When it comes to skill, physical stamina, and, above all, talent, basketball is definitely the name of the game. Players who possess these qualities are able to perform at their best, and not just on the court. Famous basketball players are therefore known for the fact that they love challenges, and in their private lives they master them in the best way.
It is therefore hardly surprising that many of the NBA’s stars are also passionate gamblers. Since the offers are also available online, it is also much easier for them to pursue their second favourite pastime after basketball. A quick look at smartcasinoguide.com shows why well-known NBA athletes often pay a visit to online gambling halls. Here, it immediately becomes clear that Internet arcades are the best place to be if you appreciate pure thrills and excitement. So it’s just like basketball.
What basketball rules say about gambling?
Before we move on to the most famous basketball stars, who can often be met in casinos online and offline, let’s say a few words about the restrictions they face in their hobby.
In casinos, as we all know, you can place bets on the outcome of various sporting events. However, this is forbidden to NBA stars, should the bet be about the outcome of NBA games. These are the rules of the National Basketball Association, and that is not surprising. As an insider, you have a much better chance of getting the bet right than normal sports betting fans.
Fortunately, the selection in the arcades is not limited to this type of sports betting. Thus, even if you are a basketball star, you have the opportunity to feel the excitement of casino games in person. And that’s what many of the NBA stars really like to do.
Michael Jordan
If you are looking for a true legend in basketball, the name of Michael Jordan immediately comes to mind. The fact that Jordan is such an avid fan of golf betting, poker, and other casino games is also for a good reason. The star’s birthplace is in Pennsylvania, an American state that has become known for its excellent gambling opportunities in recent years.
Perhaps the most famous NBA star, his enthusiasm for gambling has also made negative headlines. He was accused of having links to a controversial bookmaker by the NBA in 1993. However, the investigation into the case was dropped due to a lack of conclusive evidence.
If you have a net worth of around 1.6 billion dollars, the doors of most casinos are wide open. And that’s exactly the case with Michael Jordan, which is why you can often spot him in casinos in Atlantic City. The fact that the star doesn’t always get off lightly in his favourite pastime is proven, by the way, by an alleged loss of no less than a million dollars on a golf bet.
Shaquille O’Neal
Former NBA player and true basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal has not only gone down in NBA history as one of the biggest stars, but is also known for his passion for casino games. In his case, birthplace and background also play an important role. O’Neal was born in Newark, in the state of New Jersey. And New Jersey probably has the most liberal gambling laws in the whole United States. Back in 2013, online betting was legalised in this state, and that led to a real boom in offers.
Shaquille O’Neal’s gambling activities were not without scandalous situations either. Allegedly, the NBA star was supposed to have harassed a man for betting debts in 2013. A lawsuit was filed by the victim, but the case ended up being settled out of court.
Charles Barkley
The popular NBA player is known for going really big with his bets. Unfortunately, his streak of luck is not always faithful to him, and so it has also led to huge losses. About 15 million US dollars, the basketball player should have gambled away while playing in Las Vegas casinos. With the star’s net worth of 40 million US dollars, this sum should not be underestimated at all.
Only in a single blackjack game did Barkley lose a whopping 2.5 million dollars at once. The star even got involved in a court case because he couldn’t pay his debts of $400,000, a relatively small sum by his standards. However, since there are online casinos, Charles handles bets much more responsibly, as it is known that on the Internet you can bet much smaller sums.
J.R. Smith
The current NBA star is determined to keep his love of gambling alive. J.R. Smith does not hide at all. You can often see him playing poker at the slot machines and also at the roulette and blackjack tables. It is reported that once the basketball star even missed his training because he couldn’t get up early in the morning. Blame it on the whole night he spent playing blackjack. There is no shortage of curiosities for this favourite of NBA fans, either. When thieves broke into his mansion a few years ago and robbed valuables worth millions, a suitcase containing $15,000 was also missing. When asked by police why he had so much cash at home, Smith answered succinctly: It’s my play money.
