You may think that basketball players would earn so much money that gambling would be entirely uninteresting to them. Well, think again. Basketball stars are just like us. The only thing that changes, is the stakes – because when these giants gamble, it’s not for peanuts.
While we are working on finding the best casino bonus for a fun weekend, these men can play for and even lose up to a million in a single game. If you did not know who these high rollers were already, prepare to be shocked, as we count down the list of 3 giant basketball legends who truly love the rush of gambling.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is one of the most beloved basketball players and athletes in history. Almost two decades after retiring, he is remembered with the utmost respect and love. However, fame did not just come with admiration, it came with a lot of money, so much in fact that even though his net worth took a hit of 500 million dollars last year, he is still a billionaire.
There is no denying that the hefty fortune of $1.6 billion can make anyone feel a little too comfortable and that’s where the rush of gambling comes in. It is, in fact, Michael Jordan, who is claimed to have lost $1 million in a single game. The question is, did such a loss even make him blink or is a million dollars just pocket change to him? How does this man even feel the rush when he essentially has nothing to lose?
Charles Oakley
Charles Oakley is a true legend, playing for the Chicago Bulls from 1985 to 1988 before joining the New York Knicks, where he stayed for a decade. His net worth is of course significantly smaller than Michael Jordan’s, resting at a comfortable 12 million dollars.
However, being a multimillionaire is far from being poor. The legendary basketball star is known for high stakes and is said to love Las Vegas. While he certainly has money to spare, he is, however, known as a man who can get very passionate by the table.
One of the most known gambling stories is when he won $54,000 from Tyrone Hill, of Philadelphia Sixer fame. The two had played dice, but when it came to paying up, Hill put up an argument. This resulted in a later on-court fight where Oakley threw basketballs at the loser and ended up being suspended.
Oakley has even managed to get himself banned from a Las Vegas casino. Reportedly, he tried to pull some of his chips from the poker table after realizing he would lose. However, this has not stopped him from returning to Vegas or loving gambling.
Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley was one of the biggest players in the 80s and 90s and was at one point the highest prices basketball star in the world. He is still worth $50 million, more than four times that of Charles Oakley, and that also means he has a lot of spending money.
Back in 2006, it was revealed that he had lost over 10 million dollars in Las Vegas over the years, and things got darker as he ended in a legal battle with Wynn Casino. Reportedly, he still had debts of almost 400 thousand dollars.
While Barkley certainly has not stopped loving gambling, this seems to have been a wake-up call. He can still be found at Las Vegas casinos, but he is reportedly being far more careful with his bets.
While big-time basketball players have no problems throwing their money into gambling, we always recommended that you help yourself by taking advantage of a casino bonus when possible and gamble responsibly.
