Over the years, professional athletes have been connected to the gambling industry in one way or the other. Some athletes were connected to this industry by accepting sponsorships from casino companies, while others simply by enjoying an occasional round of slots or card games. In almost every sports discipline you can find a professional athlete that is a huge casino enthusiast. For basketball, there’s Michael Jordan and for football, we have Christiano Ronaldo. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise that even some tennis players enjoy casino games as much as the rest of us.
However, one can’t expect that major superstars of tennis play card games or slots like a “normal” casino fan. While casino players around the world spend their time at the best deposit 5 get 25 free casino sites or other similar platforms, professional tennis athletes like to spend their free time on games with high stakes. It would be wrong to assume that they never visit online casinos as well, but it’s very likely that their deposits are higher than the ones made by a regular player. And in this article, we’ll explore top tennis players who also like to gamble in their free time.
Rafael Nadal
Modern tennis has been marked by several names, and one name that keeps on popping in the top three tennis players in the world is Rafael Nadal. Also known as the “King of the Clay”, this incredible athlete has won:
- Wimbledon
- US Open
- French Open
- Australian Open
And this is just to name a few. At 35, Nadal already has 89 titles with 20 Grand Slams and 36 Masters. But, whenever he’s not competing for the next title, Nadal likes to relax over a game of poker. He loves this card game so much that at one point he played against Vanessa Selbst at the Monte Carlo Casino. And although he might be the absolute favorite on the clay, he was no match for the experienced Vanessa. Moreover, Nadal was named as a PokerStars ambassador back in 2012, and he even managed to win a tournament, albeit a charitable one. He won 100,000 dollars from that competition that was later given to a charity.
Boris Becker
Even though retired, Boris Becker remains one of the greatest names from the world of tennis. The German tennis legend managed what only a handful of tennis players get to achieve, and that is to become the ATP’s number one. Other than winning six titles, this professional athlete is also one of the PokerStars ambassadors. He received this title in 2007, and then he continued participating in major European poker tournaments. He often refers to himself as a poker player who is usually armed with patience and a great ability to read his opponents. So far he’s managed to win over 70,000 dollars in poker tournaments. It still cannot be compared to the 25 million dollars that he earned playing tennis, but considering that poker is only his hobby then we can say that he is pretty good at it.
Jimmy Connors
The most popular American tennis player, Jimmy Connors, was a known fan of casino games. This former no.1 was known as a high-roller, and his love for gambling can easily be compared to the one of Michael Jordan’s. He even wrote a book about his gambling habits, where he describes all the things he wagered on.
Patrik Antonius
Patrik Antonius had a great tennis career in front of him. However, he suffered a back injury that removed him from the court for a while. And as it turned out he found his new profession in a casino. Or to be more precise, at the card table. In a turn of fate, Patrik went from being a professional tennis player to a professional card game player. Up until now, Patrik has earned millions by playing poker, and he’s considered to be one of the greatest names in the industry. He joined professional poker players in 2005, and by 2009 he had his first grand victory. And even though he didn’t have as much luck on the court as Nadal or Becker, Antonius did quite good for himself simply by using his amazing poker skills.
David Benyamine
If you are a younger tennis fan, then the name David Benyamine won’t ring a bell. However, Benyamine was a very popular French tennis player back in the day. This former tennis star spent a lot of years on the court. However, he decided that he wanted to continue his career elsewhere, due to a shoulder injury that prevented him from playing any further. After some time he decided that he would give card games a try. And luckily for him, he turned out to be an excellent card game player. His skills at the table are amazing. So much so that he’s one of the most followed players on the Internet while the Full Tilt Card Games last.
Conclusion
Professional athletes are adored by millions of fans across the globe. They can be idolized to the extent that they are considered superhumans. However, casino games are a great way to prove that professional athletes are just like the rest of us and that they too like to relax and unwind over a game of poker or blackjack. And who knows, maybe the next time you visit an online casino your favorite tennis player will also be there, playing his or her favorite game while they wait for the next match to begin.
