When it comes to casino games, tennis players are some of the most avid gamblers. They enjoy the thrill of the game and the chance to win big money.
Some of them play in traditional gambling venues, while others prefer online casino iDeal because it offers the safest payment protocols. In each case, the fact remains that these athletes love gambling.
But who are the most notable names among them? In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the most famous tennis players who also enjoy casinos. Let’s take a look!
Top Five Tennis Players Who Gamble
There are so many gamblers among pro athletes, but we don’t want to bother you with a huge list and lesser-known names. Instead, we’ll give you the top five names and let you explore from there. Here are the most avid gamblers in tennis.
Boris Becker
Boris Becker is a retired German tennis player who won six Grand Slam singles titles during his career including two titles at Wimbledon. He’s also known for being a passionate gambler, particularly when it comes to playing poker.
Becker has been a part of a celebrity poker team at the European Poker Tour and World Poker Tour after having played the game professionally for a period of three years.
Later Becker went on to declare bankruptcy in a sad turn of events.
Patrick de Koster
This name probably doesn’t ring any bells, but it should. De Koster is a professional Dutch tennis player who also loves to play casino games. He used to be one of the most promising talents in the tennis world, but his career was cut short due to injuries. Still, he still enjoys playing online poker.
You can even find de Koster at the global poker database. According to the report, the former Dutch No1 earned nearly $300 thousand playing poker tournaments. It looks like he has more than enough to pay for his gambling habits!
Patrik Antonius
Another name on our list is Patrik Antonius, a former Finnish tennis star and a current pro poker player. He is widely considered to be one of the best at the game.
He’s gained fame thanks to his online tournaments against other high stakes players. The coolest thing is that Antonius often posts about his gambling adventures on Instagram, so you can follow his progress if you’re interested.
Jimmy Connors
Connors is one of the most successful tennis players of all time, with 109 titles to his name. He’s also known for being a passionate gambler, particularly when it comes to playing blackjack.
It is also why Connors published a book called The Outsider, in which he talks about his gambling exploits – among many other personal details.
Why do Athletes Gamble?
Perhaps it sounds strange to see such great names on a list of casino players. However, it’s not really that surprising when you think about it. Many athletes are competitive by nature and enjoy the thrill of gambling.
For them, it’s just another way to compete and try to win. They are used to handling difficult situations and thriller moments on the court, so gambling is just another way to get that same rush of adrenaline.
In addition, many athletes are also very good at strategic decision making, and they understand the odds of various games. This gives them an advantage over the average gambler, which can lead to some big winnings.
Besides that, online casinos are getting better every year. The games are more realistic and engaging than ever before, which makes it even more enjoyable for athletes to gamble online. With so many options available, it’s no wonder that more and more athletes are turning to online gambling for their fix.
Other Pro Athletes who Like Casinos
Tennis stars are not the only ones who enjoy gambling in casinos. In fact, there are many other professional athletes who love to spend their free time gambling. Here are just a few of the most notable names:
- Michael Jordan: One of the greatest basketball players of all time, Michael Jordan is also known for his competitive spirit and love of gambling, poker in particular.
- John Daly: A professional golfer with two major championship wins, John Daly is also a big gambler. He’s admitted to gambling millions of dollars on golf, poker, and even slot machines.
- Wayne Rooney: Wayne used to be one of the finest strikers of the era, especially while playing for Manchester United. Lots of media reports remind us that Rooney was ‘sucked in’ by gambling when he was away with Manchester United and England.
Conclusion
Many professional athletes enjoy gambling in casinos, including tennis players. For them, it’s just another way to compete and try to win. This post showed you the top five tennis players who love gambling. Which one surprised you the most?