Gambling is undeniably a fun indulgence, which is driven by the thrill of collecting real money wins when a risk. Even though it is marketed as a pastime activity, things can go too far for some players, and they stop caring about anything else outside of gambling.
Self-control is thrown out the window, resulting in a dependency similar to that of alcohol or drugs.
Problem gambling is an issue faced by people from different walks of life, even individuals that rake in earnings in the hundreds of millions, such as celebrities. Here, we look at some of those that carry the struggle.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan needs no introduction to most considering his place as the greatest basketball player to grace the face of the earth.
The Chicago Bulls player has had massive success in the field that follows him for more than two decades after his retirement, but the same cannot be said when it comes to gambling.
Jordan is said to have picked up the habit after the money started flowing in, which was supported by the fact that he raked in hundreds of millions from his career.
The earliest cases involving Jordan’s addiction surfaced when the retired basketball player confessed to having lost 165000 dollars while playing in Atlantic City casinos in 1993. The same year, the player also ran into a scandal when he was caught gambling in the same city the night before a big game, which was located two hours away from New York.
Gambling addiction is reported to have cost Jordan his career, but he still keeps up the vice to date.
Even with years in practice, he has yet to see as much success as he did as a basketball player. One of his biggest losses in recent times was when he took an L in a golf bet and parted with 1250000 dollars.
Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck takes on numerous roles in the movie-making business from actor and screenwriter to producer and director. He is well-known for his roles in films like Pearl Harbor, Argo, and Live by Night, and plays the coveted role of Batman in DC Comics’ movie productions.
Ben Affleck’s struggle with addiction dates back to early on in his career, when his addiction was coupled with alcohol dependency as well. One time, the Batman actor staked 60 000 dollars while drunk but ended up winning 800 000 dollars and gave tips of 150 000 dollars to casino staff.
Affleck checked himself into rehab to deal with the issues in 2001.
The actor went back to the tables to adapt to his role in the film Runner Runner where he plays the role of a gambler. During this time, he perfected skills like card counting, which has seen him get banned from several casinos due to raking in big wins at the loss of the house.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Floyd Mayweather has known the world over as the undefeated boxing champion with hundreds of millions to his name and zeal for showing off his wealth. The boxer is also a heavy sports gambler with high roller bets of more than 400 000 dollars a round.
He recently collected a massive win of three million dollars placed on college football and is said to have staked ten million dollars on the Broncos winning the 2014 Superbowl. Floyd’s success in the boxing ring maintains this expensive habit even though it is branded by most as problem gambling.
Charlie Sheen
Over the past decade, Charlie Sheen has gained more recognition from scandals than his impressive performance in the hit shows Two and a Half Men. The actor is said to have spent 200 000 dollars per week in bets at the height of his addiction and is cited as one of the reasons that caused the failure of his marriage.
According to his ex-wife’s reports in the divorce papers, Sheen was so hooked on the vice that he was gambling on sports while they were on their way to the hospital for their daughter’s delivery.
Parting Shot
Gambling can get out of hand for virtually anyone, which can cause a strain on finances and relationships even for the biggest of celebrities. Numerous programs such as Gamblers Anonymous and GamCare are in place to help those facing such issues.