February 18, 2023
We all know Cristiano Ronaldo is second to none when it comes to showoff his skills on a football pitch, but most fans are certainly unaware that the Portuguese icon is also an ace when playing poker...
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most famous soccer players in the world. But did you know that he is also well known in some areas for his affinity for gambling and high-stakes hobbies. In this article, we'll take a look at Cristiano Ronaldo's career, his relationship with poker and other forms of betting, as well as his multiple sponsorship deals with online poker sites, particularly the one he made with PokerStars. The Portuguese superstar and the famous online poker cardroom struck a partnership deal back in 2013...
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Aaron Paul - I'm here to beat him!:
Ronaldo first began to make a name for himself when he joined Sporting Clube de Portugal as a junior player in 1996. After two years at Sporting CP, he signed with Manchester United where he blossomed into one of the greatest players in history - winning three Premier League titles, two FA Cups and a Champions League trophy in 2008. In 2009 he then moved to Real Madrid for what was then a world record transfer fee of $100 million - helping the club to win 16 trophies over the next nine years including four Champions League titles in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively.
Throughout Ronaldo's time at Madrid, there were reports where he has been linked to various forms of gambling such as playing high stakes poker cash games and tournaments against some of Spain's top businessmen. However, as he is a very private individual, it is more likely that he would prefer playing online poker. Teammates have often said that he would disappear on his own in private to play online poker and casino bonus games, between training sessions. As well as this, Ronaldo has been spotted relaxing in casinos playing roulette or attending exclusive VIP blackjack tables whilst enjoying holidays abroad.
In addition to this personal involvement in gambling activities throughout his career, Ronaldo has also struck up several lucrative endorsement deals with various online poker sites - including Poker Stars; one of the world's leading real money gaming companies based out of Europe.
Furthermore, between 2013-15 Ronaldo acted as PokerStar's global brand ambassador which saw him promote live events alongside special tournaments such as The Sunday Million Super Satellite showcasing a golden ticket worth over $1million dollars - all part of PokerStars' promotional strategy targeting new players worldwide...
He's quoted as saying: "I started playing poker a few years ago, and I love the competition, strategy, and fun. I'm looking forward to taking my game to the online and live poker tables and meeting my fans head-to-head. Although football is my world, poker has always been my game. I'm very excited to join the team."
However, in the UK his sponsorship deal was banned by the UKGC in an attempt to stop exposure of gambling sites to children.
In summary it can be seen that although on a professional level Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved remarkable feats during his time on earth - off the field it could be argued that the Portuguese footballer’s career success has been equally mirrored by his fondness for gambling whether this be through personal involvement or through marketing campaigns sponsored by online gaming sites such as PokerStars.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League is on February 25, against Damac. You can watch Damac vs Al Nassr, Osasuna vs Real Madrid, Newcastle vs Liverpool, Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City, Aston Villa vs Arsenal and Chelsea vs Southampton, all matches provided from our soccer live game pages.
Al-Nassr next game:
Damac vs Al Nassr kick-off time (25-02-2023):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 22:30
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 20:00
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+3: 17:30
Italy (Turin) | UTC/GMT+1: 15:30
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+1: 15:30
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+0: 14:30
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 11:30
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-5: 10:00
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-8: 06:30
Sources: ronaldo7.net / statista.com / sportsmole.co.uk
