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Football is well-known for rewarding its star players with some unbelievable weekly wages. But what do our favourite footballers do with their cash when they've become bored with buying massive mansions and fancy sports cars?
It's evident that there's a growing number of football aces who seek to relax and unwind at the gaming tables of some seriously glamorous casinos. While the unfortunate stories of the likes of Joey Barton should have warned these players against reckless gambling, it seems that some of our favourite athletes just can't keep away from the casinos.
Take Wayne Rooney. Although the English ace was earning a whopping £300,000 per week at Manchester United, he still managed to get a good telling off from his wife as a result of a mad night out in one of Manchester's casinos. The Everton star somehow blew £500,000 on table games like blackjack and roulette. But it's clear that Rooney isn't the only big casino spender in the Premier League.
In 2017 it was revealed that one Premier League midfielder reportedly spent £15 million on card games and online casino sites. Despite spending big, however, footballers don't always get treated with respect when they visit the casino.
The case of Samir Nasri goes some way to explaining why online gaming on sites such as Slot Planet has become so popular among professional footballers in place of land casinos.
The French forward was reportedly at the swanky Park Lane Casino in London when he accidently knocked a woman about to place a large wager at the roulette table, causing her to lose her bet and explode at the unfortunate former Arsenal star. He was then asked to leave by security.
While there's nothing wrong with seeing top stars like Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique enjoying a typically glamorous night out in a Barcelona casino, it's also evident that for some players the high roller lifestyle can cause them trouble.
From Newcastle United player Michael Chopra betting up to £30,000 a time against his teammates on card games, to Eidur Gudjohnsen losing £500,000 in one night of casino madness, there are plenty of cautionary gambling tales from the world of football.
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However, other stars have enjoyed greater success. Madrid legend Ronaldo won £30,000 playing poker and is also a member of the PokerStars team.
Whether it's a way to beat the tedium of the rigorous training sessions, or just a method of achieving the 'rush' of scoring goals, is hard to pinpoint.
Thankfully, experienced footballers like Tony Adams have recently set up the Sporting Chance charity to help athletes overcome their problem gambling. Although the ex-England star has had his own personal demons, he's managed to use his experience to great effect to help younger players learn to control their behaviour when they next hit the gaming tables.
