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Recently, poker has been closely intertwined with football. Every year this card game seduces more and more football players. And this phenomenon can be explained. Although football and poker in online casino are entirely different games, they have much in common. The tournaments' excitement, thrill, and intensity remind the players of their native activity. In addition, poker is a test of a person's psychological endurance, and tactics are also important here, something the card game also resembles a football. Football players have different attitudes toward poker. Most play for their pleasure, to pass the time with friends. But some are successful among professional players, win prestigious tournaments and even think about plunging into poker after their sports career.
An excellent way to increase sales is by using athletes to promote gambling products. It will surely be profitable to use the most well-known sports stars who also play best online pokies to advertise the effects of gambling firms because they have big global fan bases. When it comes to the online casino industry, it is included. Even though it is worth millions, some online casinos help athletes in exchange for their promotion. The most well-known sports figures who endorse gambling are listed below.
Neymar Jr. cooperates with PokerStars
All football supporters respect this legendary player. Neymar is among the top five highest-paid football players following the World Cup. This is the rationale behind PokerStars' collaboration with one of the best football players in history. He participates in live tournaments where he competes against other well-known poker players as part of this cooperation. In the off-season, he excels at organizing exclusive tournaments for athletes and other celebrities at his home. Neymar has had moderate success in games that are sanctioned. An all-time leading scorer for the Brazilian national team finished sixth at the 2018 Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP), taking home 18,000 euros.The promotion of BetHard by Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The world is familiar with the talented Swedish player Zlatan Ibrahimovic.He is among the highest-paid footballers today after leaving Manchester United and joining the Los Angeles Galaxy.
BetHard, one of the top British online casinos, has collaborated with this footballer to combine football and gambling to draw in more clients. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has joined this sports betting and online casino website as an ambassador and shareholder. He will appear in television advertising and company advertisements as part of this partnership.
PokerStars and Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most well-known players in football. Additionally, he joined PokerStars in collaboration and was appointed a brand ambassador.He promotes this well-known poker website and takes part in some live events. Not surprisingly, PokerStars has done everything in its power to get the Portuguese man as one of its ambassadors. Cristiano Ronaldo's recruitment brought an influx of new players to poker from football fans and was a big step in the popularization of the card game in the world.
After signing with PokerStars, Cristiano Ronaldo revealed that he had played poker for several years. "I like playing with winners, and I am captured by the competitive spirit of this card game," the footballer said in one of his interviews. But for the Portuguese, poker has remained just one way to spend time with friends or family. In any case, at major offline tournaments or series, the football star has not been seen.
© Photo by Fauzan Saari on Unsplash
Gianluigi Buffon: Ex-goalkeeper really enjoys playing poker
One of the best goalkeepers in football history has committed to a contract with PokerStars. "I like to enjoy life; I like to play poker. It's a big challenge for me," Gianluigi Buffon declared at the presentation. The Italian has participated in several exhibitions, and charity tournaments played online against players of the world's largest poker room. Gianluigi Buffon was not lying when he talked about the fact that he likes to play poker. From time to time, the former Juventus goalkeeper can be caught playing online poker. And the Italian does not hide his identity, playing under the nickname "Gigi Buffon."Ronaldo: skipped the Ballon d'Or for a poker tournament
The "Phenomenon" became one of the first football stars to popularize poker among football fans. In 2013, the legendary Brazilian signed a contract with PokerStars. Many were sure that Ronaldo would become just the poker room's face and his name would only be used to promote the brand. But it happened otherwise. Two-time world champion plunged into the card game and began to learn different game strategies, listening to professional poker players' advice. Ronaldo admitted he came to love poker in 1999 when he played for Inter Milan.The two-time Ballon d'Or winner has played dozens of offline tournaments. The Brazilian has yet to achieve much success, but he still has something to brag about. In 2015, Ronaldo won over $42,000 (ranked 26th) at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure tournament in the Bahamas. The Brazilian even refused to attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony to participate in the PCA, which speaks volumes about the ex-football player's passion for poker.
