Celebrity Gambler – Beyond the Tough Guy, Vinnie Jones on Demand
By Shadrack Kairu
Vinnie Jones is the tough guy everybody knows. The popular Brit is an actor, a TV presenter and was a pro football player back in the day. His bulky body and zero-nonsense attitude made him famous for playing criminals and hardmen roles. But Vinnie isn’t just about being tough.
In recent years, he found a brand-new way to show off his big personality – as the host of an awesome game show called “Vinnie Jones Games.” This cool series was started by a company named Real Dealer Studios that makes super slick casino games that look like they came right out of Hollywood.
In the “Vinnie Jones Games,” Vinnie is the main attraction. Whether it’s roulette, blackjack or their latest hi-lo game “Vinnie Jones Card Chase,” Vinnie brings his signature swagger and cheekiness to UK online casinos.
He doesn’t just show up and deal cards though – Vinnie fully immerses himself in each game, riffing one-liners, celebrating wins and dishing out playful insults to losing players. It’s all part of his unfiltered, working-class charm that makes this show such an entertaining brand.
Vinnie Jones Statistics
| Name | Vincent Peter Jones |
| Born | January 5, 1965 (age 58) |
| Birthplace | Watford, Hertfordshire, England |
| Height | 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) |
| Spouse | Tanya Terry (m. 1994 – passed away in 2019) |
| Children | 2 (Kaley Jones and Aaron Elliston-Jones) |
| Professions | Actor, TV host, former pro footballer |
| Net Worth | Around £8 million |
Vinnie Jones Achievements
Vinnie used to be a rough-and-tumble defensive midfield player back in his football days. He played for clubs like Wimbledon, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers. His aggressive, no-holds-barred style earned him the wicked nickname “The Enforcer.”
As a player, he was no stranger to controversy, getting sent off a crazy 12 times and holding the record for fastest-ever booking at just 3 seconds into a match. That infamous record was set in 1992 during an FA Cup tie when Vinnie committed a foul just 3 seconds after kick-off and got booked straightaway.
As he recounts it in his autobiography: “I must have been too high, too wild, too strong or too early, because, after three seconds, I could hardly have been too bloody late!” His tough tackling and penchant for clashing with opponents was just part of Vinnie’s no-nonsense playing style back then.
Even with all them red cards, Vinnie still achieved a lot as a pro footballer. The ’88 season in particular carved a permanent notch in English football’s storied tapestry. Front and centre was Vinnie Jones, a rough-and-tumble midfield battler whose unwavering grit and fierce determination would eternally ingrain his name amongst the game’s immortals.
Sporting Wimbledon’s kit, a ragtag bunch of upstarts fresh off their ascension to the top flight, Vinnie and his mates embarked on an improbable campaign that would defy all logic and leave the naysayers eating humble pie. In the granddaddy of them all, the FA Cup final, they toppled the mighty Liverpool by a gritty 1-0 scoreline that reverberated through the land.
Dubbed the “Crazy Gang,” this motley Wimbledon crew embodied the very essence of unshakable belief and relentless tenacity. Vinnie, a midfield enforcer par excellence, personified that ethos to the core. His bone-crunching challenges and uncompromising tackles became the stuff of legend, endearing him to the Dons’ faithful while commanding grudging respect from even the fiercest foes.
Two campaigns later, in ’90, Vinnie sported the prestigious white of Leeds United. Under the masterful Howard Wilkinson’s tutelage, that tactically astute genius, the club seized the Second Division crown, punching their ticket back to the big show. Vinnie’s indomitable spirit and tireless graft in the engine room proved pivotal in powering that promotion charge, laying the foundations for their future ascent.
When Vinnie finally hung up his boots, he went for a hard pivot by getting into acting towards the backend of the 90s. And what a start he made – slotting straight into a role that couldn’t have been more tailormade if it tried.
In the cult 1998 flick “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,” Vinnie played an old-school, no-nonsense mobster enforcer named Big Chris. It was the perfect vehicle for Vinnie’s authentically menacing hard-nut screen presence and snarling charisma, earning him the Best Newcomer gong at the 1999 Empire Awards.
He doubled down on establishing his rep as British cinema’s go-to hardman with another iconic villainous turn just two years later in Guy Ritchie’s “Snatch.” As the slick but psychopathic “Bullet-Tooth Tony,” Vinnie was simply electrifying – an utterly compelling, terrifying force of nature who burned himself into every scene.
This time Vinnie took home the Empire Award for Best British Actor. His transition to movie stardom was complete.
Didn’t matter whether Vinnie was playing it authentic as an unhinged criminal heavy or letting his laddish hair down with a spot of comedy – he just had magnetic big-screen presence. He brought that unmistakable tough-guy edge to powerhouse performances in high-octane thrillers like 2000’s “Gone in 60 Seconds” and the raucous Brit prison comedy “Mean Machine” a year later.
He even got to go full pantomime villain as the juggernaut of a baddie Juggernaut in 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand” – a role he was just born to inhabit. Vinnie’s talents shone just as bright on the small screen too.
He had a deft gift for naturalistic comedy that he showcased with scene-stealing cameos in shows like Ricky Gervais’ “Extras” in 2005. But he could also turn on the dramatic intensity at a moment’s notice with hard-hitting roles like his intense run on the spy series “Chuck” in 2010 and his multi-season stint as a super-villain on “Arrow” from 2015-2018. Vinnie even brought his inimitable screen presence to “NCIS: Los Angeles” in 2019.
Partnerships with Vinnie Jones
Vinnie’s partnership with Real Dealer Studios has been a right proper success so far. The studio used his massive star power and in-your-face personality to cook up some unique casino games for online gamblers. It all kicked off in 2022 with the games “Vinnie Jones Roulette” and “Vinnie Jones Blackjack.”
In these titles, he plays the role of a top-notch VIP casino dealer dressed to the nines in a slick suit and tie. As you’re playing at the virtual tables, Vinnie interacts with you one-on-one – he reacts to your moves and choices like you’re both just a couple of mates gambling together. He’ll crack jokes whether you’re winning or losing, sometimes even dropping a Vinnie-ism like “Do I look like I’m f***ing messing?!”
The latest and perhaps most ambitious “Vinnie Jones Game” so far is called “Vinnie Jones Card Chase.” This is Real Dealer’s first-ever hi-lo title, styled like a proper game show with Vinnie as the wisecracking host front and centre.
While the Real Dealer partnership is Vinnie’s biggest move into the gambling world so far, it wasn’t his first dabble. Way back in 2002, he dropped a rap album called “Respect” featuring one single track called “Wooly Bully.” The album didn’t exactly set the world on fire, but it did show Vinnie’s willingness to try new creative avenues.
Over the years since then, Vinnie has also endorsed various gambling products and made personal appearances at casino events. For a big personality like him, it just makes sense to get involved with an industry centred around having a good time, whether you’re playing for fun or profit.
Vinnie Jones as an Influencer
With over 91,000 Facebook followers, 171,000 on Twitter and a whopping 305,000 on Instagram, Vinnie Jones has cultivated himself a seriously massive social media fanbase. And while his posts aren’t always about gambling, he definitely uses their social accounts to promote his work with Real Dealer Studios and other gambling projects now and again.
Vinnie’s posts give you a proper taste of his big, outspoken, working-class personality through jokes, photos, videos and the occasional foul-mouthed rant. He’s just as likely to share a clip from one of his movies as he is to go on a sweary tirade about something that’s gotten his knickers in a twist that day. His authentic, say-it-like-it-is voice and crude humour really strike a chord with his fans from all walks of life.
For the “Vinnie Jones Games” and his gambling work, he’ll post promotional videos and reminders whenever a new game is released. He’ll also jump on Instagram Live sometimes while playing the games, providing his trademark over-the-top commentary to his viewers.
This influential social media presence helps get people interested in checking out his fresh “Vinnie Jones Games” and gambling collaborations. Beyond just fans of his films and shows, Vinnie’s socials have tapped into big subcultures like recreational gamblers, football fans, and anyone just drawn to his no-BS hardman persona.
But even beyond social media, Vinnie’s tough guy persona itself is a big selling point for bringing new audiences to online casino games. His rugged image and star power attract a diverse bunch of fans – from die-hard movie buffs to football fanatics to poker enthusiasts looking for something new and entertaining.
Closing Thoughts: Beyond the Tough Guy Story
Vinnie Jones has had one hell of a career journey – from English football fields all the way to Hollywood stardom. While he’s always been a big fan of embracing that iconic tough guy image, his new role as a game show host at the popular “Vinnie Jones Games” proves he’s also a right funny and entertaining bloke.
For an industry often slammed as stale or too focused on the glitz over substance, Vinnie Jones makes the perfect emblematic figure to help “re-brand” online gambling as a raucous good time. He brings a realness, a rough authenticity, that cuts through all the superficial glitz. You can practically smell the whiskey on his breath through the screen.
Off-screen, Vinnie is also known as a devoted family man and someone who likes giving back to communities. He famously donated his 1988 FA Cup winner’s medal, that historic milestone from his playing days, to the fans of AFC Wimbledon. Fair play to him, it was a quality touch – showing he’s still grounded and hasn’t forgotten the very people who were behind him from the get-go.
Vinnie’s also been frank about the battles of single parenthood too, after his beloved Tanya was tragically taken by cancer back in 2019. He’s been open about how much he misses her and the massive void she’s left behind. But he continues to stay strong, determined to power through and be a solid role model for their two kids.
At the end of the day, Vinnie Jones embodies resilience and reinvention, making the absolute most of whatever opportunities come his way in life. From playing high-level football to smashing it on the big screen, to now starring in these innovative online casino games, he just keeps finding fresh ways to entertain and connect with his fans on that raw, authentic level that’s his trademark.
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