Famous Boxers Who Love to Gamble

Some of the greatest and brightest champions in the history of boxing have been fond of taking a bet, whether it’s to determine their place in the sport or to win a prize. From Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson to Floyd Patterson, gambling has been a part of their lives for decades. Some of them have made a couple of bets at fast payout casinos online, while others have won thousands or even millions from gambling. Want to know more? Then just look through the list of the boxers who love to gamble. You might even get a great idea of how you could start playing casino games if you wish to.

1. Muhammad Ali

The former heavyweight champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist has been playing poker and other casino games throughout his career. You can even find some videos on the web where you can see Ali explaining the rules and game features of one of his favorite casino games – roulette.

2. Mike Tyson

Tyson was a fan of poker since he was 12 years old. He still plays a lot today, and he’s even appeared on a few TV shows as a poker expert. When he wasn’t competing in the ring, he was playing poker on a regular basis. Tyson holds the current world record for the longest gambling spree on the best online gambling sites from the OnlineCasinoGo top lists.

3. George Foreman

The former champion was famous for his powerful punches, and he also used to place bets on them. George didn’t always win, but he did have some huge payouts. You’ll notice that there are some pretty crazy poker-related stories about this legendary boxer.

4. Floyd Patterson

Floyd wasn’t just an American boxer. He was also a famous gambler. Patterson also got to meet the likes of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe and has become a true icon of boxing history. Floyd also gave a famous prediction about the boxing bout between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling in 1938. He said that if he were there he would bet on the fighter who knocked the other fighter out in the first two rounds.

5. Sonny Liston

Sonny was a boxer from the south side of Chicago who had a huge fan base. He became one of the biggest names in sports, but this is not the only thing that makes the athlete so famous. Sonny Liston was also a real gambling man, and he’s also known for a crazy night that took place in Vegas in 1962.

At the time, Liston was one of the biggest draws on TV. That’s why it was really weird to see him betting on an actual game. It started off as a baseball game between the Los Angeles Angels and the St. Louis Browns. Liston started to bet on the game, and he quickly found out that the underdog baseball team was winning. That’s when he decided to make a stake, and his bet was very successful, and he took more than $100,000.

6. Archie Moore

Archie Moore is one of the most famous boxers of all time. He became a multi-time world champion in three different weight classes. As the story goes, Archie was banned from boxing for many reasons. And gambling was one of them. The authorities claimed that he had used the prize money to make bets, and this included the money that he earned from boxing. Moore was so convinced that he wasn’t gambling that he even asked his wife to double-check the books so that he wouldn’t get banned. The situation could have been completely different if Archie Moore gambled in online casinos from CasinoLuck as they guarantee anonymity. But there were no gambling sites at that time.

7. Jack Johnson

This boxer was the first African American to become a world heavyweight champion. He was also one of the first men to earn the right to box a man with his bare fists. Johnson’s career was cut short in 1915 after he was convicted of rape. He had to be banned from boxing for life. On top of that, Johnson was also a huge fan of poker, just like many other athletes are obsessed with poker. At the beginning of his career, he was one of the world’s biggest players.

8. Joe Louis

The former champion had an unbelievable talent for boxing. Apart from his crazy passion for sports, he was also a big fan of playing poker. Louis did a lot of big bets, and some of them were losing. According to Jack Nicklaus, Joe’s record for the largest losing streak in poker is 12.

9. Ernie Holmes

Ernie Holmes was a great fighter who started his career in the 1930s. After that, he was considered one of the best heavyweights in the world. Holmes wasn’t the best player, but he did make sure that he won a lot of money. That’s because he was obsessed with winning and spending money on his favorite game – poker.

10. Bob Fitzsimmons

This former champ was a boxing promoter who also got to win several world titles. Although many people are aware of Bob’s achievements in the boxing discipline, the athlete has also reached sky heights in playing casino games.