Poker is a fascinating game that mixes skill, strategy and the cunning ability to keep a straight face while you bluff your way to a winning hand. It makes poker evenings a popular pastime amongst friends and having a bit of money at stake makes it exciting too. Professional poker has appealed to the rich and famous for many years thanks to the allure of the spectacle and the glamour that goes along with it. Because of this, it’s no surprise that many celebrities enjoy the game. Here are a few Hollywood A-list celebrities who enjoy the odd game of cards.
Tobey Maguire
Best known for his leading role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portraying Spiderman, the web-slinging superhero, Tobey Maguire is first on our list of famous celebrity poker players. He has had some success in the game of poker and has played since 2004, having learned the game and how to play it while still at school. Toby Maguire is no slouch at the game either, having even won a few titles. The last time we’ve seen him in a professional tournament was in 2007 at the World Series of Poker. Some reports estimate his total professional winnings at around $200,000. It’s speculated that his antics inspired the character called Player X in the 2014 movie “Molly’s Game”, which is based on a true story.
Watch Matt Damon give away his huge World Series of Poker hand with a bad acting job https://t.co/IVRhf7GcxE pic.twitter.com/x9PxGF98rg
— For The Win (@ForTheWin) November 25, 2017
Matt Damon
Matt Damon is another celebrity actor with some heavy hitter movies under his belt like “Good Will Hunting” and “The Bourne Identity”, and he’s no stranger to the poker table. Ever since his appearance in subjectively one of the best gambling movies of all time, “Rounders”, Matt Damon has made frequent showings at the ever-popular World Series of Poker. Matt Damon, along with celebrity friend Ben Affleck, is another celebrity that is often linked to the true story behind “Molly’s Game”.
Ray Romano
Ray Romano is probably best known for his role in the television sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond”, and despite being one of television’s best earners at the time, he’s a regular player in the World Series of Poker too. He’s not been the most successful player of the game, netting an estimated $32,000 over his career.
Jason Alexander
Another star of late 90s television, portraying the character of George Costanza on “Seinfeld”, Jason Alexander has a claim to some poker success thanks to his various appearances on television playing the game and his crown achievement of taking first place in season 8 of Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown and its half million-dollar purse, which was donated to charity. He’s also participated in both the 2007 and 2009 iterations of the World Series of Poker, where he didn’t fare too well, but did manage a respectable top 30 percent finish in the 2009 event.
While the celebrities who love the game have never enjoyed a huge amount of success at it, the world of professional poker continues to appeal to them, likely thanks to its high stakes and adrenaline-inducing action.
