The Big Mystery Around How Celebrities Play Poker

Ben Affleck at a ’09 poker tournament – Image source: Simon Dingley, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Celebrities are like us. They prove that whenever they sit down gambling, except for the amounts they play with. We all have seen pictures of Ben Affleck, Kevin Hart, Matt Damon, etc., at the poker table. The question is: how do they play poker? They often participate in private poker parties where the pot is worth millions of dollars. Of course, many more stars try their hands at poker once in a while, but the players on our list are regulars at casinos. Let’s take a look et how celebrities play poker!

How celebrities play poker

Stars have a little bit bigger wiggle room when it comes to money, and gambling is mostly about that. Wealthy people can truly enjoy a game of poker, not having to worry about whether they will win or lose. Even if the amounts are six or seven figures. The multiply Oscar nominee, James Woods, mostly known as Lester Diamond from Scorsese Casino, spends a lot of time at the poker table. He is a generally intelligent person. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that he is a successful card player. He graduated from MIT, so Woods must know some stuff, though his strength resides in talking his opponents out of their decisions when it’s their turn. This distracts them and leaves many frustrated enough to lose the round. He doesn’t care about money but winning, so he is a very powerful opponent. 

There is probably no need to tell who Todd Philips is. However, did you know how dangerous of a poker player he is? He was never afraid of bluffing or making slow plays, so he became an unpredictable player. He turned out to be such a good player that he made it to the WTP Legends of Poker finals in 2005 and ended up fifth, winning 250,000 dollars. His secret weapon is laughing. It’s a fun fact that he was the director of Joker, where Joaquin Phoenix had to laugh through the whole movie. The funny thing is, though, that laughing at the poker table turned out a winning strategy. This is one way how celebrities play poker. 

Strategies at the poker table

Ben Affleck is also a regular visitor to the poker table. You can hear both good and bad about the A-listed actor. We often see shots of him at a casino, being drunk, disappointed, or, on rare occasions, happy from his frequent visits. According to Boylesports Poker, he won a $ 356,000 cashout at the 2004 California State Poker Championship once, but his pro career never took off. His passion for gambling has not always had a beneficial effect on his private life. In 2014, Hard Rock in Las Vegas banned him from its blackjack tables, being suspicious of him counting the cards. He is not afraid of bluffing, and hero calls. Affleck was also a key player in the Molly’s Game scandal, an underground, high-stakes poker game club that operated in the Viper Room in West Hollywood. There is a hugely successful film about its story too.

The Two Half And A Man’s star, Charlie Sheen, is one of those celebrities who somehow always draws attention to themselves. Instead of his acting qualities, he has been in the news about his scandals a lot more. It also turned out that in addition to alcohol and drugs, Sheen also has problems with gambling. Her ex-wife claimed that the actor would leave about $ 200,000 a week in the casinos he loves poker and sports betting the most. Reportedly, his biggest loss was $ 1 million. This is how celebrities play poker. We don’t really know what his secret is at the poker table. Maybe it’s just luck or, apparently, unluck.

How celebrities play poker – Rocker edition

Rex Brown even claimed in his book that he loved going to casinos with Vinnie Paul, and gambling was almost a mandatory part of the Pantera’s tours in the 90s. Rex also recalled a story that after a drunken poker night, he woke up in Vegas, owing $ 20,000 to a casino. According to Boylesports Poker, since he did not have that much money on him, he had to win back the amount. His tour bus driver, who was a pro blackjack player, helped him out and won $ 27,000. This is Vegas, baby!

Lemmy Kilmister, the Motörhead’s legendary singer, was obsessed with gambling. He spent long hours in the casinos. Kilmister was not picky; slot machines, card games, come what may. His favorite spot was the Rainbow Bar & Grill. Rumor has it that gambling is where he got his name since he often said: Lemmy some money! Which is the slurred version of lend me some money. References to gambling appear in their greatest hits, like Ace of Spades. This is how celebrities play poker!

NBA players at the poker table

According to online sportsbook sites in the US, poker is a big part of the NBA. It’s not surprising if you think about it. Poker is a popular way to spend time on long flights while the team travels across the United States to away games. It is a fun way to form a bond with the teammates. Besides, it requires focus and a competitive spirit. Qualities NBA players need to have, not to mention the large amounts of money in the poker industry. Poker has become a refuge for many athletes who have been unable to cope with retiring. Let’s see how NBA celebrities play poker!

Michael Jordan is the most famous basketball player, the legend of the sport. It is also a well-known fact that he loves gambling. Rumor has it that it was the main reason for his retirement. His obsession with gambling started to get out of hand, and the NBA didn’t care for the unwanted attention. Jordan began playing cards in the early 90s. In an interview, Charles Barkley admitted that he, Jordan, Magic Johnson, and some other celebs played poker every night. Reportedly, Jordan played with very high stakes and well. Even after retiring, he played on a regular basis. Check out other incredible news about Michael Jordan gambling stories!

The two-time MVP, Stephen Curry, is another frequent visitor to the poker table from the NBA. However, Curry doesn’t compete in high-stake games. Nonetheless, Stephen is one of the regulars at the poker games during the Golden State Warriors’ flights. Paul Pierce is another famous poker player who knows how celebrities play poker! Pierce is not just a talented ten-times All-Star basketball player but a devoted casino star. He participates in popular TV shows where he plays high stakes against professional poker players, including the WSOP Main Event. This is proof that he does something well since WSOP is not for beginners!

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