Casino games can be both exciting and relaxing, and it comes as no surprise that athletes enjoy this form of entertainment. These are people who need to do their best while playing under pressure and when the stakes are high. As a result, many top sportsmen love to play poker. The trend obviously applies to tennis players as well, and they love to bet on all sorts of things.
A lot of them enjoy blackjack, poker, baccarat, roulette, and even betting on sports. In fact, some of these athletes even act as brand ambassadors for gambling companies, which is a great side income for them. Here we will be going over several tennis players who are gambling enthusiasts and love to play casino games.
Boris Becker
Boris Becker is an absolute legend when it comes to tennis. He has won six titles and was praised all over the world for his athletic achievements. Once he resigned from professional tennis he decided to pursue a different career, and become a professional poker player. He even acted as a brand ambassador for a famous poker website. He ranked in the top 50 professional poker players which speaks volumes of his skill in this game. However, he recently found himself in a courtroom.
Boris Becker has been accused of hiding assets and owing over 50 million to his creditors. In 2017 he declared bankruptcy and given the size of his debt this move only resulted in increased scrutiny over his assets. Many regard this as Becker’s downfall, and it can be difficult to see their role model accused. The trial began in March 2024, and we are yet to see how this will conclude.
David Benyamine
Older fans of tennis had a chance to follow David’s career. He is a French player that had fans all over Europe back in the day. His professional tennis career was cut short, after he sustained a shoulder injury, and decided to withdraw. At that point, he decided to give card games a try and found out that he is pretty good at both blackjack and poker.
Many younger tennis fans are probably unaware of who David is, but people who follow professional poker players definitely know this guy. Gambling fans from Canada love to watch David play, and they also use playsafecanada.org to find safe and reliable online casinos. These sites also offer amazing bonuses and even allow you to use cryptocurrency as a payment method. David’s admirers love to play live dealer blackjack, baccarat, and of course poker on these websites.
Gus Hansen
Unlike other entries on this list Gus wasn’t exactly a legendary athlete. So, it’s understandable if his name doesn’t ring any bells. However, Gus was a popular young player, who also decided to pursue the career of a professional gambler, and earned the nickname “The Great Dane.” Muck like other young people Gus found mobile gaming or deposit by phone casino platforms very appealing. This is a very safe and convenient way to handle deposits, and also to enjoy other perks that online casinos have to offer. Gus is undoubtedly a talented player and has a strong passion for gambling. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t always on his side.
Gus’s enthusiasm for his hobby grew out of proportion, so he developed a sort of an addiction. He has accumulated big debt that went over 20 million dollars, which even for a talented athlete is too much. He didn’t back down though and even decided to participate in poker tournaments held in Las Vegas. Gus can also be viewed as a cautionary tale, of why responsible gambling is so important.
Rafael Nadal
Every tennis fan today knows Rafael Nadal. He is one of the top-performing players and he is still regarded as a king of clay. Even if you think he is past his prime Nadal is a very formidable opponent who can easily snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat if underestimated. He is one of the most paid tennis players in the world, and many consider him the greatest of all time. His main rivals are Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, and it’s undeniable that they are the big 3 of the current tennis scene.
Nadal is also a big fan of table card games in a casino. To be precise Nadal really loves to play poker. However, he didn’t participate in many big tournaments and is not as popular on the gambling scene as other entries on this list. He was even seen a few times in Monte Carlo casino enjoying all sorts of games while taking a break from tennis.
Jimmy Connors
Jimmy is a former number 1 player from the US, but his passion for gambling got out of control. In his autobiography, he talked about his struggle with gambling addiction, and he described how this habit ruined him financially. He would basically continue to play so long as he had money. He also bet on himself on multiple occasions, which isn’t too uncommon among the athletes. However, it’s rare to see people who gamble until they go broke.
Luckily, this is a story with a happy ending. Jimmy said that he successfully overcame this addiction and is no longer compelled to gamble. He is even coaching new generations of tennis players.
Conclusion
These were some of the tennis superstars who really love to play casino games. As you can see some of these stories did take a dark turn, but that doesn’t mean that the hobby itself is bad. We need to be prudent and moderate in everything, this includes training, diet, drinks, and even hobbies. It’s good to remember to be responsible when gambling and not to wager money that you cannot afford to lose. There are plenty of online casino bonuses that players can utilize to minimize their expenses. Moreover, there are more platforms than ever, so it’s unlikely you will run out of options for bonuses any time soon.
