A lot of people consider sports betting as their favorite pastime given the thrills and excitement it provides. It is an activity that can be enjoyed by all and even celebrities have been known to indulge in the excitement of sports betting. Beyond their primary craft, several A-list celebrities have become well known for betting on sports, openly expressing their fondness for the activity. They regularly make big money bets on sporting events, sharing details of their stake and winnings on social media.From Hollywood actors to music stars, from professional athletes to entrepreneurs, these celebrities have been known to embrace the thrill of sports betting.
Drake
One of the most popular music stars of this era, Drake is a multi-award winning rapper from Toronto Canada. He is responsible for a wide range of chart-topping singles and has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music industry.Beyond his fame as a hugely talented musical artist, Drake has become well known as an avid sports bettor. Arguably the world’s most famous Toronto Raptors fan, he has transferred his love for sports into the betting sphere. Drake regularly places bets on a wide range of sports, including UFC, NBA, NFL and even football. He has won his fair share of wagers but has also suffered some high profile losses as well.Some of Drake’s most famous bets:Betting $393,000 on the LA Rams to win the Super BowlBetting $250,000 on Charles Leclerc to win the Spanish Grand Prix in 2022Betting $159,000 on the Golden State Warriors to win the NBA Finals in 2022
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is a legendary basketballer, who is widely regarded as the greatest ever player in the NBA. His skills and talent on the court is well documented but his record with sports betting has made for great storytelling over the years.Among other things, Jordan regularly makes bets on the golf course with his friends. He has also been involved in high stakes poker games, constantly fueling media speculation about his passion for gambling throughout his career.One of Jordan’s most famous wagers was betting fellow ex-basketballer Charles Barkley $300,000 on a single golf putt.Given his betting history, it is understandable that Jordan is now a board member and ambassador for DraftKings Sportsbook. NBA cryptocurrency betting is a favorite pastime for certain sports bettors, and one of the reasons is the high monetary return. Bitcoin nba betting sites, is not new, and it is accepted in some nations, including the US.
Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley may have a number of tales involving Michael Jordan and sports betting but has written a few chapters on his own. He had a Hall of Fame level career but was almost as known for his forays into sports betting.Stories involving Charles Barkley and sports betting and the former NBA MVP has reportedly made some huge bets over the years and racked up huge losses along the way. He is said to have lost as much as $30m but has also reportedly won a million dollars around 10 times.Some of Charles Barkley’s most famous bets include:Lost $100,000 betting on the Atlanta Falcons to beat New England in Super Bowl LIBet $100,000 on the Portland Trailblazers winning the 2020-21 NBA Western Conference.Leading American sportsbook FanDuel latched onto the NBA Legend’s seeming betting exposure to sign him to a multi-year ambassador deal.He was very vocal about the partnership, constantly posting content promoting the Fanduel Bonus on his social media pages.
Ashton Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher is a household name in Hollywood having headlined a number of movies and TV shows. Among his most popular movies is Dude Where is My Car? while he also took over as lead of the hit TV show Two and a Half Men.Beyond his success as an actor, Kutcher has also gained a reputation as an avid sports bettor over the years. He has reportedly admitted to placing bets for the largest syndicate in America and regularly participates in fantasy sports leagues.Kutcher is also said to eschew emotions when making bets and is considered a strategic bettor who uses mathematics and science to make his decisions.
Charlie Sheen
The man who Ashton Kutcher replaced on Two and a Half Men; Charlie Sheen is one of the most famous names in Hollywood. Aside from starring in hit TV shows and big movie productions, his personal life has been the subject of tabloid stories over the years.Of course, given Sheen’s well-publicized wild personal life, there have been some legendary stories involving sports betting. He has won big on boxing fights and is rumoured to have been involved with a mafia-led betting ring.One of Sheen’s most famous bets was putting a whopping $1m on Manny Pacquiao to beat Oscar De La Hoya in their legendary bout back in 2008. He won that bet as Pacquiao won on a technical knockout.
Floyd Mayweather Jr
From a man who won big on a famous boxing match to one of the greatest boxers of all time. Floyd Mayweather Jr had a legendary boxing career that produced 15 major world championships from super featherweight to light middleweight and an unbeaten record.Mayweather has a reputation for placing huge wagers on major sporting events and often flaunts his winnings on social media. He is known as a prolific gambler and has won bets in the NBA, UFC, NFL and even college basketball.Some of Mayweather’s famous bets include: $85m on Conor McGregor to lose to Dustin Poirier$52m on Canelo Alverez to lose to Dmitry Bivol
Ben Affleck
It is likely to be surprising to most people that Batman gambles, but Ben Affleck has been known to dabble in sports betting every now and then. When not headlining blockbuster movies like Good Will Hunting and Gone Girl, sports betting seems to be one of his passions.Affleck regularly competes in poker tournaments and has been known to play high-stakes poker games best friend Matt Damon. He has even produced a movie about gambling called Runner Runner about a businessman who cheats a player out of his life savings in an online poker game.Prominent betting operator WynnBet recently signed Affleck as a brand ambassador and he regularly stars in commercials promoting the sportsbook.
Phil Mickelson
Another popular sportsman who enjoys sports betting is Phil Mickelson. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of his generation and has won multiple majors and has amassed millions in prize money in a career spanning over 30 years.Mickelson’s forays into sports betting have been well documented over the years. He once famously won big in 2000 after putting $20,000 on the Baltimore Ravens to win Super Bowl XXXV long before the NFL regular season even began.
50 Cent
50 Cent has never been shy about what he is about as over the course of his career, he has been in legendary rap beefs and even gets into petty social media squabbles. Considered one of the best rappers of his generation, his betting habits has been documented over the years.Like every bettor, 50 Cent has had varying success in his sports betting exploits. He has claimed big winnings from high profile wagers and suffered major losses as well while some of his bets have bordered on the bizarre.50 Cent’s most famous bets: Agreed to share a nude photo on Twitter if the New York Giants lost Super Bowl XLVI (they didn’t) Made a $500,000 profit on the New York Giants to defeat the San Francisco 49ers in the 2012 NFC Championship game
Birdman
Another rapper on our list, who has multiple collaborations with Drake, Birdman is known more for being a record label boss than his rapping career. While his rapping prowess has not gained mainstream prominence, his sports betting exploits have been well recorded.One interesting thing about Birdman is that he is not shy about his betting exploits, regularly posting his successes and losses on social media. There have been a few of both over the years and some of them are listed below:Lost $2m betting on the Miami Heat to defeat the Dallas Mavericks in the 2010 NBA Finals.Made $1m in profit (on a $4m bet) on Floyd Mayweather Jr to defeat Shane Mosley in 2010.
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