Gambling in an online casino is one of the biggest addictions for celebrities. It is a fun activity that affects people of all occupations. Some stars love to gamble because of the thrill it gives. While some celebrities learn to wager and become pros, some end up broke. Most celebrities play in online casinos, using other names to stay unnoticed during games.
Why are celebrities Drawn to Gambling?
Celebrities often crave anonymity, which they receive when gambling online. It is an excellent way for them to stay hidden from the public. Also, due to their busy schedules and money, they always seek ways to enjoy themselves. Online wagering allows them to enjoy their favorite games from anywhere.
“While some celebrities learn to wager and end up being pros, there are some who end up broke. Most of these celebrities often play in online casinos where they use other names to stay unnoticed when gambling”
Ⓒ Míra Kárallay
Famous Personalities and Their Gambling Struggles
Some famous personalities and their gambling struggles are:
1. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is an African-American professional golfer who became the first to win the Masters Tournament. He is not only known for being the “King of Golf” but also for his gambling problem.
Woods is often at casinos playing high-stakes blackjack and poker games. He also lost millions and spent at least $25,000 per hand when playing. His habit tarnished his image and led to a decline in his career.
2. Gladys Knight

Gladys Knight is a successful entertainer, songstress, and a seven-time Grammy Award winner. But, she was also a gambling addict who enjoyed baccarat or blackjack games in Atlantic City. Gladys revealed her ten-year excessive gaming habit and wrote about it in her autobiography.
In the late 1980s, she lost $40,000 in a night while enjoying her favorite game, baccarat. Afterwards, she joined Gamblers Anonymous to break her addiction.
3. Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley is one of the most prominent players to ever step onto the NBA court. Throughout his NBA career, he made a lot of money, which he might have lost due to his wagering habit. Charles once revealed that he had lost over $1 million several times. His habit caused his detriment as he insisted on playing until he made a million. Charles is a famous gambler who lost everything due to his habit.
4. Cornell Iral Haynes

Cornell Iral Haynes, known as Nelly, is an American actor and rapper. In 2000, he kicked off a successful solo hip-hop career. He has a passion for poker and played in the main event of the World Series of Poker. Nelly once got into a heated argument about the game’s rules with another gambler.
He also enjoys Texas Hold’em games and spends most of his time around casinos. Nelly continues to be a dedicated gambler and has lost all his money due to his addiction.
5. Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson is also one of the most successful basketball players. But, he went broke due to his crippling debts. Allen made over $180 million and managed to spend it all on gambling and boozing.
Not only is Allen broke, but he is also in debt and lost several of his sponsorship deals. Most casinos across Detroit barred Allen due to his unpleasant feuds with casino employees.
How do Celebrities Overcome Gambling Addiction?
Humans are guilty of expecting our favorite celebrities not to have bad habits. There is a vast population of celebrities who have overcome their gambling addiction. These celebrities understand that they have a problem and need to work on it. Some celebrities, such as Gladys Knight, contacted Gamblers Anonymous to overcome her addiction.
Which Celebrities Know How to Gamble?
The following are some of the celebrities who know how to gamble:
1. Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck is an A-list actor born in Berkeley, California. Despite having a successful directing and acting career, he has an alcohol and gambling addiction. In 2001, he won $800,000 in a night playing blackjack. Ben Affleck gambling addiction soon escalated, and a Las Vegas casino banned him from playing blackjack due to card counting.
He also won $140,000 at Hard Rock Las Vegas while playing blackjack with Matt Damon. In 2001, Ben checked into a rehab facility due to his addiction.
2. Pete Rose

Pete Rose was a Cincinnati Reds manager who loved betting on his team. In 1987, he wagered on fifty-two games that his team played. The bet ranged from $2,000 to $10,000. It was the most celebrity bet of the time. It led to Pete’s lifetime baseball ban and made him ineligible for the then Baseball Hall of Fame.
In 2007, he told ESPN Radio’s Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick that “he loves his team and bets on them every night.”
3. Dana White

Dana White, the Ultimate Fighting Championship president, won over $2M in 2014. He played blackjack at the Palms for over three months with $25,000 per hand. Later, the Las Vegas casino halved his credit and banned him from playing blackjack at the unique casino.
Concluding Thoughts
We all know celebrities love spending money by purchasing luxurious properties and gambling. There is a growing number of stars who have a gambling habit problem. These celebrities tend to gamble away their earnings by playing casino poker games. Some celebrities are pros, but the odds of gambling are rarely in the player’s favor.