Football is one of the most popular sport to bet on. But, a lot of people don’t think about the fact that the players we are betting on may enjoy wagering themselves. Indeed, wagering is quite popular among football fans. That is why, in this article, we’d like to take a look at some of the most notable instances of football players who like to gamble themselves.

Tony Adams

Tony Adams is one of the most notable defenders in English football history. He captained Arsenal and the English national team, and managed to participate in close to 700 games for the Gunnars. He is widely regarded as one of the team’s best player, and a huge draw for bettors in his time.

Though legendary among punters, very few of us knew that Adams was a punter himself. Whether he used online sportsbooks or land-based sportsbooks we can’t say. But what we can say is that there are plenty of bookies where football betting is covered extensively. So, if football is your preferred game, you know where to look. As for Adams, as a player, he was not allowed to bet on football.

Nowadays, he advocates for responsible gambling, and has even opened his very own gambling and alcohol addiction centre. He says he understands the compulsion to gamble, and wants to help others to control those compulsions.

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney is a legend in the football world. He spent the majority of his career wearing the Manchester United colors, and during his time became one of the team’s greatest strikers of all time. In Rooney’s time, sportsbooks would almost certainly place the odds in United’s favor.

What few knew at the time was that Rooney himself enjoyed placing the occasional wager. Rooney’s game of choice was poker, and he has been known to play the game in both land-based and online casinos. He claims he is not one of the best players, but that he also is not half-bad.

Gianluigi Buffon

Often named among legends like Lev Yashin and Oliver Kahn, Gianluigi Buffon is considered one of the best goalkeepers of all time. Gigi, as his fans call him, has made over 1100 professional appearances, and currently holds the Serie A record for most appearances.

He has played for Juventus for the vast majority of his career, though he has also worn Paris Saint-Germain’s colors as well. Buffon is one of the most expensive goalkeepers of all time, holding the record for the most amount of cash spent on a goalie.

Apparently, according to a lot of fans, Buffon also is an avid gambler. Fans claim that they’ve seen him in various casinos, and he himself has admitted that he enjoys playing poker. Indeed, for a time, Buffon served as the ambassador for PokerStars, so his gambling is no secret.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, some of the greatest players in football history have also been involved in the world of sports betting and gambling. Some have been accused of match-fixing, and some have even lost careers over it. However, for the most part, football players are people, and just like anyone else they have their own hobbies and fun pastimes that they enjoy.