Poker is fast becoming one of the most popular casino games with the online community growing on a yearly basis, TV coverage also expanding at a rapid pace, and lots of celebrities getting in on the act and enrolling in tournaments across the planet. We though that we would take a look at this in a little greater detail and pick four celebrities who you will know who probably play poker better than most of us, some as good as the pros.
We’ll kick things of with one of the best actors and now directors in the business. Current Batman Ben Affeck is one hell of a card player who not only likes a game of poker, but also delves into the odd blackjack game or two. Both Affleck and his Good Will Hunting co-star, co-writer and all-round best mate Matt Damon, have also been known to enter the prestigious World Series Of Poker – the Superbowl of the great game – in Las Vegas. Ben’s winning reprtedly come in at a reported $300,000-plus over his decade-spanning poker career. Not too shabby on top of all of the directing and acting work.
Next up is Olympic legend Michael Phelps. The world-champion swimmer is the most decorated Olympian of all time with 26 medals, but also likes to play the game of poker. Of course, he doesn’t just play in the casino online, but also in live events and sometimes for charity. In 2013 Phelps walked into the Imperial Ballroom of the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, Barbados and layed down $10,000 for a seat and stack of poker chips for a high-roller tournament. The athlete also made his debut in a $5000 a seat World Series Of Poker Game the same year.
James Woods (above)is a name you may not immediately recognise, but it is an actor’s whose work you’ll instantly know. Woods has enjoyed a multi-decade career and was most recently seen in the Showtime TV show Ray Donovan. Prior to that he has been seen in the likes of Sylvester Stallone movie The Specialist and the 1995 Martin Scorsese gangster film Casino, which is apt, as the actor enjoys to play poker in his spare time. He now travels the world playing the game with the best of the best with his career-long earning reportedly reaching way over the $200,000 mark.
Next up is Jennifer Tilly, arguable the most famous of the actors turned poker pros. Star of films like Bound and Bride Of Chucky, the actress is now as known for her prowess on the poker tables as he her work in the motion picture industry. With career earnings of close to $1m, Tilly not only commands the tables she sits at, she wins quite a few stacks in the process too. The actress exploded onto the poker scene in 2005 when she beat over 600 players to take the Ladies Event title at that year’s WSOP where she won her first gold bracelet. She still continues to act and can be currently heard on the ever popular animated comedy Family Guy.
