Some Celebrity Poker Players

Turn the canal to any high-stakes poker occasion, and chances are high that you’ll see at least one Hollywood celebrity in the broad of the action. With stretchy schedules and larger-than-average bankrolls, celebrities have both the time and tendency to sharpen their poker playing skills in tournaments around the world. Some, of course, never go up above the rank of amateur, but others go on to become recognizable faces in the world of poker. What follows is a list of ten of the best celebrity poker players in the world.
Ben Affleck – It’s tough to dispute Affleck’s status as one of the best celebrity poker players in the world after he won the California State Poker Championship in June of 2004 . When he’s not acting in movies , Affleck collects vintage video-arcade machines and has been known to take poker lessons from pros like Amir Vahedi and Annie Duke. His win at the California Championship also fit him for a seat at the 2004 World Poker Tour final tournament.
Patrick Bruel – Patrick Bruel is a well-known French singer and actor, having performed in over 40 television and film productions and recorded numerous top-selling albums. He also happens to be a world-class poker player.
Jennifer Tilly – This Oscar-nominated actress has starred in such hits as The Fabulous Baker Boys and Bullets Over Broadway. However, she has publicly stated that she’s becoming more interested in poker than acting.Josh Malina – With acting credits such as Sports Night and The West Wing, Malina is a respected actor of both the stage and screen.
Matt Damon – After starring in the poker film Rounders, you might expect the world-famous Damon to know his way around a deck of cards. He’s a regular entrant in the annual World Series of Poker, and his most interesting WSOP story occurred back in 1998.
Tobey Maguire – In October of 2004, the star of the Spider-Man franchise demonstrated his poker skills by winning the first-ever Phil Hellmuth Invitational Poker Tournament.
James Woods – Having starred in movies such as Salvador and Another Day in Paradise, James Woods is one of America’s most respected actors. And not only is he a familiar face in poker rooms across the country, he’s also the face of a new poker site.
Mimi Rogers – When she’s not starring in hits like Lost in Space and Austin Powers, Mimi Rogers moonlights as a pretty darn good poker player. Tom Cruise’s ex-wife took first place on an episode of Hollywood Home Game, and also finished in the money during the World Poker Tour’s Shooting Star Championship.
Wil Wheaton – One of the stars of Stand by Me and Star Trek: The Next Generation, Wheaton plays in big-money games in Los Angeles all the time, is a frequent participant in online poker rooms, and was even invited to play in the World Poker Tour Championship.
Gabe Kaplan – Best known for his role on Welcome Back Kotter, Gabe Kaplan is such an accomplished poker player that most no longer regard him as a “celebrity” player.

Tagged as: Poker