Celebrity Gambler: Michael Phelps – A King of Gold Medals and Royal Flushes
By Shadrack Kairu
Michael Phelps is an American former professional swimmer. He is widely recognized as the greatest Olympian of all time having dominated Olympic swimming for nearly two decades.
Throughout his storied career, Phelps won a total of 28 medals, of which 23 were gold, setting the record for the most Olympic gold medals won by any athlete in history. He was also the first male U.S. swimmer to qualify for five Olympic teams, and his final splash came at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where he secured six medals.
And while Michael Phelps is best known for his incredible achievements in the pool, there’s one side to his life that often flies under the radar – his love for poker games. Phelps is without a doubt a prolific poker aficionado. In fact, his name hardly misses the list of celebrities who love online casinos and high-stakes poker games.
Phelps, who will celebrate his 39th birthday on June 30th this year, first started playing poker at online poker rooms when he was in high school. He started with $1/$2 level tables and gradually progressed to games with higher stakes. Today, he’s regularly spotted participating in weekly high-stakes poker games with his fellow athletes and celebrities.
Interestingly, Phelps loves playing poker so much that his close friends feel that he might be growing addicted to the game. In fact, his friends fear he could squander millions away.
But the Olympic swimming sensation doesn’t feel that way. If anything, he sees poker as a form of relaxation and nothing more serious:
“I love to play, it’s fun, it’s exciting,” Phelps said in a recent interview, adding that it was a place where he could be the best fashion of himself and that he’d met some of his best friends at a poker table.
Now that Phelps has hung up his boots, he’s decided to go all in on the felt. He has been seen on several occasions clanking chips alongside other high-stakes gamblers in London and Las Vegas.
In all, he channels any and all winnings to his charitable organization, the Michael Phelps Foundation, whose mission is to promote water safety, healthy living, and the pursuit of dreams.
What’s more, when he plays or appears at a big tournament, he attracts audiences from all walks of professions along with the usual fans of sweeps casinos.
Michael Phelps Statistics
| Nickname(s) | “The Baltimore Bullet”, “Flying Fish” |
| Real Name | Michael Fred Phelps II |
| Born | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Birthday | June 30, 1985 |
| Citizenship | American |
| Height | 6 ft. 4 in (1.93 cm) |
| Weight | 194 lb. (88 kg) |
| Followers | 3.4M (Instagram) 1.8M (X.com) 7.7M (Facebook) |
| Claim to Fame | The greatest swimmer of all time won an Olympic record 28 medals, setting the record for most Olympic gold medals ever won in athletic history (23 gold medals) |
| Spouse | Nicole Johnson |
| Children | Boomer, Beckett, Maverick, and Nico |
| Net worth | $100M |
| Favorite Casino | GlobalPoker.com |
| Biggest Win | The greatest swimmer of all time won an Olympic record 28 medals, setting the record for most Olympic gold medals ever won in athletic history (23 gold medals) |
| Famous Quote | “I love to play, it’s fun, it’s exciting” |
Michael Phelps As the Face of Global Poker
Since retiring from competitive swimming, Phelps has participated in several poker tournaments, with the major one being the Word Series of Poker (WSOP). The WSOP is the most prestigious and iconic poker series in the world. The tournament is held in the Rio Hotel and Casino in Vegas.
He made his WSOP debut at the 2013 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, where he participated in the $5,000 no-limit hold ’em event and cashed in a live poker tournament for $5,213. He also made an appearance at the 2017 WSOP where he was entered in the $10,000 no-limit hold’em.
The following year, the 23-time gold medalist made his appearance at the 2018 WSOP in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he took the $3,000 Six Max Place.
Recently, Phelps participated in the Global Poker Celebrity Challenge which saw him battle it out against a host of his celebrity peers, including DJ Khaled, Paul George, and Karl-Anthony Towns. Running from Oct. 16-24, the Michael Phelps Celebrity Challenge consisted of several Celebrity Challenge rounds before the Grand Final for the ultimate prize.
Each qualifying round had a separate prize pool, and in addition, participants had the opportunity to win Global Poker swag signed by Michael Phelps. One player from each qualifier progressed to the final, which took place on Oct. 24.
There were a total of eight Michael Phelps Sweeps Coins (SC) Qualifiers. These eight finalists competed against each other and the final winner earned a place in the Grand Michael Phelps Celebrity Challenge Final, where they faced up against the legendary athlete.
Who is Global Poker
Global Poker is a leading US real money online casino founded in 2016. It is owned by an Australian-based company called VGW Holdings Limited and is available to players in the United States and Canada.
The platform functions as a sweepstakes gaming site and allows users to play poker online legally, either for fun with Gold Coins or for an opportunity to redeem cash prizes with Sweeps Coins.
Since launching, Global Poker has cemented itself as one of North America’s top websites for social poker, offering a great variety of casino games, a greater range and size of prize pools, and the greatest tournaments and championships.
The Effect of the Michael Phelps and Global Poker Partnership
Michael Phelps is an inspiration to countless athletes and fans around the world. He’s someone who understands the power of hard work and is a symbol of success, which explains why so many people look up to and strive to be more like him.
Phelps’ partnership with Global Poker is definitely a win for the latter. Associating with a globally recognized athlete has brought visibility to the platform and enhanced its profile in the gaming industry. As a result, the brand has attracted a broader audience and increased its market cap in the fast-growing US casino market.
On the other hand, thanks to this partnership, the Michael Phelps Foundation has received generous donations from Global Poker and other donors, enabling it to accomplish its mission.
The US Online Casino Market Continues to Thrive
The US online casino market is growing at a steady rate, fueled by the evolving regulations and increasing acceptance of online gambling. As of 2023, more than half of the states have legalized or regulated some form of gambling. To this effect, the nation’s gross gaming revenue is projected to reach a staggering 33.13 billion by 2028, according to Statista.
The rise in gambling in the US can be attributed to several factors. First is the relaxation of gambling laws. The industry was previously heavily regulated, with many states banning gambling activities altogether. However, many states have since lifted bans on online gambling, thereby giving people the freedom to enjoy gambling.
Over and above all else, casino sites and mobile apps are now widely accessible. Long gone are the days when people needed to visit brick-and-mortar casinos in order to place their wagers. Today, Americans can place wagers right from the comfort of their homes no matter what device they use.
Finally, with advancements in technology, online casinos now offer a large range of games, from traditional table games to interactive slot machines. Adding to the allure is the availability of convenient and secure payment options. It doesn’t matter whether you prefer credit cards, e-wallets, or cryptocurrencies. Most online casinos support them all.
Be that as it may, gambling in the US is only legal at the federal level. What this means is that each state deals with gambling differently and has absolute control over what’s legal and what’s not. It remains to be seen how the landscape will evolve going into the future.