by Kate
28. June 2010 06:37
There are Hollywood celebrities all over the high-stakes poker events right now; they have flexi schedules and substantially more dosh than the rest of us, so it does make sense. The better ones rise above being amateurs and become poker celebrities in their own right. Here’s a list of the 10 best celebrity poker players:
• Ben Affleck: starred in Daredevil and Armageddon, won the California State Poker Championship in June 2004, and took poker lessons from poker pros Amir Vahedi and Annie Duke.
• Patrick Bruel: French singer and actor, won the WSOP bracelet in 1998 for the Limit Hold’em event.
• Jennifer Tilley: Oscar nominated actress, starred in films such as The Fabulous Baker Boys and Bullets Over Broadway, outlasted 600 players and won the WSOP bracelet in 2005 in the Ladies’ No-limit Invitational Tournament.
• Josh Malina: acted in Sports Night and The West Wing and is an avid poker player, now producing Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown.
• Matt Damon: star of the poker film Rounders, regular at WSOP events, both he and Edward Norton were entered into the 1998 WSOP by Miramax Studios in order to promote Rounders- Doyle Brunson got Damon kicked out on the first day.
• Tobey Maguire: star of the Spider Man franchise, won the first-ever Phil Hellmuth Invitational Poker Tournament in 2004- Andy Bellin remarked to Phil Hellmuth: "This kid could be a legitimate pro."
• James Woods: star of the films Salvador and Another Day in Paradise, face of a poker site, has an IQ of 180 and finished 24th out of 692 in the 2006 L.A. Poker Classic.
• Mimi Rogers: acted in Lost in Space and Austin Powers, ex-wife of Tom Cruise, took first place in an episode of Hollywood Home Game.
• Wil Wheaton: starred in Stand by Me and Star Trek: The Next Generation, plays in big-money games, has been invited to play in the World Poker Tour Championship, member of Team Poker Stars.
• Gabe Kaplan: acted in Welcome Back Kotter but also known as the initial “celebrity” poker player, first WSOP appearance was in 1978, finished 3rd at the World Poker Tour’s No Limit Hold’em event.