Imagine sitting around the poker table and suddenly finding yourself playing against Batman…well, not actual Batman…I’m talking about the actor that plays him, Ben Affleck. This is less uncommon than you might think. Given poker’s popularity amongst Hollywood starlets, players often find themselves staring at stars of the silver screen over the felt. But which Hollywood actors are also poker players, taking down opposition at high profile events like the World Series of Poker (WSOP)? Here’s a rundown of five Hollywood stars you should keep an eye out for next time you’re in Las Vegas.
1 – Ben Affleck
Not content with winning big at the Oscars and the Golden Globes, Ben Affleck, star of Dazed and Confused and Good Will Hunting, reportedly likes nothing more than a game of poker. His biggest poker win to date (as far as we know) came at the 2004 California State Poker Championship, where he took home $356,400.
2 – Shannon Elizabeth
Best-known for her roles in American Pie and Love Actually, Shannon Elizabeth is a serious contender around the poker table. Elizabeth reportedly visits Las Vegas at least three times a month to compete in live cash games. Her most significant cash win was an impressive $125,000. Over the course of her thriving poker career, the actress has cashed four times in the World Series of Poker, finished third in the NBC National Heads-up Poker Championship and notched up winnings of $235,866.
3 – Tobey Maguire
If rumours are true, Batman and Spiderman (Tobey Maguire) regularly took each other on in the very samepoker ring. Maguire, known for his roles in The Great Gatsby and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, is reported to have clocked up between $30 and $40 million through poker games. Maguire has been playing poker since 2004 and has seen some serious successes in both online and live play, competing regularly at the World Series of Poker and on the US circuit.
4 – Matt Damon
Rounders is without a doubt the greatest poker movie ever made, and it seems Matt Damon took his role in it very seriously – reportedly spending $25,000 to get some real-life experience around the poker table. Damon has also played in the World Series of Poker, with relatively successful appearances in the 2008 and 2019 WSOP events.
5 – Kevin Hart
Stand-up comedian, Kevin Hart, has been making waves in Tinsel Town in recent years with roles in Jumanji, Central Intelligence and Get Hard. When he’s not making people laugh, Hart loves nothing more than a game or two of poker. The actor is a regular in high roller events and has a partnership with PokerStars. In fact, he’s been quoted as saying, ‘I am deeply in love with the game. I’ve seen what the game is missing, and it’s missing me. I am going to make poker fun.’
