Home of football statistics and historyWhat is it about poker that makes it so attractive to football players? Whether it is earning them money or getting them into trouble, professional footballers just can’t seem to stay away from the poker table.
At first glance, it may not seem so obvious, but upon closer examination it becomes clear that there is a lot of common ground between the two games. Both are highly tactical and competitive, with high stakes and requiring a superior level of skill in order to be successful. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that many pro footballers are so highly paid that they can afford to lose a few grand without breaking a sweat. That’s got to be good for anyone’s poker face.
Here we’re going to delve into the relationship between the world’s favourite sport and the king of card games, from the highs to the lows.
Footballers turned poker pros
Even the very best professional football players have only a relatively brief time at the top of their game. Some choose to keep playing for smaller clubs, or move into coaching or management. But for many who are past their footballing prime, poker offers the chance to stay in a competitive arena, and one where your physical condition is not of the highest importance. It’s no wonder that many football players turn to poker in later years, either as skilled amateurs or even as pros.
The most famous of these is surely the legendary Ronaldo, the Brazilian who comes second only to Pelé for the most goals scored for his national team. Ronaldo only plays poker for fun, but he’s still managed to rack up some impressive wins, including a prize of over $42,000 at a tournament in the Bahamas. Rumour has it that he even missed watching the Ballon d’Or ceremony, a prize he had been the youngest recipient of in 1997, in favour of the card table.
Two men who have had more success in poker than they ever did in football are David Levi of Israel and Jan Vang Sorensen of Denmark. Levi’s football career was far from glittering, but since turning to poker he has earned more than $2 million. He now resides in Las Vegas, and is a true poker pro. Sorensen’s football was cut short due to a knee injury, but his poker winnings almost match Levi’s.
Closer to home is our own Teddy Sheringham. After hanging up his boots, the former England and Man United legend turned to a skill that he had honed whiling away many long hours on a tour bus. His wins may not have matched what he earned in his first career, but he certainly earned himself a reputation as a poker player to be reckoned with. Sadly for the game, Teddy has been absent from tournaments for a few years now.
Football and online poker sites
As well as the football players who enjoy live tournaments, there are also plenty who like to pass some time playing at online poker sites. Of course, most will use a pseudonym, so it’s not usually possible to know for sure. However, Juventus goalie Gianluigi Buffon, regarded by many to be the greatest of all time, plays under his real name. So, next time you log into your favourite online poker provider, you could be lucky enough to play against the great man himself – just look out for his nickname Gigi Buffon.
Online poker also gives us an insight into the link between fans of the two games. Statistics lifted from popular UK poker sites show that there is a significant drop in the number of players when a big football match is in progress. They also show an uptick during half time, and many online poker players have football references in their usernames. These figures prove a strong correlation between followers of both games.
Promoting poker with footballers
Considering the affinity between football and poker, it’s little wonder that online poker providers are keen to tap into the connection and recruit famous players as brand ambassadors. PokerStars has been especially successful in signing up some huge names in football to promote their services.
The Stars Group’s poker arm has managed to attract both Christiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr. into its ranks of celebrity promoters. Both of these superstars have a genuine love for the tables, and can reach millions of fans through their social media. PokerStars have been very successful in using their assets in popular viral advertising campaigns, such as Neymar showcasing his impressive capoeira skills. Another video, of Christiano Ronaldo in a poker duel with Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad fame, has racked up more than 5.5m views on YouTube.
Not all fun and games
While players like Sheringham and both the Ronaldos have managed to keep their noses clean at the poker tables, the card game has managed to land some others in hot water. Poker may be a blessing for those who can keep their cool, but for some hot-headed footballers it has turned out to be more of a curse.
Poker was partly to blame for one of West Ham’s worst seasons, back in 2006-2007. A number of first-team players were involved in excessive and reckless high-stakes card games that left some owing tens of thousands of pounds to their team mates. Some of the sessions went on until the early hours of the morning, leaving the men tired and creating disunity in the team. Some players reportedly underwent treatment for gambling addiction.
Many other players have also struggled to keep their gambling under control. Stoke City’s Matthew Etherington opened up about the team culture of playing cards for money, proving that West Ham’s woes were not an isolated case. Etherington admitted to losing £1.5m in a single poker game, and claimed that he and his team mates could easily lose a week’s salary in a casual game on the club bus.
More recently, Leicester City midfielder James Maddison was heavily criticised after he was photographed at a Texas Hold’em table in a Leicester casino. The player had missed what should have been his England debut due to illness – fans and media commentators were none too impressed. Manager Gareth Southgate was a little kinder to the young player, saying that what he did in his own time was up to him.
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