Soccer players aren’t angels. They can do miracles on the court, but they can also party and behave like all of us do in bars, restaurants, and casinos. A lot of soccer stars are known for their gambling habits, so we decided to make the top five list.
After days of research, we came up with the most notable names. Keep reading to see the five most famous soccer players who like to gamble!
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese player is one of the most decorated footballers ever. He is a winner of five Ballon d’Or, the highest individual trophy from FIFA, and several Club World Cup trophies. That would be enough to make Ronaldo a legend, but his gambling habits make his career even more impressive.
There were quite a few casinos employees who claim that Cristiano is one of their best customers. Ronaldo reportedly loves to play games with the best deposit bonuses, according to rumors, Ronaldo finds online casinos particularly interesting because a large number of games and bonuses give him the opportunity to win extra money and cheer up.
2. Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne
Paul “Gazza” Gascoigne is one of the most talented English players to ever live. He was a member of Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Italian team Lazio and Rangers F.C. His career was plagued by injuries, but Gazza continued to talk tough on-field and enjoy a lavish lifestyle off it.
In 2004, Paul was admitted to rehab for drug addiction. Days after he left the facility, Gascoigne was caught drink-driving with just under three times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood. But most people don’t know that Gazza was a passionate gambler.
His ex-wife Sheryl Gascoigne said in an interview that “he’ll gamble on anything – cards, horses… He’s always at it.” The media never really reported about Paul’s gambling habits, but we definitely believe his former wife.
3. Neymar
We could say that Neymar is one of the luckiest men on Earth. The Brazilian player started playing professional soccer when he was only 17. He soon moved to Barcelona F.C., where he collected trophies like they were toys. He then signed with PSG for a record-breaking $263 million.
But Neymar’s gambling habits are even more interesting than his salary. Neymar used to post images of him playing poker with friends on social media accounts. His passion for gambling even earned him a place in the 2015 European Poker Tour.
4. David Beckham
Do you remember David Beckham? We’re just kidding – everybody does! Beckham is known for being one of the prettiest soccer players of all time, but that didn’t earn him a place in Manchester United. On the contrary, David earned his position as one of the best midfielders the game has ever seen.
But he is also a casino lover who often visits gambling outlets in Las Vegas. A lot of journalists claim that Beckham enjoys playing slot machines, but he made sure to turn it into a business. Namely, David is the brand manager of multiple casino businesses in Singapore and Macau.
Beckham is a very clever guy, and he obviously knows how to combine his gambling passion with business. Good job, David!
5. Gigi Buffon
Gigi Buffon is one of the best goalkeepers in history. He has won almost everything this sport can offer, and he still plays for his maiden club Parma. A lot of fans know that Gigi made a fortune playing soccer, but not too many know that the Italian player likes to gamble.
Gigi Buffon loves poker. He is a regular at the Casino di Campione in Lombardy, where he often plays poker with his friends. Gigi Buffon’s love for gambling became so famous that Italian journalists asked him to comment on it before the 2014 World Cup.
In an interview, Buffon stated that he was going to start up his own private club where he can watch soccer and play poker. We are not sure whether Gigi really did it, but we definitely like the idea.
Conclusion
The list of footballers who love gambling is long and distinguished. We should also mention Diego Maradona, Wayne Rooney, Joey Barton, and Dominic Matteo, but there simply wasn’t enough room for everyone on our list.
That’s why we picked the five most popular soccer players who like to gamble. Who do you believe is the greatest casino gambler among these famous players?
Leslie Alexander is an online gambler and a content lead at Gamblizard. Leslie is interested in all types of casino games, so she gladly shares her vast gambling knowledge with online followers. When not working, Leslie is probably reading or running long distances.
