Betting can make any sport more fun and exciting, but what if you’re a football player, coach or team member? Check out these 10 football players that love gambling.
How do the rules change for those who participate in matches? Is a soccer player allowed to bet on soccer matches is a question that has a very simple answer- No.
However, the ban on betting for football players did not prevent many of them from trying their hand at sports betting.
These adventures of theirs often ended with rigorous punishments for violating the ban on betting for those who participate in sports events.
On the other hand, playing casino games is not prohibited for athletes, so they are frequent users of online casinos, especially those casinos that offer free spins no deposit bonus.
There’s no question that top-level professional football players make a lot of money.
And with that kind of income comes opportunities to enjoy some of the finer things in life, including casino gambling.
In this article, we take a look at five current football players who love to gamble in casinos.
Top 10 Football Players That Love Gambling
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
One of the greatest football players of all time, Ronaldo has always had a passion for gambling.
In fact, he once lost £1.5 million in a single night at a casino in Manchester.
In recent years, his love of casino gambling has cooled off a bit, but there’s no doubt that he’s still a big fan of the thrill of playing blackjack and roulette.
2. Gareth Bale
Another superstar footballer, Gareth Bale is known to enjoy a bit of casino gambling in his downtime.
In fact, he was caught on camera playing blackjack in a casino in Las Vegas just a few months after signing for Real Madrid.
While he’s not as big a gambler as Ronaldo, Bale is definitely a fan of the casino atmosphere.
3. Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney is another big-time footballer with a penchant for casino gambling. In fact, he’s been known to lose thousands of pounds in a single night playing blackjack and roulette.
Rooney is a regular at London’s infamous Grosvenor casino, and he’s not afraid to put down some serious cash in the pursuit of big wins.
4. Mario Balotelli
Mario Balotelli is one of the most colourful characters in world football, and it turns out that he’s also a big fan of casino gambling.
He’s known to enjoy a game of blackjack or two, and has even been caught on camera playing poker in a casino in Las Vegas.
Balotelli is definitely a man who likes to take risks, and his gambling exploits are certainly proof of that.
5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most successful and controversial footballers of his generation, and it turns out that he’s also a bit of a gambler. In fact, he’s been known to lose up to £10,000 in a single night playing blackjack and roulette.
Ibrahimovic is a regular at the casino in Monaco.
6. Kyle Lafferty
The Kilmarnock striker loved arcade games when he was a teenager. He learned to play those fun games as well as slot games, and then he started playing roulette in the casino.
His passion quickly grew into high-stakes casino games. He soon began to engage in other types of betting in his spare time, right after signing a multi-million dollar contract with Rangers.
7. Lionel Messi
When it comes to football betting, there is arguably no one better than Lionel Messi.
The Barcelona and Argentina superstar loves to put money on the games he watches, and he’s often cashing in on his successful predictions.
Messi also enjoys playing casino games and is known to be a big fan of blackjack.
8. Neymar
Neymar is another major football star who loves to gamble on the sport he loves.
The Brazilian forward is often seen betting on games and has even admitted to losing large sums of money betting on his own team. Neymar is also a big fan of casino games and is especially partial to slot machines.
9. Paul Pogba
Manchester United and France midfielder Paul Pogba is another footballer who loves to gamble in casinos.
Pogba is a big fan of poker and is often seen playing the game in casinos in Las Vegas and Monte Carlo. In fact, Pogba has even admitted that he sometimes bets on his own matches.
10. Matthew Etherington
Throughout his time playing football, Etherington struggled with compulsive gambling to the point where his behaviour became out of hand and cost him £1.5 million in debt.
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The former West Ham and Stoke midfielder went to meetings of Gamblers Anonymous and advised others in his situation to do the same.