There has been a long-standing connection between wagering and sports. Throughout history, wagering activities have been observed as a means of experiencing the thrills of the game. Since then, both activities have become extremely popular, and today anyone can play in an online casino.
It should come as no surprise that some famous athletes have wagering as their hobby. An athlete playing at the Rocket Play casino or brick-and-mortar casino action isn’t uncommon, regardless of the setting. Athletes usually share one trait with each other: they’re competitive. The drive for excellence requires that you want to compete against others. Wagering is not for everyone, but those who like to win, are competitive, and want to be right are usually the biggest wagering enthusiasts.
Online Casinos and Tennis Players
Many professionals consider sports wagering to be a test of knowledge, not a form of wagering. There are plenty of tennis players who enjoy online pokies Australia, table casino games, and even sports wagering.
Professional tennis players face many challenges because they must follow strict rules, train hard, and keep an eye on their diet and behaviour. Wagering is helpful because it provides some relief to the average tennis player.
Gamers love wagering because the excitement and adrenaline rush it provides are enticing. Winning at wagering causes the brain to release dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. And let’s face it – most successful athletes are hooked on the dopamine release, right? Besides the fact that it allows tennis players to escape their monotonous daily routine, casino gaming also helps them relax. When playing, the stress can disappear and players are allowed to enjoy themselves. It makes them feel alive, which is why famous athletes love money gaming.
To begin with, it’s not always easy to track a player’s online activity if they play secretly. Additionally, online casinos are highly private, so unless a player states out loud where they are playing, it is impossible to determine where they are. In this context, we will focus on players who are known to have an affinity for playing casino games and assume that they play online as well.
There are lots of games that are purely based on luck, but one of the most popular among athletes, specifically tennis players, is definitely pokies. A lot of people all over the world, including celebrities, play pokies at Australian online casinos.
So, we will be providing you with a list of the most famous tennis players with wagering hobbies and their experiences playing pokies.
Rafael Nadal
In modern tennis, a few names are frequently heard: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal. In this group are three of the top players and rivals, Rafael rightfully wins the title of King of the Clay. In addition to his exceptional athletic ability, he’s been a pro tennis player for a very long time, winning Wimbledon, Australian Open, US Open, and French Open.
He is also known for his love of poker, which is another of his favourite card games. However, no tennis player can say that they haven’t played tennis-themed pokies while playing at the Australian Open. Vanessa Selbst, one of the best poker players on the planet, was even seen playing against him. Nadal could not compete with Vanessa as poker is also a game of skill, and she is far more experienced. This little hobby of Nadal brought him some sweet side gigs and boosted his earnings. He even became a brand ambassador for wagering platforms or online poker sites.
David Benyamine
In most cases, David Benyamine does not sound familiar to those who have only recently started following tennis. However, for those who are keen on poker, his name is well known. As of today, David is a professional poker player who began his career as a professional athlete. This French tennis player had to resign after sustaining injuries to his shoulder. And since life is pretty unpredictable, this led David to another path – professional wagering.
David is so popular in the gambling industry that most people forget he was a tennis player at one time. Nonetheless, poker takes a lot of practice, and online casinos who offer poker rooms hold tournaments quite frequently, so chances are David takes advantage of this opportunity to hone his skills. Also, there is no chance that he hasn’t tried some of the tennis pokies at Australian online casinos – after all, tennis is another of his passions.
Jimmy Connors
Among all of America’s tennis players, Jimmy Connors might be the best. Also, in 21 major tournaments over the course of Connors’ career, he reached the semifinals or better 14 times. Numerous tennis experts believe that he is among the top ten greatest male tennis players of all time. Young tennis players spend countless hours studying the technique of this player, and for good reason. His reign saw him play in almost 1600 matches and he won more than 1200 of them. For 160 consecutive weeks, he topped the world rankings with 109 titles and bragging rights as the No.1 player in the world.
As a fan of casinos, he most likely gave online wagering websites a shot after he retired from tennis when it wasn’t a thing yet. There’s more to this story – Connors discusses wagering in his memoir The Outsider as well. He has written a book about his love of casino games, including pokies after he became one of the best high rollers in the industry. The incredible skill and love for gambling that Jimmy displays make him the Michel Jordan of tennis – that is, gambling-wise.
Boris Becker
He is another big name in the tennis world today who inspires many athletes. Originally from Germany, Boris has played top-level tennis in Germany for a number of years. As with Nadal, Boris did his part as a brand ambassador for gambling sites, and, like David, he turned to poker and became famous. While it has faced challenges, tennis wagering sponsorship has steadily increased. As both the ATP Tour and gambling firms have frameworks that work, creating a more friendly working environment is possible. Additionally, regulations are improving each day, so there is still room to grow.
Even though he won more than 70,000 dollars in poker tournaments, an amount that seems small compared to what he earned as a tennis player. Boris’s tennis career earned him 25 million dollars, so it’s safe to assume he can afford to stake a large amount of money while gambling. Although Boris is not as well-known as David in the professional poker world, he may find more success in the online casino world and playing pokies, who knows?
To Sum Up
They are a few of the biggest names in tennis that are also prominent in wagering communities. As mentioned, athletes often turn to this type of entertainment to pass the time and relax. Losing does not stress out the athlete too much, and it gives them more career options as brand ambassadors – so apart from it being a hobby, they can actually profit from their passion for games such as pokies, poker or baccarat. Soccer players and basketball players face similar circumstances.
