When you’re at the top of your athletic world, there is a lot of pressure that comes your way. Millions of eyes are on you at all times, watching every move you make. With online sports betting becoming more widespread in the US, generating more than $3.1 billion in revenue according to NBCNews.com, more money is riding on their ability to deliver than ever before. This puts more pressure on them to perform well and lead their team to victory, meaning that they need a hobby that allows them to let off steam safely. Many elite athletes aren’t able to switch off the competitive part of their brains and need
somewhere to focus that energy that doesn’t risk physical injury. With their long downtime between seasons and plenty of disposable income, especially among the ‘Highest-Paid Athletes in the United States’, poker is a great option for them. They
can learn the rules of the game on the road and even play with teammates to help bond together while away from home.
Poker allows players to do all this without risking an injury that could derail a whole season or even a career if something goes wrong. While poker is a popular pastime among athletes, there are those who take it to the next level. Many become just as formidable on the poker felt as they were in their original sport. While most don’t go on to compete professionally, they have proven to be able to hold their own against the best of the poker world. Here are a few of our personal favorite athletes who are also legit poker stars.
Paul Pierce
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When Paul Pierce led his Boston Celtics to the NBA Championship in 2008, there was already talk of the Hall of Fame in his future. During his 19 seasons in the NBA, the small forward was able to lead his team to victory through his creative offensive and stalwart defense. However, by the time he retired from the league in 2017, a second career was already brewing in the background. He is listed by Poker.org as one of the greatest athletes to take up poker and it is easy to see why. Pierce’s skills at poker led him to compete against seasoned professionals, nearly reaching elite status during the 2015 World Series of Poker event. His game of choice is Pot-Limit Omaha and he has been known to spend his retirement scoring wins in the game around Las Vegas.
Richard Seymour
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Few defensive linemen in professional football reach the level that Richard Seymour did. His ability to occupy blockers and generate pass rush all on his own earned him a trip to seven Pro Bowls and helped the New England Patriots win three Super Bowl championships. After retiring from football in 2012, Seymour took up poker to help fill the time he suddenly had on his hands. Since then he’s attacked it with the skill and dedication that saw him become one of the best defensive linemen of his era. He won nearly $60,000 at the 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event, finishing 131st out of
8669 entrants.
Cristiano Ronaldo
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In many parts of the world, Ronaldo is one of the most famous athletes on the planet. After leading Brazil to two World Cup victories and achieving more than 200 goals before he turned 23 years old, it seemed that there wasn’t anything the young man couldn’t do. He represented his native country for 17 years, appearing in almost 100 matches and scoring 62 goals. A major documentary film was made in 2015; titled Ronaldo, it captured both the effortless physicality of his on-field performance and the heated rivalry he had with peer Lionel Messi. After his retirement in 2011, he took up poker and has maintained a presence in the sport ever since. He has won over $45,000 in tournaments and has been the face of major poker sites and providers through the years.
Allen Iverson
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During his time on the NBA court, few scorers were more feared and more explosive than Allen “The Answer” Iverson. He was an 11-time NBA All Star, averaged an astonishing 26.7 points and 6.2 assists per game, and was the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in the 2001 season. His passion for the game was matched only by his physical ability to deliver points when it mattered most, forcing opposing teams to account for him every moment he was on the court. He has since competed in the World Poker Tour Spring Main Event and has become a formidable fixture on the poker scene. He has even struck up a professional relationship with Phil Ivey, someone widely considered one of the greatest poker players of all time, so some of that knowledge surely is bleeding over to Iverson’s play.
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