People from all walks of life enjoy the thrill of playing poker at online and real-life casinos or a friendly game between friends. So, it should be no surprise to learn that many movie stars love to play the game too. Here is a look at eight actors who are passionate about poker.
Matt Damon
Matt Damon’s love of poker only happened after he took the role of Mike McDermott in the 1998 movie Rounders, which is one of the greatest poker films of all time. To prepare for the role and get experience, Damon spent around $25,000 in poker tournaments. After Rounders, Damon continued to enjoy playing the game. He is far from being the best celebrity poker player in the world, but the star of Good Will Hunting and the Bourne movies did well in the 2008 and 2010 World Series of Poker.
Tobey Maguire
The star of Spiderman and The Cider House Rules, Tobey Maguire, is considered to be an adamant opponent when playing poker. He has been playing the game since 2004 and has had several successes at both physical and online casinos. However, he apparently refuses to play poker without using his Shuffle Master. The device, which costs around $17,000, is supposed to provide a fair and random shuffle every time and increase each game’s speed.
Shannon Elizabeth
In 2006, the American Pie actress Shannon Elizabeth described poker as her second career. She would visit Las Vegas around three times a year to play poker games, and she soon developed a reputation as an excellent player. In 2007, Elizabeth came third in the NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship. However, she has not had any notable successes since.
Kevin Hart
Actor and comedian Kevin Hart has played poker in the Dan Bilzerian home game and High Rollers on the world poker circuit. He also loves to play the tables at Monte Carlo casinos, and he has taken part in several live events. In 2018, Hart played poker in a televised game in which he misread his hand and won the game accidentally. The star of Ride Along, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and Get Hard, has reportedly won around $48,000.
Jennifer Tilly
Although the American-Canadian actress Jennifer Tilly is most well-known for her roles in movies like Child’s Play and Bullets Over Broadway, she is also just as famous for being a poker player. In 2005, she became the first celebrity to win a World Series of Poker Ladies’ Event bracelet. She regularly takes part in high-stakes cash games and has also won a WPT Ladies Night Invitational and a Bellagio Cup.
Kevin Pollak
Known for his role as Sam Winberg in the movie A Few Good Men, and various other leading parts, Kevin Pollack is such a keen poker player that he even hosts weekly games for other Hollywood stars. He has regularly played in the World Series of Poker since 2012. In his first appearance, Pollack finished 134th, which made him the highest-ranking celeb in the history of the post-boom main event. However, as much as he still loves to play the game, he has not had any notable successes since.
Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck is not only a bona fide Hollywood movie star. He is also a very good poker player. He must be committed to the game, as he took poker lessons from professional players like Amir Vahedi and Annie Duke. In face-to-face tournaments, the star of Justice League and Gone Girl has reportedly won around $500,000. He regularly takes part in high-stake cash games. Affleck’s biggest success was winning the California State Poker Championship in 2004.
James Woods
You may have seen the iconic actor James Woods in Martin Scorsese’s 1995 movie Casino. But did you know he loves to play poker in real life? The Golden Globe award winner regularly plays at Los Angeles’ famous Commerce Casino and often plays against his fans in friendly cash games. Woods is the most vocal about his love of poker out of all the celebrities featured in this list. The star of Videodrome and Once Upon a Time in America often expresses his love of the game and interacts with poker professionals on social media.