stern suspended Michael from the game. Jordan called his addiction a hobby he could afford. Furthermore, Jordan is an owner of a gambling club in Las Vegas.
Tobey Maguire
Tobey Maguire is a famous actor, most known for playing Peter Parker in the Spider-man trilogy. Aside from being a great actor, he was also addicted to poker, which eventually developed into a gambling addiction. In 2011, he was among many other celebrities prosecuted for being involved with multimillion-dollar illicit gambling rings. Lately, it was said that Tobey has successfully contained his gambling addiction.
Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck is also known for being good at playing blackjack and poker and having won notable championships. However, he was often accused of card counting and cheating. For this reason, he was barred from entering several Las Vegas casinos. Later, he enrolled himself in a rehab center to overcome his alcohol and gambling addictions, with positive results.
Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen is a famous actor who has always been in the spotlight for his multiple vices, including gambling. According to his ex-wife’s words, he squandered millions of dollars on his bad habits. He loved playing poker and betting on sports. However, it is now known that he has overcome his addiction.
50 Cent
A famous rapper, Curtis James Jackson II, aside from his music career, is an avid sports bettor. He favors the New York Giants. In 2012, during one of his sports betting activities, he won $500,000, betting on his favorite team to beat the San Francisco 49ers.
Nelly
A singer and actor, Cornell Iral Haynes JR is a poker lover. He even competed in the Main Event of the 2007 World Series of Poker. Besides, he is a regular at the PokerStars European Poker Tour Circuit. Nelly was recently filmed losing his cool at a casino, yelling at the casino employees.
Shannon Elizabeth
A former actress and model, Shannon Elizabeth is one of the most known female gamblers. Her interest in poker developed from a hobby to a full-fledged career. She won 12 poker tournaments between 2006 and 2010, making her one of the most successful players among celebrities.
Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods is the most known golf player. Besides, he has a gambling addiction. One of his mistresses confirmed that he bets $25,000 per hand when playing blackjack. He has even received a $1 million betting limit from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The rumors about his gambling addiction became widespread when he became good friends with Michael Jordan.
Charles Barkley
This famous athlete is another celebrity devoted to gambling. However, he is known for his huge losses because of his addiction. In a 2006 interview, he said that he lost around $10 million and $2.5 million in just one night of blackjack. He tried to overcome this problem in 2008 but unfortunately returned to his old habits in two years.