Top Sport Stars in Poker

There are many sports stars that have become poker players. Online poker rooms sign them up or jump with joy when they see them playing because they want their personal player base to use the stars' endorsements as an encouragement to join their poker room. The poker room managers hope fans flock to play poker with them rather than signing up with one of their competitors.

At large live events, the cameras are always drawn to the various household names who are famous for other things than playing poker. Other types of celebrity such as famous actors and actresses and even reality TV stars have all taken to the felt with varying levels of success, but in this article we're going to take a look at some of our favorite sports stars who have tried their hand at poker.

Shane Warne

Shane Warne broke every record on the cricket field as a spin bowler who made the best batsmen in the world quake in their boots as he smashed through the batting orders of their teams. Warne is also well-known for having a magnetic personality and being a bit of a charmer too. Just ask Elizabeth Hurley. This all sounds like the perfect description of a poker player.

Warne was signed up by 888 Poker to promote their games in 2007 and he remained an ambassador for the poker room until he parted company with them in January 2015. His mainstream appeal was demonstrated perfectly when he generated press attention for having $225,000 worth of tournament chips during the WSOP Main Event. This is impressive because first, the money was tournament chips and second, it was only Day 3 of what would be at least eight days of play. No “legitimate” poker player would have gained press attention for a tournament stack, but as a top sports star in poker Shane Warne managed just that. He also has a full section on his personal website dedicated to poker, which gets him a thumbs up from the poker community.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Football fans have debated who is the better player between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for years and will continue to do so. But there is only one champion at the poker table, and that is Ronaldo.

Ronaldo is one of the world's greatest ever Footballers and merely mentioning his name in the same sentence as any brand lends it credibility and prestige. Add him to the roster of PokerStars and you have a marketing dream. Can you imagine the joy of PokerStars when Ronaldo agreed to become a member of their PokerStars Online SportStars team? I am sure they were jumping around the room.

Pokerstarss allow you to download the latest video of Ronaldo playing poker via the dedicated “Ronaldo” section on their website. There are not many sports stars where their play will be downloaded for later viewing. Ronaldo truly has reached a level of worldwide superstardom enjoyed by few in any capacity.

Ronaldo says:

If you do encounter Ronaldo at the poker tables, you probably already know that he has the bankroll to stay in the game and the competitive streak to ensure he is no fish at the table. How much would we pay to see Messi and Ronaldo play heads up? Over to you Stars!

Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps is one of the few Olympians who has won more gold in the pool than the best poker players have won bracelets at the WSOP. Phelps won an incredible 22 medals in three Olympiads, 18 of them gold medals. This is double the amount of gold medals anyone else has won. Phelps has also broken an incredible 39 world records, so it is fair to say that if poker interests him as a new challenge, who are we to argue with him?

Phelps also has global superstar status and he began to appear at poker tournaments in around 2012. It was reported in the media that his friends feared that Phelps’ “don't quit until you win” attitude that helped him train to be number 1 in the swimming pool might cause him to lose millions at the poker table.

Phelps developed an edgier image when it was reported he had smoked Marijuana at a party. It was reported that is was given to him by, yes, a poker player, and it has also been reported that he used to play in a $25,000weekly buy-in private poker game. His love for poker is well-known and I would say it is a safe bet that we will see Phelps back at the poker table very soon.

The “original” Ronaldo

Double World Cup winner and Brazilian Football legend Ronaldo loves poker. He scored 60 goals for Brazil in 98 appearances even though he often struggled with his weight towards the end of his career. This pro found a new home at the poker table once his football career came to an end.

Ronaldo can often be found on the virtual felt being watched by his many fans as he battles other poker players at the highest stakes online.

Ronaldo recently had a notable live score when he went deep in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event in 2015, finishing in 26th place for $42,180. I have a feeling it was a case of what might have been for Ronaldo, however, as the first prize in this tournament was a mouth-watering $1.4 million. Even for a football legend that is big money!

Teddy Sheringham

Often overshadowed during his Football career by the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Alan Shearer and later a young Michael Owen, the former England centre forward, nonetheless enjoyed an enviable and successful career as a Footballer.

Following his retirement, Teddy Sheringham became well-known in the poker world with a series of good results on the poker circuit. In April 2010 Sheringham finished in 103rd position in the EPT Grand Final for €20,000 and then three days later finished 5th in the EPT €5,000 Main Event for €93,121. The next month, Sheringham cemented his place as a bona fide poker player earning £13,000 in the UKIPT main event for his 61st finish. Sheringham further added to his poker CV with a 388th finish at the WSOP Main Event in 2012, an event eventually won by Greg Merson. He is often seen at the larger poker events in the UK to this day.