It may seem unfair that some people are doubly blessed, but that is the way of the world. Mere mortals may play online slots such as MegaMoolah.com in the hope of landing a big progressive jackpot win, or perhaps try our hand at online poker to turn a profit.
In contrast, there exists a select group of famous Hollywood celebrities, who are enjoying both the fruits of their stardom, vast personal wealth and fame, but who have also proven to be shrewd operators when gambling too.
Of course, how much each of these Hollywood stars has won or lost over the course of the years remains open to conjecture. Some sources will claim that they have lost considerably more than they have won, others maintain that they are more successful than not. What is undeniable is that each of the people listed below has earned themselves a reputation as a talented player.
What is perhaps unusual is that each of the people below are famous for playing just one game – poker. Although one of the games with the smallest house edges, it is perhaps surprising that other games, particularly blackjack, hasn't attracted the wealthy. One can only assume that games like slot machines and video poker do not offer the same level of mental dexterity or psychology that these stars enjoy at the poker table.
5. Tobey Maguire (Star of the Spiderman Trilogy of films and Seabiscuit)
Tobey Maguire earned international fame in the title role of the recent Spiderman trilogy of films as well as starring in the horseracing epic Seabiscuit. The actor has been a keen poker player since 2004 and was named and sued as part of a multimillion dollar illegal gambling ring in 2011.
In legal games, Maguire is a regular at casinos in Las Vegas and is a keen player online too. He has amassed several wins in smaller scale tournaments both online and in live play.
4. Matt Damon (Star of Good Will Hunting, Rounders, Saving Private Ryan)
Matt Damon's legacy with gambling and the game of poker stretches back to his portrayal of high-stakes poker savant Mike McDermott in John Dahl's 1998 film Rounders. In preparation for his role in the film, Damon is believed to have spent $25,000 of his own money learning to play the game against a variety of top level players.
It proved money well spent as Rounders has, with the surge in popularity of Texas Hold'em in recent years, become a modern day cult classic, while the research Damon did gave him an insight into what it needs to become a top poker star. Although now an infrequent player, he has performed well in several notable past events including the 2008 and 2010 World Series of Poker.
3. Jason Alexander (Star of Seinfeld, Pretty Woman and Shallow Hal)
A hugely talented stage, small and big screen actor, Jason Alexander's most famous role was certainly that of Jerry Seinfeld's best friend George Costanza in the multiple award-winning TV sitcom Seinfeld.
What is perhaps less well known is that Alexander has become one of Hollywood's finest poker players, winning the $500,000 top prize for his charity on the TV series Celebrity Poker Showdown. He has participated in two World Series of Poker main events in 2007 and 2009, finishing in the top 30% on the latter occasion. He has participated in several online and televised Poker sites and shows and is as renowned for his quick wit and good humour as he is for his exceptional poker skills.
2. Ben Affleck (Star, Writer and Director of Argo and soon to be the new Batman)
Along with long time collaborator and pal Matt Damon, Ben Affleck is perhaps the most famous and decorated Hollywood star on this list after earning an Oscar for directing the film Argo in 2013. He has a huge number of acclaimed film roles on his CV and has been earmarked to play Batman alongside Henry Cavill's Superman in the next major superhero flick from DC Comics.
In terms of his time at the Poker table, Affleck is an avid fan of the game. He was tutored early in his poker career by two professionals, Annie Duke and Amir Vahedi and on the back of their tutelage, took home a first prize of $356,400 at the California State Poker Championships in 2004. He has also participated several times, without success in the World Series of Poker.
1. Jennifer Tilly (Star of Liar Liar, Bullets over Broadway and The Fabulous Baker Boys)
Although her Hollywood CV may not be as quite as impressive as the four men that precede her on this list, Jennifer Tilly is without doubt the most successful Hollywood star to turn their hand to poker. Nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Woody Allen Bullets Over Broadway, she is perhaps best known as the selfish mother seeking a divorce in the Jim Carrey comedy Liar Liar.
Jennifer is the only Hollywood star to have won a World Series of Poker bracelet, when beating 600 players in an event in June 2005. A few months later, she proved that success was no fluke when winning the World Poker Tour Ladies Invitational Tournament in Los Angeles. Tilly briefly retired from Poker in 2008, but restarted her career two years later and has won over $590,000 at the poker tables during her career with 9 money finishes in the World Series of Poker and four on the World Poker Tour.
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