All athletes share one trait, and that’s competitiveness. In order to have the drive to excel you need to want to compete against others. However, when someone is competitive, loves to be right, and wins, then they are likely to love gambling. There are lots of games that are purely based on luck, but there are also those that rely on your speculation and ability to read the situation. There are lots of online casino Canada sites that people from all over the world use, including celebrities.
For many, betting on sports is not considered gambling, it’s a test of knowledge. So, it’s not uncommon for tennis players to love to gamble and play online casino games, as well as wager on sports matches. Here we will talk about tennis players who enjoy playing casino games.
Tennis Players and Online Casinos
We should first mention that tracking players’ online activity is somewhat difficult, especially if they can play anonymously. Online casinos also have data privacy, so unless a player states out loud where they are playing it’s impossible to tell. So, we will talk about players who are known for their passion for casino games and assume that they play on the internet as well.
Rafael Nadal
There are a few names that frequently pop up in modern tennis, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal. These are the 3 top players and rivals, and Rafael is rightfully named the King of the Clay. He is an incredible athlete and has been a pro player for a very long time, during which he won at Wimbledon, French Open, Australian Open, and US Open.
Nadal is also known for his attraction to poker as this is one of his favorite card games. He was even seen playing against Vanessa Selbst, who is a professional poker player.
Unfortunately, Nadal was no match for her, as poker is also a game of skill and Vanessa has way more experience. Nadal was even a brand ambassador for gambling platforms or poker sites, so this little hobby of his managed to land him some sweet side gigs and boost his earnings. The Canadian mobile casino is another great platform to dive into.
David Benyamine
For those who started to follow tennis recently, the name David Benyamine doesn’t sound familiar most likely. However, those who follow poker competitions know David very well. Currently, David is a professional poker player who started his career as an athlete. He was a french tennis player that had to resign due to a shoulder injury. When God closes one door he opens up another and for David that door led to card games or more specifically poker.
David has such a huge fanbase that most people forget he started out in tennis. However, poker also takes a lot of practice and online casinos with poker rooms organize tournaments quite frequently, so chances are David uses this opportunity to practice. Jimmy Connors
Jimmy is an absolute legend and the number one tennis player from the US. He is also an avid fan of casinos, and during his prime online gambling sites weren’t a thing yet, so he most likely gave them a shot once his tennis career was over. He is known to be quite a high-roller and he even wrote a book about his passion for casino games. Jimmy is basically a Michel Jordan of tennis due to his incredible skill and love for gambling.
Boris Becker
Another big name in the world of tennis that serves as an inspiration for many athletes today. Boris is a legend from Germany who was a former number 1. Similar to Nadal, Boris also acted as a brand ambassador for gambling sites, and much like David he pivoted to poker and remained a celebrity.
He has won over 70,000 dollars by competing in poker tournaments, but that amount really seems insignificant compared to his earnings as a tennis player. Boris is one of the highest-paid athletes who earned 25 million dollars while playing tennis, so it’s safe to assume he can afford some major losses while gambling. Unlike David, Boris is not that big of a deal in the pro player poker world, but he might be more successful in the online casino tournaments, who knows.
Conclusion
These were some of the biggest names in tennis that also pop up in gambling communities. As mentioned it’s quite common for athletes to be drawn to this form of entertainment. They don’t have to be stressed out too much if they lose, and it opens up more career choices for them as brand ambassadors. The situation is pretty much identical with soccer and basketball players. We also have celebrities who are incredibly talented blackjack players, which is another casino game that requires a lot of strategies.