Successful, glamorous, rich and a bit spoiled. The famous of this world surely can relate to the Lady Luck. The result of a celebrity-meets-casino ordeal can be fun, silly, ridiculous or grow into a serious business.
Making it big in Hollywood or the world of sport might have been thanks to a mastered poker face, but does it help in gambling tries? More celebs that you might suspect gamble, but with what outcome? Let’s have a quick check.
Each one of us knows something about Britney Spears and how “colorful” she is. But did you know she once had a gambling problem? It was precisely cockfighting - a popular pastime in her home state, Louisiana. She said that watching it, and with time betting on such fights, was “natural” since her whole family enjoyed such entertainment, but it’s been reported that even with all her success and fame, it was getting a little out of hand. She also liked to party hard in Vegas with Paris Hilton. Of course.
Speaking of the Hiltons, Nicky said few years ago that she is addicted to online gambling and many recognizable people are – since the game can take place away from the limelight. But Nicky said she plays simply when she can’t sleep. How cute. Less cute for the bad-boy from the socialite circles Brandon Davis. He inherited a fortune after his fuel tycoon grandfather and is known mainly from his rude behavior and partying. Partying so well that it got him into trouble. In 2007 a resort in the Bahamas sued him for around $75.000 of casino debt and another one for $250.000 of unpaid gambling bills. And did he return it? No, he somehow got away with it by saying he was underage at that time. How do you do that? Oh, right, his family is filthy rich…
Still, Davis has nothing on Michael Jordan, said to have gambled away millions of dollars. Neither on an American golfer, John Daly, who says he lost up to $60mln over the years. Sixty million dollars, yes. It is not only extravaganza. It proves that many celebs play solely for the money and are certainly not getting the rules and strategies right. Let’s suggest Nicolas Cage to improve his poker skills – drastically – to win back his over $10mln tax debt. And don’t learn from Terry Watanabe, a billionaire who lost an astonishing amount of $127mln – not bad, right? – in Las Vegas casinos and then claimed the staff have been mysteriously intoxicating him to make him play more.
Most celebrities, though, keep it classy. Like Catherine Zeta-Jones, an essence of class herself, is an avid bingo player. The passion started back when she was young and loved organizing bingo parties for her family and friends. The actress still likes to arrange such parties during Christmas and rumor has it that her husband, Michael Douglas started playing bingo as well, inspired (or maybe he
had no option…) by Catherine. Additionally she agrees to host casino fundraising events, similarly to Eva Longoria or Andy Roddick (known for his charity initiatives e.g. poker tournaments). Back in the day Frank Sinatra, who wanted to enjoy gambling with his Rat Pack pals, acted successfully to abandon segregation in Vegas casinos. There are, then, ways to use your fame and cash in a good way.
Quite obviously, famous people don’t see anything inappropriate in being linked to gambling. Certainly not Donald Trump, that has made vast investments in casino industry or enthusiastic poker player George Clooney, who recently invested in an enormous “Las Ramblas” resort in Las Vegas. Or Matt Damon, who is rumored to have been offered $1 million for endorsing online operator Nine.com. And no wonder – Damon, alongside Ben Affleck cashing in at various WSOP events and championships – is a talented poker player and was once coached by the legend, Johnny Chan. And, although the Playboy Clubs suffered heavy losses in some decades, it doesn’t stop Hugh Hefner from spending big again for a venue in Fantasy Tower in Vegas.
When you’ve got more than you can spend you care not about the bankroll. And you can get away with losing, not hurting your “cred” too. Actors or sportspeople gamble in various forms and many casinos cater to them by assuring separate gaming rooms, privacy and top-notch treatment. If you’re famous you can have your playground wherever and at all cost. Whether you are a Queen of England betting on horse-racing (yep, true story) or Britney watching birds scratching out its eyes – nothing gives gambling industry more media spotlight than the VIP’s.
Successful, glamorous, rich and a bit spoiled. The famous of this world surely can relate to the Lady Luck. The result of a celebrity-meets-casino ordeal can be fun, silly, ridiculous or grow into a serious business.Making it big in Hollywood or the world of sport might have been thanks to a mastered poker face, but does it help in gambling tries? More celebs that you might suspect gamble, but with what outcome? Let’s have a quick check.
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