Sports legends enjoy huge paychecks and endorsement deals which allow them to have fun gambling. They’re competitive and disciplined players both on the field and when they’re wagering.

Unlike Hollywood celebrities, such as Charlie Sheen, Ben Affleck or Tobey Maguire, who are renowned for wagering large amounts of money on poker, sports stars are new to the gambling world. However, due to top casinos tapping into new markets to expand their customer base, sports celebrities are becoming the new wave for casinos worldwide.

Here are the top 5 famous sportsmen and women who share a passion for gambling.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is not only a famous football champion but also one of the high-end sports stars to enter the gambling scene. Since 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo has been improving his skills at poker and he’s also signed an endorsement deal with one of the top online casinos on the market. On this page you can check out other celebrities who promote gambling.

Ronaldo has participated in many poker tournaments and games and considers that “poker has always been my game” as he told the team of PokerStars. He’s travelled around the world to play in major high-stake poker games to enjoy the thrill, as he stated in a 2016 interview with the Daily Mail.

But Ronaldo also likes giving back. And his win against Aaron Paul at a charity event allowed him to donate the prize of around $15,000 to the Save the Children foundation.

Shane Warne

Shane Warne is a former cricket champion who’s proven his skills on the field. However, since he retired in 2007, he’s been practicing and improving his skills in poker. His gambling portfolio includes a top place in the 2015 WSOP APAC’s main game and side-event wins during Aussie Millions. His best moment was beating Ole Schemion who is a legendary poker champion.

However, Warne’s passion for poker stretches back to 2009, when he declared to HendonMob.com that I just love the game for the strategy and tactics involved.

Fatima Moreira de Melo

Fatima Moreira de Melo is a Dutch former hockey champion. Her top career moment was helping Sweden achieve a leading position at the Women’s Hockey World Cup. However, since her retirement she’s become a dedicated poker player and she’s coached celebrities such as Cristiano Ronaldo.

Although she hasn’t won any major poker tournaments, she’s earned large cash prizes. For example, during 2017, Fatima Moreira de Melo reached the no. 1 place at the Bahamas Pokerstars Championship.

Floyd Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather is not only a champion in the ring, but he’s also known as a high-roller in Las Vegas’ casinos. For example, the sportsbook RJ Bell forecasted that Mayweather would bet a $5 million stake on winning a fight. Although ESPN published that Mayweather tried to bet $400,000 on his winning the fight, the M Resort in Las Vegas declined his wager for compliance reasons.

However, Mayweather lives up to his Money nickname and in 2016 he hosted a blackjack tournament with a $300,000 prize in the Bahamas. The boxing champion isn’t a stranger to Blackjack either. He’s known to bet up to $100,000 on a Blackjack hand.

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney is a famous football player who’s wins on the field haven’t helped his dedication to gambling. According to reports from The Sun, he lost about £500,000 during a 2 hours gambling session at the 235 Casino on blackjack and roulette games. At the time, Rooney was banking £300,000 per week from Manchester United.