There is a longstanding relationship between the worlds of movies and casinos. Some of the greatest – and the coolest – movies of all time have had something to do with casino gaming.
Think ‘Casino Royale’ and its tense high stakes game of Texas Hold’em poker or the Scorsese/De Niro classic ‘Casino’. Hollywood loves casinos and with good reason: they exude a potent combination of sophistication and risk that makes for superb cinema.
That mix also attracts people in real-life. Every day more people sign up to sites like Jackpotjoy to play the bingo slots and other games or visit a land-based casino for the same thing. The https://wolfycasino.org/ portal is a great option for both a new player and the most demanding player, so it is not surprising that it is popular among users.
Those real-life players include some A-list film stars too. Today we’re going to highlight a few of them.
1. George Clooney
In a way, the interest that Mr Clooney has in casino gaming is not really a surprise. If ever there was a Hollywood star that looked as if he belonged in the world of the high class casino, it is Clooney.
From his immaculate tailored suits to his general air of suavity, Clooney is a man made for the casino. The paparazzi have frequently pictured him at them and he even went as far as trying to build his own gaming complex in Las Vegas.
Called Las Ramblas, it never came to fruition, but it is further proof of his passion. Of course, Clooney starred in the classic casino film ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ as well, so he is connected with them onscreen as well as off.
2. Matt Damon
Another top ranking actor who featured in that movie is Matt Damon. It is a further case of art mirroring life, as Damon is well known to have a serious interest in casino gaming.
In this case, poker is the particular game that attracts him. Unlike Clooney, Damon is drawn to playing in high stakes poker tournaments that put him up against the best players in the world.
He has entered the most prestigious of them all – the World Series of Poker – on more than one occasion. The first time was back in 1998, with the actor having been bitten by the poker bug during research for his role in the taut casino thriller ‘Rounders’.
Damon has since competed in this tournament several more times, most recently in 2010. That year he was one of multiple stars playing in the main event, which drew both paparazzi and spectators.
His preferred casino game is Texas Hold’em and he is considered to be a careful rather than reckless player, despite his millions.
3. Ben Affleck
‘Batman’ star Ben Affleck is probably the single most prominent casino fan in the movie world. Not least because he has been more successful as a gambler than any of the others.
Affleck has actually enjoyed serious tournament-winning glory as a poker player. He walked away with the pot worth $356,000 at the California State Poker Championship in 2004 and won the No Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw event at the 2013 World Series of Poker.
It would be fair to say that the press has picked up on his casino capers, especially when he got barred by the Hard Rock Casino for counting the cards. He has also suffered high profile losses, including $400,000 on a solitary poker hand back in 2001!
Ben Affleck is photographed in casinos and at poker tournaments a bit less frequently these days, but it is a passion that never truly dies.
4. Tobey Maguire
Maguire is still most famous as the puppy-eyed star of the Sam Raimi ‘Spider-Man’ movies. Frankly, few who had seen him in those would peg him as a poker player.
For one thing he looked about fifteen years old. For another, his performances could best be described as ‘heart-on-sleeve’.
Clearly there is a core of cold steel underneath the surface though, because he is not only a fan of poker but is also pretty good at it. He has career total winnings of $223,645, which is very respectable, and it includes a $95,480 win at the National Championship of Poker back in 2004.
Maguire’s documented interest in casino games covers the period from 2004 to 2007.
5. Shannon Elizabeth
Casino gaming is not the exclusive preserve of male stars these days. ‘American Pie’ actress Shannon Elizabeth is one of the top female stars known to love these games.
She became a semi-professional poker player in the years following that movie and is still regularly spotted by the press at top-level tournaments. She has proven herself able to beat the very best poker players at these events.
Elizabeth is highly regarded for her poker skills by those players and they should surely know.
These are some of the stars who find casino games a compelling way to unwind.
