Poker is a popular game. Check out any brick-and-mortar or online casino and you’ll see plenty of players at the poker tables. While you’re unlikely to catch the rich and famous indulging in casino slots, you might just be able to watch them try their luck at the poker tables.
They may not all be majorly successful, but there are plenty of celebrities who enjoy a game of poker, and we have taken a look at five of the most ardent fans of the casino game.
Michael Phelps
American swimmer Michael Phelps hasn’t just won 23 Olympic gold medals, he’s also set 29 swimming world records. He enjoys his poker, but it’s fair to say he’s nowhere as good at the poker table as he is in the pool.
He resides in Las Vegas, but clearly hasn’t dabbled much in live poker, as his live earning total is less than $10,000. With earnings like that, he’s unlikely to add a World Series of Poker bracelet to his Olympic medal collection any time soon.
Ray Romano
You might recognise him from Everybody Loves Raymond, but what you might not realise is that Ray Romano loves playing poker. The American actor has played in seven World Series of Poker tournaments since 2007, but he has yet to taste success.
His total live earnings are $27,397, which isn’t much, considering the money he must earn from his acting and stand-up. His rank in the all-time money list is 66,232nd, which isn’t a surprise given his winnings.
Kevin Hart
Funny man Kevin Hart has won a number of People’s Choice Awards during his career and starred in a number of hit movies including the 40-Year-Old Virgin, Ride Along and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.
As for his poker skills, unlike the previous two, Kevin Hart has made a decent return, with live earnings of $47,828. Although nothing compared to the top professional poker players, it is a reasonable return for an actor and comedian.
Jennifer Tilly
You might not recognise the name of Jennifer Tilly, but you might recognise her face, and you should definitely recognise her voice. She played Olive Neal in Bullets over Broadway and voices Bonnie Swanson in Family Guy.
She is the only person to have ever been nominated for an Academy Award (Best Supporting Actress, Bullets over Broadway) and won a WSOP bracelet. She is married to professional poker player Phil Laak, who has a WSOP bracelet of his own.
Her total live earnings total just under $1 million, while she sits in 1,898th in the all-time money list.
Victoria Coren Mitchell
Victoria Coren Mitchell makes the rest of the people on this list look like amateurs. The British writer, journalist and TV presenter has been incredibly successful in poker, becoming the first woman to ever win on the European Poker Tour.
The Only Connect host has appeared in many live poker games and has close to $2.5 million in live poker earnings, leaving her in 633rd position in the all-time money list.