Football Players Who Love to Gamble

With an estimated 250 million players and more than 3.5 billion fans, football is one of the most popular competitive sports in the world. The fans cannot wait to see their favourite players put everything on the line every game, pushing themselves to their limits to ensure they achieve success. 

Once the game is over, however, the players return to their ordinary lives, where they do many of the same things that ordinary people do—including gambling. Just like you can choose from many casinos here to wind down after a long day of work, a number of football players have openly admitted their penchant for punting on card games, slots, and sports betting. Below, we’ve listed the biggest names in soccer who love to gamble.

Cristiano Ronaldo

With more than 900 million followers on social media, it is widely accepted that Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most famous sports figures on the planet. There is good reason for this: the Portuguese player has played his heart out in every match, becoming rated as one of the best players in history.

Aside from breaking multiple records in the top European football leagues, Cristiano has also broken records in the UEFA Champions League and has a fanbase that spreads to almost every country. He is also an avid fan of gambling and makes no effort to hide his love for the thrill. 

Choosing poker as his preferred game, Cristiano has been seen multiple times playing at some of Europe’s top retail casinos. He’s also admitted to playing online in the past. In 2016, he even participated in a PokerStars series playing for charity against Breaking Bad actor Aaron Paul. 

Wayne Rooney

Despite retiring from play and moving to become a manager, Wayne Rooney is still considered one of the best strikers that Manchester United has ever had. Scoring 183 goals during his 393 appearances for the squad, he has also played for other notable clubs like Everton and Derby County. 

Speaking openly on the matter, Wayne has admitted his love for gambling on numerous occasions. Having a particular penchant for poker, roulette, and blackjack, he has also been heavily involved in sports betting. The star has recounted how he had to overcome a gambling addiction during his early years of being a star player. 

Beating the problem faced by many who enjoy gambling too much, Wayne has become a spokesperson for trouble gambling. He now speaks about times when he lost £65,000 in a single poker game and spreads awareness about responsible gambling practices. 

Neymar Jr.

Like Ronaldo, Neymar is a name known far and wide by football fans. The Brazilian player has made headlines numerous times because of his passionate playing style, which clearly shows he puts his heart and soul into every game he plays.

But football isn’t the only thing Neymar is passionate about. He also has a deep fondness for poker and was one of the leading ambassadors for PokerStars—the operator even held a tournament in the player’s name.

Aside from being a face behind poker, Neymar also takes playing the game seriously. In 2022, he participated in his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) event after qualifying in 2016. He admits to playing the game to relax and enjoy his well-deserved downtime.

Paul Merson

As one of Arsenal’s football stars, Paul Merson has spent plenty of time giving his team his all. But after winning two league titles, the FA Cup, and playing for England at the FIFA World Cup, he had a penchant for placing wagers when walking off the pitch.

Like Rooney, however, Paul’s love of gambling extends beyond just playing. The star is said to have lost more than £7 million due to addictive gambling. Sharing his experience and ongoing love for punting, Merson made a film titled Paul Merson: Football, Gambling and Me, in which he recounts his experiences as a football hero who loved to bet.

David Bentley

Retiring after a relatively short career in professional football, David Bentley was known as a strong midfielder and winger. Playing for clubs like Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Blackburn Rovers, the passionate player is known for his open and pleasant attitude.

When it comes to off-field activities, however, David has openly admitted that gambling drew him in more than he expected. Sharing his experiences of gambling while being a football star, he has admitted to placing almost 100 bets a day on various horse racing and sports events. 

Alongside these bets, David loved online poker, accessing many of the legal sites available to UK players. David has given up both gambling and football, citing he no longer has the same passion for either activity as he used to. Fortunately, he knew when to call it quits.

Gianluigi Buffon

On numerous occasions, Italian Gianluigi Buffon has been called the most outstanding goalkeeper in history. This reputation preceded the embattled player even during investigations into his match-fixing involvement – in which he was ultimately cleared. 

Off the pitch, Gianluigi is an avid fan of wagers and openly comments about his love of sports betting and card games – with a particular interest in poker. Before Neymar, Gianluigi was an ambassador for PokerStars and expressed publicly how gambling helped him stay entertained. More recently, after the suspension of Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Fagioli due to placing bets, Gianluigi came into the spotlight again. Standing up in defence of the two players, he again reiterated that there is nothing wrong with placing wagers as long as they are done safely and responsibly. He also called out media junkets for labelling players as problem gamblers without cause.