These days, quite a few footballers have a passion for sports betting. FIFA prohibits players from participating in betting games, but that doesn’t stop them from doing so and spending huge sums to satisfy their hobby. Of course, it is the footballers who have an eye on the game, giving them more chances of profiting from this gambling venture of theirs.
Responsible betting
According to No-Verification.Casino sports betting is a type of gambling and carries the risk of developing an addiction. In this line of thought, if you are betting you should be responsible and do it for fun rather than making it a way of life. In the following lines, we will write about the most famous football players who do not hesitate to bet at bookmakers and casinos.
Gianluigi Buffon
The Italian goalkeeper has been repeatedly involved in sports betting scams. He was even on the verge of missing a World Cup because of accusations of illegal betting. The goalkeeper often appears in promotional videos of bookmakers and online casinos and he himself makes no secret of being a gambling fan. Eventually, the charges were dropped as Buffon was betting on football when it was not yet banned, which prevented prosecution.
Gianluigi Buffon says he likes to live life to the max. Bookmaking is one of the ways he entertains himself in his spare time, although it leads to many scandals and loud headlines in the media. The Italian doesn’t hide his addiction to poker either, with insiders saying that he is one of the classy players who win really big money.
Dominic Matteo
The former Liverpool footballer is one of the ardent betting fans. He himself admits that in 2011 he lost £1 million on betting. However, that was not his only big loss. Matteo loves betting on horse racing and has lost £100,000 on an unsuccessful horse. He is addicted to gambling but says he gambles out of boredom rather than anything else. However, this hobby has cost him dearly over the years.
Dominic Mateo spoke to the press and said “I think it’s a big problem for footballers”, referring to sports betting. One day he just opened a bookmaker account from his phone and started losing thousands of pounds. These days he’s abstaining from his love of gambling, but we can’t be sure how long that will last.
Wayne Rooney
The record holder for Premier League appearances, Wayne Rooney is one of the Albion’s most avid gamblers. He is a casino enthusiast and plays slots, roulette, blackjack, poker and other games. This hobby has brought him huge losses over the years, but the player does not stop visiting land-based casinos and trying his luck. Those close to Rooney comment that he has lost but also won a lot of money gambling. What fortune he has amassed, however, is being kept top secret.
One of Wayne Rooney’s biggest losses was in 2008 when he lost 65,000 pounds in just two hours. A few years later, bad luck befell Rooney once again, but it didn’t stop him from gambling, and seemed to motivate him to continue playing at various casinos.
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Dietmar Hamann
The great former Liverpool midfielder, also enters the list of footballers addicted to betting in the past. In his autobiography titled “The Didi Man”, Hamann says that he lost over $300,000 after betting on cricket. He talks about gambling and his other losses, knowing very well the thrill of gambling and losing.
Dietmar Hamann is known for his addiction to bookmakers and makes no secret of it. Very often in the media he talks about the danger of gambling and betting. Naturally, he was one of the rich footballers who could afford to throw huge sums on bets. These days, Hamann appeals to football supporters to bet wisely and be responsible.
Neymar
The Brazilian footballer has a variety of hobbies. He loves to sing, dance and play, but there is another pastime that appeals to him. Neymar is an avid poker player and loves to play with friends or at online casinos. The Brazilian sees a lot in common between football and poker and says they are games for people who are not afraid to take real risks.
Neymar is said to be one of the good players, but like all poker enthusiasts he has faced the bitter taste of losing. After all, the footballer is among the richest, so he can afford this kind of gambling fun, even if he loses serious sums. These days, Neymar is again playing in the casinos and demonstrating mastery at the poker tables.
Gerard Piquet
Former Spanish footballer Gerard Pique also has a thing for betting. He is one of the skilled poker players who has made it to the professional level. In 2011, Piquet won third place at the PokerStar tournament and in 2019, he finished second at the European Poker Championship. The Spaniard became passionate about gambling during his time at Manchester United, where he and other players frequented land-based casinos, and this continues to this day.
However, Gerard Piquet is not just a gambling addict, he is a true professional, which sets him apart from many of his other colleagues. He plays poker to prove that he is a master, not just to throw thousands of dollars to the wind. Therefore, his story is a little different.
Summing up
These were a small portion of the football players who like betting in casinos and with bookmakers. These names have encountered the bitter taste of losses, but have gained a lot from their gambling hobby. Of course, you should not follow their example because gambling often leads to losses of no small magnitude. The gamblers mentioned in this article made sure of that.
In conclusion, we again appeal to you to be responsible with your betting and to play just for fun, without overdoing it. If you feel that you are getting addicted, then it is better to stop so that you do not face addiction and other troubles.
