10 Celebrities Who Love to Play Poker

Around the world, millions of people are drawn to the excitement and fun of playing poker. Celebrities are no exception in this. Indeed, many famous people enjoy the game. Some are even known for the exceptional amount of time and money they spend at the poker table.

But no matter the odds, all of the following celebrity poker players share in the sheer joy of the game:

10) Ben Affleck

World-famous Hollywood leading man Affleck is well known for his love of poker. The talented star of Batman vs Superman, Justice League and the noir thriller Gone Girl is also a dedicated player on the tables.

With a memorable victory recording $356,400 at the California State Poker Championship of 2004 the actor is no slouch when it comes to picking his hands.

Just as good with his cards as he is with his lines, Affleck is also a huge fan of blackjack.

9) Tobey Maguire

Maguire's dedication to the world of poker is legendary. Often visiting tables and clubs with friends Affleck and fellow actor Matt Damon, Maguire's total winnings stand at close to $250,000.

A biography by poker club promoter Molly Bloom has been said to feature a character based on Maguire. The less than flattering portrayal of the actor gave rise to a slew of negative publicity.

The Spiderman actor has recently been spending less time at the table and in front of the camera, doing more production work.

8) Victoria Coren Mitchell

The British writer and broadcaster Coren Mitchell has won over $2.5million dollars as a professional poker player.

Well known for her TV shows Only Connect and Balderdash and Piffle, the journalist and presenter played her first tournament in 2001.

In 2006 she won in the European Poker Tour, becoming the first female player to ever do so. She also won a prestigious Celebrity Poker tournament that year. She repeated her EPT success in 2014.

Her achievements at the poker table saw her reach the Women in Poker Hall of Fame in 2016.

7. Kevin Hart

The renowned comedy writer and actor was seen trying his hand at a poker championship in the Bahamas back in 2017.

The star of Scary Movie 4, Ride Along and Central Intelligence has also played on the High Rollers world circuit.

6. Jennifer Tilley

Star actress Tilly is known for leading roles in Bound, Bride of Chucky and Bullets Over Broadway. A regular at the poker tables, the celebrity can be seen showing off her World Series of Poker bracelet in style.

There are reports that Tilly has won over $750,000 in poker career totals. With winning numbers like that, it is clear that she has the experience and skill to compete at the highest level.

5. Shane Warne

The Australian cricketer has shown himself to be a good bet for a decent run at the poker tables.

A regular at charity poker events and tournaments, Warne has also been a representative at large-scale international competition. These have included the World Series of Poker and the Aussie Millions.

4. Nick Cassavetes

The actor and director of movies such as Alpha Dog and The Notebook is also a strong poker player.

Cassavetes finished fifth in the World Poker Tour Invitational of 2009. He has also reportedly recorded a win of $77,000 in a single game.

He has appeared in various other high-stakes competitions and is well known for his passion for the game.

Slated to return to directing with many titles in pre-production, Cassavetes continues to be a famous figure in the poker playing elite.

3. Edward Norton

The Hollywood actor Norton is known for his intense dramatic appearances in films ranging from Fight Club and Kingdom of Heaven to the recent Motherless Brooklyn.

The acting great also appeared in the movie Rounders. Given his ability at the poker table and that the film is all about poker this is definitely appropriate.

Norton did a lot of extensive research into poker playing for that role. It certainly paid off. The film is a favourite of the poker community and is often cited as one of the best movies about poker.

Norton has also had success as a player at the tables. In 2002 he took $780 at the Limit Hold 'Em event at the Four Queens Poker Classic.

He followed that in 2010 with a fifth-place finish at the No Limit Hold 'Em Special at Foxwoods Poker Classic claiming $2,701 in the process.

2) Shannon Elizabeth

Star actor in American Pie, Scary Movie and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Elizabeth has total career poker winnings of close to $220,000.

The Texas-born celeb has recorded successful runs in several poker tournaments. The most memorable was the first Nicky Hilton New Year's Eve Poker Tournament at Caesars Palace.

It was there that she claimed first place and won a big chunk of the $120,000 winning pool.

1) Michael Phelps

With 23 Olympian gold medals, Phelps is one of the most decorated and celebrated athletes of all time. The world-famous competitive swimmer also happens to be a damned fine poker player.

In 2013 Phelps played in a $10,000 buy-in poker tournament in the Caribbean. He was eliminated on day two by pro player Eddy Sabat. However, that did not deter his love of the game.

In 2017, he was back competing in Vegas tournaments as well as a special tag team event.

It seems that for Phelps, like many celebrities, poker-playing offers a different kind of excitement and action away from their main career.

As we've seen, some of them happen to be very good at it. One thing is for sure though, poker will always have its fans, no matter how famous they happen to be.