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Floyd Mayweather Tries His Hand At Blackjack
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The man who many claim is the greatest professional boxer of all time may be retired but he still has a competitive desire. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. recently ended his boxing career with a record of 50-0. Now he is looking to carve out the same kind of success at the blackjack tables. Mayweather is just the latest in a long line of celebrities and sports stars who have taken up playing blackjack for large sums of money.
From Boxing to Blackjack
There are few who can dispute Floyd Mayweather’s greatness as a boxer. At just 40 years of age, Mayweather fought his last professional fight on August 26, 2017 against MMA star Conor McGregor. The fight was hyped as the Money Fight because it offered the largest purse ever for a prize fight. Mayweather, who is nicknamed “Money”, dispatched his opponent as expected to secure his 50th win in 50 fights. He became the first fighter since Rocky Marciano to amass such an impressive record, surpassing Marciano’s 49-0 record.
Mayweather also became famous for promoting his own fights under the banner of his Mayweather Promotions. As such, the young fighter garnered the biggest paydays in boxing history. His pay-per-view events have earned an astonishing 19,500,000 buys for a total of $1,300,000,000 in revenue. While some have questioned Mayweather’s choice of opponents, no one can question his ability to promote a fight and sell himself as a major attraction.
So, what does a boxing legend do when the time comes to lay down the gloves? For Mayweather, the answer may be a career in blackjack. Mayweather is no stranger to the gambling industry. He has lived in Las Vegas for many years and has also been known to place large bets on himself when fighting. According to an article by World Boxing News, Mayweather Promotions has already hosted a blackjack tournament in the Bahamas. Mayweather himself participated in the event. The prize money was $300,000.
Those who frequent Las Vegas casinos claim that Mayweather has been known to play as much as $100,000 per hand on blackjack. The boxer has even stated that he likes to go to the casino alone and play blackjack by himself. This is probably difficult given that almost everyone would recognize him when he shows up to play. Playing at high stakes may be the only way Mayweather can get a table to himself.
Why Are Celebrities Playing Blackjack?
Floyd Mayweather is just the latest celebrity to be spotted at the blackjack tables. This begs an important question. Why do sports stars and celebrities like to play blackjack? There could be a few answers to this question.
For starters, blackjack is easy to learn and play. Within a very short time it is possible to learn basic blackjack strategy and even some card counting. This is especially true if you read Counting Edge. Becoming an expert at the game can take many years of practice, but anyone can learn to play and perhaps even win a little money after just a few hands.
Another reason famous people love the game is that they have plenty of money to play high stakes blackjack. Imagine how it must feel to win $100,000 or more on a single hand like Floyd Mayweather. It wouldn’t take many winning hands to amass half a million or more during a single session! Of course, higher stakes also means that there is the possibility of losing larger sums. There are plenty of stories out there of famous people losing hundreds of thousands in a few hours playing blackjack. Another game which celebrities seem to love is craps.
What you might be very surprised to know is that playing blackjack online could be a huge reason the game is swelling in popularity. Online casinos are legal in many countries, and even the United States is getting on board with more states legalizing online gambling. Residents of Nevada and New Jersey are already able to create online gaming accounts with casinos like the Golden Nugget.
When celebrities choose to play blackjack online they can do so in privacy. Using their computer, phone, or tablet, a famous person can avoid the crowds of a live casino and play blackjack at home. No one will recognize them or bother them while they are at the table. It can also be more convenient for a celebrity to play online because they have such hectic schedules and cannot always get to a live casino.
More Blackjack Celebrities
Floyd Mayweather isn’t the only famous person playing blackjack and also promoting the game. The rapper 50 Cent is known to be a fan of the game and has even created his own blackjack game for the iOS and Android platforms. 50 Cent is said to play an average of $5,000 per hand when he visits the casino.
Former NBA stars Allen Iverson and Charles Barkley have also been spotted at the blackjack tables. It seems that Sir Charles may be more skilled at the game. He is reputed to have won more than $750,000 in a single blackjack session. Iverson, on the other hand, has a spotty reputation. It is said that he has been banned by many casinos because he overused his casino credit. This should be a lesson to everyone. Even the rich and famous are not immune from gambling addictions.
You don’t have to play $5,000 per hand like 50 Cent or $100,000 like Floyd Mayweather when you create an account today with one of our recommended online casinos. You can play blackjack for as little as $1 per hand. Signing up takes just a few moments and you can receive a nice welcome bonus.