Poker remains one of the most growing and attractive sports especially amongst celebs and sportspersons. Right from tennis icon Boris Becker to Hollywood star Ben Affleck, every celeb has tried playing the game of poker and earned impressive earnings. (More Sports News)
Ahead of the 2025 World Series of Poker, that will be held from May 27 to July 16, here's a look at the some of the top athletes to have tried a hand at poker post-retirements:
Michael Phelps (Swimmer)
American swimmer and 28 Olympics medallist, Michael Phelps is also a good poker player. Post his retirement from the sport post-2016 Olympics, Phelps has played in many professional poker tournaments, including the World Series of Poker.
Phelps has accumulated $11,909 having last played at the 2024 Horseshoe Tunica Casino Recurring Tournaments. Phelps played in 11 events since 2008, winning $50 bounty at the 2022 event held at The Orleans Hotel and Casino Recurring Tournaments, Las Vegas.
Gerard Pique (Football)
Former FC Barcelona and Manchester United defender Gerard Pique is also a poker player. The three-time Champions League winner has been playing poker since 2011, and has won $738,611 of cash.
The former Spanish international last played in 2023 event at the European Poker Tour in Barcelona, where he finished sixth and earning $70,456.
Terrence Chan (MMA)
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Terrence Chan is also one of a good poker players. The Canadian-born has a 4-2 win-loss record in his pro-MMA career and has accumulated a whopping $1,386,558 in cash. Chan last played at the WSOP 2023, Las Vegas and finished 26th in $2500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball.
Boris Becker (Tennis)
Widely regarded as one of the greats in the sport of tennis, Boris Becker has won six Grand Slam titles. However, he has plied his trade in poker since 2008 and has been an ambassador for two major poker sites, PokerStars and GGPoker.
Richard Seymour (NFL)
Richard Seymour has been one of the best defensive unit in the NFL and has played for New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders before hanging up his boots in 2012. The three-tme Super Bowl champion has been in poker since 2014, earning an impressive $786,974.
Seymour last played poker at the Wynn Summer Classic, Las Vegas last year, wherein he finished 157th in the $2500 No Limit Hold'em.
