Do you want to know which celebrities are gambling their earnings away in Canada? From hockey stars to film stars, this article delves into the world of celebrity gamblers. Learn who’s winning big, who’s not, and why gambling among celebrities is a growing issue in Canada. Are you ready to find out the truth?
Gambling is a popular pastime for celebrities around the world, with plenty of prominent and successful figures in Canada placing bets and playing games in some sort of online casino Canada. But who are the biggest names betting big and who’s not doing so well? To provide some answers, let’s look into the hot topic of gambling among celebrities in Canada.
1. Mike McDonald
Mike McDonald is a professional Canadian poker player from London, Ontario. He started out playing uncapped sit-and-go tournaments at age 16 and has been playing professionally since 18. In 2008, he won over five million in major tournaments and his total live earnings have exceeded $8.5 million US dollars.
McDonald is known for his laidback demeanor, quiet confidence, and strategic style of play — as well as his numerous online aliases such as “Timex” and “GoLeafsGoEh.” His commitment to the game eventually earned him a spot on the Professional Poker Tour’s Elite Eight in 2007–2008, making him the youngest-ever winner of that event.
McDonald’s ability to read opponents helped him win the Partouche Poker Tour Main Event in 2011 for over $1 million — one of the most prestigious events in poker — and he has also achieved impressive scores in side games including mixed games, no-limit hold’em, and PLO.
He quickly built a reputation as one of Canada’s most successful professional gamblers, having cashed at 29 World Series of Poker circuits with seven FTs (Final Tables).
2. Michael Wekerle
Michael Wekerle is a Canadian stockbroker and venture capitalist known for his past gambling exploits. Once co-founder of Griffin Securities, Wekerle is now the host and star of CBC’s nationally televised show ‘Dragons’ Den’. He has starred in numerous other business charity events across Canada, such as the Canadian Open Oceanside Poker Championships.
Wekerle gained considerable attention when he lost over $120,000 at a high-stakes poker event in Toronto in 2002. Despite this major loss, Wekerle was able to recover financially and become a successful entrepreneur.
Many compared him to similar celebrity gamblers like James Garner and Johnny Chan after his appearance on The Amazing Race: Family Edition in 2005. He has since invested in over 75 companies since 2008 and he also runs a charitable foundation benefitting local communities.
3. Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu is arguably one of the most famous Canadian gamblers of all time. A Toronto native, Negreanu has won six World Series of Poker bracelets, including two main event titles, and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2014.
Negreanu is a strong advocate for poker as a skill game and spends much of his time training players who are just getting started. Over the course of his career, he has won more than $30 million in live tournaments.
In addition to playing and coaching poker, Negreanu runs a lifestyle brand called DNEG which offers apparel, training programs, and free content for poker enthusiasts. Over the past few years, he has also become a popular social media influencer with over 400k followers on Twitter and more than 3 million followers on Twitch.
4. Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey is widely considered to be one of the world’s greatest professional poker players. Born in Riverside, California, Ivey moved to Canada at a young age and was raised in Rexdale, Ontario where he learned his poker game. Ivey has won many impressive titles as a professional gambler including 10 WSOP bracelets and one WPT title.
Ivey is no stranger to controversy but continues to remain in the spotlight with poker tournament winnings peaking at over $19,000,000 in 100+ live events so far. He showcased his poker skills in 2003 when he won four WSOP bracelets – three of them coming from Texas Hold’em events and the fourth from an Omaha hi-lo split tournament.
His success continued into 2004 and 2005 with more winning results – September 2004 saw him take down another WSOP bracelet when he captured first place in a pot-limit Omaha event while during 2005 he won the WPT scoring himself another championship title.
Most recently, despite owing numerous multi-million dollar debts to casinos all over the world, Phil Ivey once again entered Las Vegas for two days for total wins of 20 Million US dollars playing baccarat which earned him yet another nickname: The Tiger Woods of Gambling.
5. Erik Seidel
He is one of the few Canadian poker players to have taken home more than $6 million in poker tournament winnings. Born in New York City and raised in Toronto, Seidel has made his mark on the game by winning tournaments such as the World Poker Tour, World Series of Poker, European Poker Tour, and many other prestigious tournaments.
Seidel is a master tactician and a known rival of champions such as Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, and Johnny Chan. He has achieved numerous ‘firsts’ including being the first player to win two World Series of Poker bracelets in a single year—a feat he accomplished two years in a row (2008 & 2009). In 2011, Seidel was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.
This veteran player continues to make his presence felt on some of the world’s most important circuits, taking down events like the Sochi Super High Roller for $1 million and other lucrative prizes for other major tourneys around Europe. Seidel also hosts high-stakes cash games with some of Canada’s top players like John Cynn, Patrik Antonius, and Steve O’Dwyer among others.
Conclusion
The key takeaway from this data is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to gambling. Each person’s success relies upon their skillset, luck, and dedication to the game. While there are some who have found success playing various games over the years, those who stick to it often reap major rewards for their dedication and hard work.
