Table of contents
- Wayne Rooney and Casino Gambling — Roulette & Blackjack
- Neymar Jr. and Casino Gambling — Poker & Roulette
- Gerard Piqué and Casino Gambling — No-Limit Hold’em
- Eidur Gudjohnsen and Casino Gambling — Roulette & Blackjack
- Footballers and Casino Gambling — High-Stakes Play
Splashing the cash is part of modern life, but for some footballers, gambling goes far beyond champagne photo ops. Roulette spins. Blackjack hits. Online casino streams. All-in poker plays.
This post profiles the ones who truly bet big, including Rooney, Neymar, Piqué, and Gudjohnsen — each with dramatic casino moments, poker wins, notable net worth, and off-pitch habits that drew attention. The money was real. This post captures how those stories evolved.
Wayne Rooney and Casino Gambling
Wayne Rooney’s Casino Story
In 2017, Rooney reportedly lost £500,000 in two hours at Manchester’s 235 Casino, using his best roulette strategy and blackjack straegy without VIP distractions.
In 2020, the Gambling Commission fined Caesars UK £13 million for systemic VIP failings. The regulator’s release did not name Rooney’s session.
Personality and Lifestyle of Wayne Rooney
Rooney’s intensity extended beyond the pitch — surfacing in gambling and personal choices. In 2017, he was arrested for drink-driving, an incident that strained his marriage and public image. He was found behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Beetle owned by a woman he’d met earlier that evening. The arrest became a red-card moment in his off-pitch narrative.
Sponsorship Deals of Wayne Rooney
Rooney partnered with Nike, Coca-Cola, EA Sports, and Samsung. His Nike deal earned £1 million annually during peak years.
Wayne Rooney’s Net Worth in 2025
Estimated at £130–135 million, a ballpark figure shaped by Premier League contracts, global endorsements, and managerial roles.
Luxury Cars
Rooney owned a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, Bentley Continental GT, and Aston Martin Vanquish S — each a Premier League-era status symbol — etched in horsepower and high-spec allure.
Career Achievements of Wayne Rooney
Five Premier League titles, one Champions League, second on England’s all-time scoring list (behind Harry Kane), and 253 goals for Manchester United.
Gambling Reflection
Rooney later admitted gambling became a coping mechanism. He now supports awareness campaigns for athletes facing similar risks. As of 2025, there’s no public record of Rooney still gambling.
Neymar Jr. and Casino Gambling
Neymar Jr.’s Casino Story
In 2023, Neymar live-streamed a Blaze casino session, losing €1 million in under an hour while joking with viewers. Neymar’s Blaze stream felt like a penalty gamble with no keeper.
The Brazilian poker pro also plays high-stakes poker, winning $66,000 in the PokerStars Titans Event and competing in EPT and BSOP tournaments.
Personality and Lifestyle of Neymar Jr.
Neymar’s charisma masks vulnerability. In 2014, a fractured vertebra nearly ended his career during Brazil’s World Cup campaign. He missed the semi-final and was nearly paralyzed, an injury that reshaped his public image and personal outlook.
Sponsorship Deals of Neymar Jr.
Deals include Puma (widely reported at €23–25 million per year), Red Bull, PokerStars, Diesel, and Qatar Airways.
Neymar Jr.’s Net Worth in 2025
Estimated at $200–220 million, driven by PSG and Al-Hilal contracts, streaming revenue, and global sponsorships.
Luxury Cars
Neymar owns a Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Aventador, and Rolls-Royce Ghost—headline lifestyle staples across his Mangaratiba and Paris chapters.
Career Achievements of Neymar Jr.
Champions League winner, Olympic gold medalist, and star for Santos, Barcelona, PSG, and Al-Hilal.
Gambling Reflection
Neymar’s gambling is public and performative. He remains the face of online casino streaming by footballers in 2025. He still plays poker regularly and occasionally streams roulette and blackjack, though some sessions now occur off-platform.
If this article interests you, explore other topics like how to win at slots and craps strategy.
Gerard Piqué and Casino Gambling
Gerard Piqué’s Casino Story
Piqué placed second in EPT Barcelona’s €25k High Roller, winning €352,950. He plays No-Limit Hold’em with strategic precision. He’s logged multiple poker cashes in Prague and Barcelona, often competing alongside fellow athletes and seasoned professionals.
Personality and Lifestyle of Gerard Piqué
Piqué’s poker mirrors his mindset. In 2022, his breakup with Shakira shifted his image from entrepreneur to tabloid headline. The split followed reports of infidelity and dominated Spanish media for months, reshaping his public persona.
Sponsorship Deals of Gerard Piqué
Past deals include Nike, Mango, and Cupra. His Kosmos ventures span sports media, tennis events, and club ownership.
Gerard Piqué’s Net Worth in 2025
Estimated at €80–100 million, combining Barcelona earnings and entrepreneurial ventures like FC Andorra.
Luxury Cars
Piqué drives an Audi R8 V10 Plus and Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG — Kosmos-era proof of Catalan control.
Career Achievements of Gerard Piqué
Three Champions League titles, eight La Liga wins, World Cup champion, and Euro 2012 victor.
Gambling Reflection
Piqué’s poker game is structured, strategic, and consistently profitable. His style reflects the same counter-attack mentality he showed on the pitch — precise, opportunistic, and well-timed. As of 2025, he remains active in tournament circuits. Beyond poker, his casino habits are discreet and undocumented.
Eidur Gudjohnsen and Casino Gambling
Eidur Gudjohnsen’s Casino Story
In 2003, Gudjohnsen revealed he’d lost £400,000 over five months playing roulette and blackjack. He linked the habit to injury recovery, describing how boredom and isolation triggered compulsive gambling.
Some tabloids later claimed his total losses may have reached £6 million, though this figure remains unverified.
Personality and Lifestyle of Eidur Gudjohnsen
Quiet and introspective. Tabloid reports from 1999 mention a car crash in Iceland, an early warning during rising fame. Gudjohnsen escaped serious injury, but the incident marked a turning point in his personal and professional trajectory.
Sponsorship Deals of Eidur Gudjohnsen
Past deals with Adidas and Icelandair. No major endorsements followed his retirement from professional football.
Eidur Gudjohnsen’s Net Worth in 2025
Estimated at £5–7 million, shaped by elite contracts and post-retirement financial strain. Gudjohnsen owns property in Iceland and Spain and maintains a low public profile.
Luxury Cars
Gudjohnsen owned a Porsche 911 Turbo and BMW 7 Series, early-2000s markers of Chelsea-era ascent and continental mobility.
Career Achievements of Eidur Gudjohnsen
Played for Chelsea, Barcelona, and Monaco. Champions League winner in 2009 and 88 caps for Iceland.
Gambling Reflection
Gudjohnsen’s off-pitch indulgence was quiet but costly, a solitary rhythm of private casino visits and blurred limits. His story remains a cautionary anchor in football’s gambling narrative, often cited among players who lost real money chasing roulette and blackjack spirals.
As of 2025, there’s no evidence he still gambles. He’s spoken publicly about walking away from casinos and staying clear of the habits that once consumed him.
Footballers and Casino Gambling — High-Stakes Play
From Rooney’s roulette spiral to Neymar’s crypto-streamed loss, Piqué’s poker podium, and Gudjohnsen’s quiet descent — risk followed them. But not all losses were equal. Most had the wealth to absorb them. For some, gambling was a phase. For others, a pattern.
Piqué still plays — and wins. Gudjohnsen walked away. Rooney and Neymar recalibrated. Their stories span risk appetite, spectacle, and strategy, shaped by different stakes.
Written in 2025, this post explores how casino gambling touched footballers’ off-pitch lives — not through ruin, but through habit and media scrutiny.
