It’s not uncommon to hear of famous sports stars heading out for a night of gambling. Many elite athletes from Tiger Woods to Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley have earned reputations for playing at the tables, and some NHL’ers have also been known to try their hand at gambling as well.
Players in the NHL are forbidden from betting on matches within the league, but they are free to explore other areas of gambling. That means that they can go off and dabble in casino table games like poker and blackjack, or even bet on other sports, something that Czech superstar Jaromír Jágr was famous for. From Roberto Luongo to Wayne Gretzky, some of the league’s biggest NHL stars have ventured into the world of competitive gambling, some for personal reasons, others simply to test their skills in charity tournaments.
The Appeal of Casino Table Games
Most casual players access slots, live dealer roulette, blackjack, and more at online casinos anywhere in the world, whether at the leading platforms in Canada or in the UK, where the lottery is a popular choice. The best lottery sites UK has licensed offer different types of lotteries such as the Irish Lotto or UK 49’s and bonuses for them for British players.
Meanwhile, big rollers from the NHL typically hit the casino floor for their gambling challenges. Table games like poker and blackjack have elements of skill in them, as opposed to games of sheer chance like roulette. This personal challenge, where players can put their abilities to the test in tackling risk, is a big appeal of casino table games. Below, you’ll learn about four players who have made casino gaming part of their off-ice pursuits.
Phil Kessel
The three-time Stanley Cup winner who played for the likes of the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Vegas Golden Knights during his long career, tallied 992 career points in the NHL from almost 1300 games.
The US international has played on the World Series of Poker since 2012 and in 2024, he became an ambassador for WPT Global. His preferred games are Pot-Limit Omaha and Texas Hold ‘em. Kessel has racked up $18,668 from seven WSOP cashes.
Gino Odjick
Legendary NHL enforcer Gino Odjick sadly passed away in January 2023, but he was known to play poker in his time. He was such a popular player that after his passing, fans hit social media to tell their tales of when they had encountered him at a poker table or down the local store.
Tough as bricks on the ice, Gino, who was born on the Algonquin reserve of Kitigan Zibi Maniwaki, Quebec, entered charity poker tournaments to help out in the community. One such event happened in 2013 at the Aldergrove Legion in BC, alongside former Chicago Blackhawks player Steve Passmore.
Roberto Luongo
Back in 2011, legendary keeper Roberto Luongo hosted a charity tournament at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, Canada. Goaltender Luongo played 19 seasons in the NHL for just three teams, the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks.
Luongo had laid down the challenge to colleagues at the popular BC Casino Resort and flashed his skills away from the ice, by finishing as runner-up in his own event. The tournament earned more than $90,000 towards charitable causes like youth health and wellness and hockey education.
Luongo has also ventured into the World Series of Poker where his current earnings stand at $19,227 from one payout back in 2012 on the 43rd Annual World Series of Poker tour.
Wayne Gretzky
The ultimate legend of the NHL, Wayne Gretzky, has also been known to try his hand at blackjack. In 2011, Gretsky, who played for the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers, was seen in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand for an All-Star celebrity blackjack tournament. He also once stated that he would never split a 9-9 hand in blackjack.
In poker, “Wayne Gretsky” is a term used when a player has a 9-9 in the pocket. It’s a simple hand but one that, for most players, is worth pushing forward with before the flop, a great nod to the famous 99, which is the only number ever retired by the NHL.
A Competitive Edge?
It is not uncommon for the skills that a player has developed throughout their hockey career to transfer over into other areas of life. There’s a natural competitive edge NHL players have to have, as well as calculated risk-taking and strategic thinking to assess everything that’s happening on the ice.
Reading in-game situations could serve players well at a poker table, to get a view of the game and to size up other players. NHL players also require a lot of discipline and focus as training is hard, the long competitive seasons are tough and they have to hold themselves to high standards under the most stressful of situations, which is always a great skill to take to the casino.
