It’s no secret that celebrities adore the rush of gambling. Poker, blackjack, or sports betting, numerous famous names have been attracted to the adrenaline that comes with playing for keeps – well, at least a small percentage of their wealth. Some do it for enjoyment, some for rivalry, and a couple have even made gambling a hobby. And as online betting explodes like never before, with major operators like Betway dominating the market with many hours of fun engagements, more and more stars are jumping aboard the gravy train, even tinkering seven-figure endorsement deals with casinos.
Hollywood’s love affair with casinos
Casinos have been a celeb hotspot for years. Think about it: Where else are you going to be able to sip expensive cocktails, gamble at a high-stakes table, and maybe take home even more money than you came with – or, you know, maybe significantly less? Ben Affleck is a prime example. The Oscar-winning actor isn’t just a fan of gambling; he’s actually really good at it. So good, in fact, that he was allegedly banned from playing blackjack at certain Las Vegas casinos because of his card-counting skills. For the record, card counting isn’t illegal, but casinos don’t exactly love it when you’re too good at beating the house.
Tobey Maguire, or your friendly neighborhood Spider Man, is another poker legend. He has been involved in secretive high-stakes games among Hollywood power brokers so much that his own gambler’s tendencies helped partially inspire the film Molly’s Game, a tale of high-stakes poker clubs with celebrities, billionaires, and Wall Street titans. And then there is Pamela Anderson. The Baywatch beauty has been seen at the poker tables and even competed at poker tournaments when she was in her heyday. It is said that once she settled a poker debt by proposing marriage: Whether it is true, that’s the stuff of which Hollywood movies are made.
The sports betting obsession
If you believe only casinos are where stars attend for their dose of gambling, well, think again. Sportsbooks have been just as chic, if not more so, with online sportsbooks making the act of putting down a wager about as easy as tapping an iPhone. Take Michael Jordan, for instance. The basketball legend is every bit as competitive off the court as he was on the court. His love of gambling, especially for golf, is the stuff of which legends are made. He’s been known to make some wacky bets on the course, and let’s just say they weren’t small bets.
Charles Barkley, another hoop hero, has also been highly candid about his betting enthusiasm. He’s admitted to losing millions of dollars over the course of years on sports bets and games of luck. Even though he’s eased up considerably in recent times, he’s still a household name amongst gamblers and sport betters. Drake has eagerly gotten on board the bandwagon of online sports betting’s new era. The rapper flaunts his high-stakes bets in front of his millions of Instagram followers regularly, sometimes netting and losing staggering amounts on UFC fights, NBA games, and others. His partnership with online sportsbook Stake has made him one of the most recognizable celebrity faces in the sports betting business.
Celebrities cashing in on betting deals
It’s easy to be a gambler; it’s different to make money from it beyond winning. Now that sports betting and online gambling are going mainstream, celebrities are no longer just playing games: Now they’re brand ambassadors, signing six-figure deals with gaming platforms. Rapper and social networker Rubi Rose was in the headlines when she became PrizePicks World Champion, winning a tasty $100,000. Her involvement didn’t stop at playing, though: She marketed the site aggressively, drawing even more publicity off her massive following. This sort of endorsement is a win-win: Celebrities are rewarded, bookies get press, and players are motivated, for better or worse, to give it a try.
Meanwhile, large betting houses like Betway, DraftKings, and FanDuel have been inking endorsement deals with celebrities on a wholesale basis. Those deals usually amount to the celebs appearing at high-profile wagering events, plugging the sites on their social media pages, or even providing their own game picks. It’s good business for the companies – why not, if your favorite celebrity is wagering?
The controversy over celebrity betting deals
Of course, not everybody is happy with celebrities promoting gambling. Critics say that celebrities are making betting glamorous, presenting it as an easy way to become a millionaire, when in fact the house always wins. This concern is most relevant to young audiences who might not be aware of the dangers at all.
As celebrities promote such sites on either side, others are concerned that more people, especially those that cannot afford to lose, are being enticed to gamble without entirely considering the ramifications.
The thin line between pleasure and risk
Gambling is exciting, no doubt about it. The thrill of placing a bet and praying it comes in is something that many, including celebrities, can’t seem to get enough of. But as the industry grows and more celebrities lend their names to betting websites, the issue of responsible gambling is more important than ever.
Finally, celebrities gambling is nothing new. But with online betting being more common than ever, their influence has never been stronger. Whether or not that’s a curse or a blessing remains to be seen. Just remember for every Ben Affleck crushing blackjack, there’s a Charles Barkley admitting to losing millions. Play intelligent.
