10 Famous Canadians with a Passion for Gambling
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Canada has long been known as a nation of sports lovers, but in recent years the country has also become a hotspot for casino players.
Check out this list of famous Canadians with a passion for gambling to see which celebs and professional gamblers are best known for flying the maple leaf flag at the casino table.
Gambling in Canada
While the first commercial land-based casino in Canada opened its doors in 1989, the online casino boom did not really get underway until 1996. Since then, the market has proven extremely lucrative, and there are a wide range of Canadian online casinos available to play. to access and enjoy top online casino game content without parting with any real money in Canada. It is no surprise that casino gambling has played an increasing role in Canadian culture in recent years, with many celebrities and professional poker players emerging on the international gaming scene:
Drake
As one of the most famous rappers on the planet, Drizzy’s prowess on the microphone is well documented. However, you may not have realised that Drake is an avid casino gamer and high roller, and when he’s not on stage repping for the ‘the six’, he can often be found at the table. Drake has such a passion for gambling that he even co-owns the popular 100 Thieves E-Sports Club, which was first launched in 2017 by Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag.
Jennifer Tilly
Best known for her work in Family Guy, the Child’s Play movies and Bullets Over Broadway, this Canadian-American star is another celebrity who enjoys casino gambling, specifically poker. Jennifer Tilly has won plenty of awards for her acting, but you may not have realised that she has also taken part in multiple poker tournaments, even beating more than 600 players in 2005 to win the WSOP bracelet. Jennifer has also participated (and won) in tournaments such as GSN Poker Royale, Celebrity Poker Showdown and WPT Ladies Invitational.
Michael Mcdonald
As one of the most prolific poker players to have come out of Canada, Michael Mcdonald deserves a spot on this list (despite not being as famous as some of the other entrants). Michael Mcdonald was born in 1989, and is best-known as the third ever Canadian player to have secured huge winnings of more than $10,000,000 at the poker table. Mcdonald’s playing career has also been notable due to his relatively young age and the fact that he still regularly plays at live poker tournaments.
Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson is one of the most famous Canadian-American stars of them all, first gaining attention as C.J. Parker in the iconic TV show Baywatch. Not known for being politically correct Pammy may be best known for her adventures on the beach, but has also had her fair share of adventures at the poker table. Due to her passion for gambling, Pamela Anderson launched her own Texas Hold’em tournament platform (BamPoker) on Facebook in 2012.
Evelyn Ng
Evelyn Ng is another famous Canadian professional poker player who first broke onto the scene in 2003, when she finished in second place at WPT Ladies’ Night. Since then Evelyn Ng has remained a source of inspiration for many poker players, regularly popping up on TV poker tournaments and big-name bouts such as the WSOP Main Event. As a main fixture in the Canadian poker scene for years now, Evelyn Ng surely deserves a spot on the list.
Dedmau5
Dedmau5 is a successful Canadian electronic music producer and DJ who also harbours a passion for casino gambling. Dedmau5 was first catapulted into the mainstream with the release of his seminal album ‘Random Album Title’ in 2008, which was certified gold in Canada. Dedmau5 is such an avid casino gamer that he even has a Microgaming slot machine game named after him.
Guy Laliberté
As a co-founder of the iconic Canadian institution Cirque du Soleil (first established in 1985), Guy Laliberté was something of a late bloomer in tournament-level poker. After making the career transition, Guy took home his first big win in 2007, reportedly bagging $696,220 at the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas. Since then, this famous Canadian poker player has appeared on Poker After Dark and High Stakes Poker, as well as generating notable funds in the World Series of Poker for his charity One Drop Foundation.
Matthew Perry
Best-known for playing the wisecracking joker Chandler Bing in the hit sitcom Friends, Matthew Perry has had a long career which includes appearances in the movies Fools Rush In, 17 Again and The Whole Nine Yards. While you’re probably more than familiar with the work of this Canadian star, you may not have realised that Perry is reportedly partial to poker, and is apparently a regular attendee at live poker tournaments. You’ll also sometimes see him at MMA tournaments in Canada.
Daniel Negreanu
Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, Daniel Negreanu is known as one the biggest characters in Canadian gambling, often staring down or talking to his opponents during play to ‘psych them out’. This successful professional poker player has won multiple tournaments over the years including 2 WPTs and WSOP bracelets, and has reportedly netted over $32 over the course of his career. Negreanu is known to participate in both online and offline poker tournaments.
Jaime Staples
Born in 1991 and hailing from Alberta, Jaime Staples is another relatively young Canadian gambler who has achieved massive success and recognition playing with online casinos. Best known for utilizing social media to attract fans, this famous professional gambler claims to have netted more than a whopping $1,000,000 gambling online.
Did we miss any notable Canadian casino lovers out of the list? Do you think you could make the grade? If you’re based in Canada, you have wide access to top games from industry-leading providers, so why not get in on the action and have some fun? Remember to always stay safe when playing online.
