By Valentine Ferrari
It’s no secret that football fans love to bet on their favorite sport, team and players, but did you know that many football players also like to gamble? In fact, some of them like to gamble so much that they’ve experienced huge money losses or – in rare cases – huge money wins!
With that in mind, you might be wondering what are the most popular games among football fans and players? Generally speaking, there are four main types of casino games that rank among the most popular. These include: Slots, Roulette, Blackjack and Poker. Online casino and bookmakers know this, which is why they ensure that they include certain games in their extensive gaming portfolios that they know will attract a specific type of player.
For instance, Top Trumps Football Legends is a 15-payline Playtech video slot that is popular among football fans. This game is available at the casino operated by gambling giant William Hill and is popular not just for its sports theme, but also because it is a tribute to the legends of the sport.
On the reels you’ll see actual images of various legends of football including Johan Cruyff, Alfredo Di Stefano, Michel Platini, and Bobby Charlton, among others. The awesome theme and graphics, coupled with a wide variety of features including free spins and multipliers, makes Football Legends a real treat for sports fans.
Of course, it’s not just about the slots. Additionally, you’ll find fans and players of the sport at table games like roulette, as well as the card games blackjack and poker. In fact, not too long ago, the Manchester United and England football star, Wayne Rooney, reportedly lost a whopping £500,000 at the roulette and blackjack tables in a mere 2 hours. Wayne Rooney’s incredible loss occurred at the Manchester 235 Casino in the VIP area, where he allegedly was losing more than £4,000 a minute on blackjack and roulette.
According to one witness, Rooney was being very reckless and was laying down chips, which amounted to massive bets. While another witness said he was “chasing his losses.”
However, not all football stars lose when they hit the casino tables. Brazil’s World Cup Winner and former three time FIFA Player of the Year, Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima – more commonly known as Ronaldo – has made a name for himself in the poker community. Ronaldo’s career in the poker world has lead to him taking 26th place at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) Main Event in the Bahamas. He won an amazing $42,180 (£27,824) prize and beat some of the world’s top poke players. He also went further than any other sports star in the PCA’s 10-year history.
Ronaldo said that he was really excited to win adding that “it’s the same emotion I used to have at the soccer fields playing at the highest level.”
As you can see, the games that football fans and players enjoy are quite similar. The only difference between fans and players may be the size of their wallets.