Famous MMA Athletes Who Loves Gambling
MMA Athletes Who Like To Gamble
People enjoy betting on famous boxers, and let’s face it: for these fighters, even entering the ring is a risk.
Did you realize, though, that some boxers like to in gambling as well? Gambling by top athletes has become more frequently highlighted in the news.
Especially now, players may utilize the large sums of money they earn from their occupations to wager at both famous local casinos and most recently online sport venues that provide a more anonymous and private gaming experience for these well-known figures.
Here are a few boxing celebrities who enjoy gambling for real money, not just chunk change.
Lex Veldhuis
After a staged bout in Marbella with Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, this boxer became quite well-known in both his sport and personal life.
Veldhuis is also a part of Pokerstars’ Pro Team Online. On the same website, he also broadcasts poker events. He is a celebrity in the poker world and a star in mixed martial arts.
Lex Veldhuis won $62,620 at the PokerStars SCOOP Main Event in 2020, and he also placed 15th overall.
Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier
Bertrand Grospellier, like the previously mentioned Lex Veldhuis, is a well-known poker player and MMA fighter.
He is a Pokerstars Pro Team Online member and has won numerous tournaments, including the European Poker Tour and the World Poker Tour. He’s also an esports player and an MMA fighter, having fought Lex Veldhuis in one of the most high-profile fights in poker history.
Terrence Chan
Terrence Chan was a casino employee who managed to win $1 million playing poker.
This Ultimate Fighting Championship and PokerStar team has had the opportunity to practice various martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai and win two SCOOP bracelets simultaneously. He, on the other hand, never entered any of the tournaments.
He began his MMA career in Vancouver, where he won his first fight by TKO.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
MMA fighter he is not, but he is known to dabble in the world of martial arts, fighting in the 2017 “Money Fight” against MMA specialist Conor McGregor.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. has quite a reputation for being a colossal gambler who enjoys betting on athletic events. He once attempted to place a wager on his fight. Floyd tried to gamble on himself when he faced Conor McGregor in 2017, a battle in which he won $275 million. One of the $400,000 bets on himself was to win in less than 9.5 rounds, while the other was to win via knockout.
Floyd’s wagers, however, were rejected by local bookmakers. He would have been eliminated because the fight lasted ten rounds, and he won by technical knockout. Floyd has had previous betting success and enjoys betting on boxing and basketball matches.
After wagering $350,000 on a double bet of a boxing match between Willy Monroe and Gennady Golovkin and a basketball match, he won $827,272.73.
Are UFC Fighters Allowed to Bet on Themselves?
The UFC Fighter Conduct Policy makes no mention of gambling. Nonetheless, it expects its combatants to act lawful, ethical, and responsible manners to avoid bringing the organization’s reputation into disrepute.
Fighters can, in theory, gamble on themselves; nevertheless, there are ethical issues with this. For instance, Ronda Rousey’s team bets on her to win regularly, and self gambling allowed the team to increase their prize money from the fight.
It appears that one can bet on oneself or have those close to them wager on their success. When placing wagers with detailed specifics about the bout, it becomes murky. Norman Parke gambled on himself to win the second round by finishing against Naoyuki Kotani in 2014. Given his increased stake, this begs the question of whether Parke purposefully delayed the match and knowingly dragged it into the second round.
While Parke won his bet in 2014, Rashad Evans did not have the same luck in UFC 98 when he faced Lyoto Machida. To add insult to injury, Machida won by TKO in Round 2.
According to the UFC’s Fighter Conduct Policy, there are no formal prohibitions against betting on oneself as long as the fight and the organization’s reputation are not jeopardized.
The Link Between MMA and Casinos
Let’s delve deeply and precisely into the subject and how it relates to the other. It’s no secret that the majority of online sportsbooks and casinos have connections with professional sports teams and personalities.
Sponsorships are the only way for a brand to achieve celebrity in the world of gambling. For example, iGaming sponsors a large number of Premier League clubs. While sportsbooks fund the majority of athletes, clubs, and leagues, casinos sponsor MMA.
Conclusion
Many well-known fighters enjoy gambling, and although some are fortunate, others are not and have publicly lost their riches.
Many professional athletes have yet to experience the thrill of betting and gambling at reliable casino sites, or enjoy the safety and privacy that comes with it but statistic show that sportsmen are competitive and love nothing more than playing online casino in their down time.
Unlike MMA, winning is all down to luck, and the best we can do is continue to keep an eye on things and keep up with the newest betting odds and watch the gossip columns for insight into the few of the many fighters that enjoy a gamble here and there.
