Sports have always been all about excitement and risk — two terms so intrinsically connected with gambling. That is quite possibly the reason why so many sports celebrities enjoy playing the slots or betting with actual money. Media worldwide frequently display famous sport stars visiting casinos or engaging in other forms of gambling. Others prefer the atmosphere of classic outlets, while others never forget to install a gambling app on their smartphone. If you wonder where sportsmen and average players like to bet, materials like https://best-online-casinos-usa.com/ reveal information about popular gaming websites.
Headlines tend to break stories about sportsmen and their love for games of chance. A recent example was when ex-Chelsea player Diego Costa was charged in Brazil on behalf of supposed fraud over betting activity.
Not all sports superstars are embroiled in a scandal. Many of them simply enjoy playing roulette or other casino games — at old-fashioned casinos or online establishments. Some of the most high-profile examples include:
Several of them have been known to lose millions on online roulette or other casino games. Let's look at some of their stories below.
Any boxing fan knows Floyd Mayweather. The 44-year-old is not only a world champion but also a TV star who loves to show off his lavish lifestyle on social media. He frequently posts winning bet tickets and huge stacks of casino chips worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
He has his net worth currently estimated at an eye-popping $560 million. That is how he is able to afford such an extravagant lifestyle of gaming and excess. He once earned $275 million from one fight with Conor McGregor — with enough fiscal wiggle room to chase his dreams.
The former NBA player, a member of the Miami Heat championship team for 2005/2006, is well-known for his gambling habits. Unfortunately, his casino habit landed him in severe monetary troubles. Walker owed casinos over $800,000 at some point or another. Having no money to pay it back, he landed in trouble with the law and ultimately filed for bankruptcy.
The golfing legend was also well-known for more than his sporting achievement but also for a series of financial embarrassments — many of which involved gambling. Daly openly confessed in interviews that he lost roughly $57 million in life on games at casinos, including internet slots, roulette, and poker. He frequently went to both physical and internet-based casinos.
All this started when he won $750,000 playing in a San Francisco tournament. He lost some $1.65 million during a single trip to Las Vegas, soon enough. His addiction to slot machines became so out of hand that he was reported to be playing seven blackjack hands simultaneously, the betting amount for each hand no less than $15,000.
The retired Manchester United legend is now a coach, with Derby County Football Club being his current team. In his spare time, Rooney often visits casinos. His most enjoyed games, he has explained, are blackjack and roulette.
But his games of chance are typically followed by heavy losses. Perhaps the most famous example was when Rooney lost nearly $700,000 in an evening. He says he's not an addict and only plays when he's blue — but what to think about that is for the people.
A one-time bright prospect quarterback in American football, Schlichter's future was ruined by his addiction to gambling. The betting world took over him and ceased his professional growth.
In the 1980s, Schlichter had collectively accumulated nearly $1 million in debt — most of it from sports wagering. His inability to repay even part of it led to an NFL suspension. He was involved in one other scandal, this one involving casino games, in 1987 that ended his chances at returning to top-level sports once and for all.