From Punters to Players: The Crossover between Professional Footballers and Casino Ventures

The online casino industry is big, and it is closely related to sports. That’s not a surprise, as millions of eyes are pointed at different sports events. Therefore, it’s normal to expect that athletes, footballers especially, are going to be tied to the gambling industry in one way or another. Some of them might even enjoy a fast payout casino that would allow them to make quick deposits and withdrawals. Since footballers finish their careers early, they give their best to maximize their income while they’re playing. So let’s take a look at how gambling brands fit there and who are some of the players who have some ties to the gambling industry.

How are Footballers Related to the Casino Industry

Footballers, like many other athletes, give their best to partner up with as many brands during their careers. It’s one of the best ways to establish additional sources of income. Furthermore, this is also the period when they’re exploring what kind of investments could potentially help them become richer once their careers are finished. Besides this, there are those who change careers over time and find happiness in the casino industry playing poker. Whatever the case, so far, it’s obvious that gambling casino is connected to them one way or the other. Let’s take a look at the footballers who have crossed paths with the casino industry in one way or the other.

Ronaldinho Gaúcho

One of the top footballers and Barcelona players is Ronaldinho. He was massively successful during his time in one of the most popular football clubs, but he finished his career and went back to Brazil. His involvement with the casino industry begins there, as he has opened a betting cafe in Rio de Janeiro. He knew how popular football was in Brazil, and this was one of the ways to create an income. Plus, his legendary status would attract people to his sportsbook.

Additionally, the footballer also partnered up with numerous bookmakers in Europe and shot commercials to promote their brands. That’s not a surprise, given how popular he was in Europe while playing for Barcelona.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the legendary players who has earned a name for himself while playing for some of the best clubs around the world. He also played in the US MLS league for several years. Even though he went through injuries, he managed to come back and became one of the most popular players because of his resilience, skills and persistence. He has recently retired from football, but his fans keep following him because of the motivation that he carries everywhere. That’s why he has a big social media following.

When it comes to gambling, he is one of the athletes who has decided to invest in one of the companies. His investments are tied to a company that’s based in Malta. After the investment, he became its part owner.

Jan Vang Sørensen

Jan Sørensen did not expect a big injury to stop him from progressing in his football career, but that’s what happened. While this is the biggest fear for many players, only a few manage to successfully get over it. Jan handled it perfectly. The injury provided him with plenty of time to focus on his other passion, poker. Today he is a big name in the poker world as he managed to win two WSOP bracelets and has over $2,1 in winnings in his poker career. It’s amazing to see how everything happens for a reason. Even though he went through a life-changing injury, he still managed to find a way to show his skills in another sport, poker. It only goes to show that poker is a game of skill.

Christiano Ronaldo

Christiano is one of the greatest footballers to walk the earth. His immense success brought massive attention to him over the years. Many brands recognized this and have approached him to collaborate. One of the brands was from the gambling industry, and they wanted to make him the face of their brand. We’re talking about the PokerStars deal, which he represented for several years. The partnership brought a lot to the gambling brand as it happened at the time when Ronaldo was at the top of his popularity.

Conclusion

Football payers are closely associated with the gambling industry as they see it as a great opportunity for potential income. They know that the majority of their fans already participate in sports betting, so plenty of brands approach them to get promoted. This doesn’t affect their image any longer, as online casinos are known to be fair, reliable and safe. That’s why they decide to partner up and promote gambling brands all across the world. Aside from promotion, others saw investment opportunities that allowed them to grow their wealth. Last but not least, some have given up football for another career in the poker world.