Eldrick Tont Woods, better known as the iconic Tiger Woods, is well renowned for his golfing prowess. But there is more to him than his impeccable swings, he also has quite a penchant for playing casino games. If you want to learn more about this, make sure to keep on reading.
The Likely Reasons for Tiger Woods’ Love for Blackjack
While Woods has been spotted playing many card games, one that has to be highlighted above the others is blackjack. And honestly, who can blame him? This classic card game has spanned centuries and truly survived the biggest test of all – time.
Nowadays, it’s so popular that it is no longer limited to brick-and-mortar casinos or casual games hosted at home, but it actually has been digitized. Players can now enjoy blackjack online games thanks to a myriad of online casinos, one of which is Joe Fortune. Another reason to be grateful for technology.
Such casinos have further evolved by allowing players to enjoy the game by making deposits not only using their cards but also using alternative payment methods like Bitcoin. This has only made it easier for the game to reach a wider audience and ensure that it continues thriving even in the modern age.
But let’s talk about the game a bit further for those who may not know it as well. The game is played using a standard deck comprised of 52 cards, and the main goal is to get as close to 21 points as possible, without going over it. Sounds quite simple, doesn’t it?
Well, it still requires plenty of strategy, unless you are one of the players who tends to stick to pure gut instinct, which, let’s be honest, can only get you so far. While we won’t bore you with a list of strategies, if you are considering trying out one of the preferred card games of your favorite golfer, we’d recommend checking those out first.
Moreover, there are plenty of variations to the game, one of which is the blackjack switch. The premise is similar, but the main difference is that two hands are dealt with at once, instead of just one. Then you have the option to either exchange or switch the top two cards between each dealt hand.
With its simple yet sophisticated allure, it easily won over millions of people and Woods was no exception to this rule. He’s been spotted playing many a times, which we’ll discuss further down below.
Tiger Woods’s Famous Instances of Playing Blackjack
This World Golf Hall of Famer, is certainly not the only golfer who enjoys gambling, but he might be the most notorious one. We do have to start with what is most likely the first time he got spotted playing blackjack, all the way back in 1996.
As reported by the Washington Post, Woods was seen on the Casino Riverboat in Iowa playing the game for around an hour. This, of course, was just the start of his long love of blackjack and the many times he’s been spotted playing it.
He was also seen playing for hours at the Stone Resort Trip back in 2010 as per the Bleacher Report, surrounded by friends. Not only that but he was soon joined by many beautiful ladies in the VIP section, which is not surprising for a pro-golfer like him.
As per the NY Post, he spent tens of thousands of dollars at the Las Vegas along with other high-profilers, like Charles Barkley a former NBA player, although he was playing roulette. This all happened at the MGM Grand Casino, at least as per Jamie Junger.
This does sound fairly realistic as the casino in question seems to be one of his favorite gambling spots. It’s not the only one, with the Mandalay Bay and the Bellagio being also on that list.
In fact, Woods is very well known in the Las Vegas scene and is typically followed by an entourage of other high-rollers, usually close friends and other infamous card players. For instance, Phil Hellmuth, an American professional poker player, mentioned that he actually received blackjack advice from Woods, as CBS Sports advised.
A pretty interesting interaction considering it’s between a professional golf and poker player. However, Woods certainly knows what he’s talking about as he reportedly won quite a lot the night they were playing together.
In fact, Hellmuth openly states that he’s got a great basic strategy, and while he doesn’t get upset at losses, he does make sure to focus more on the next round and knows when to leave the table.
While there are many varying reports as to how much Woods won over the years, Hellmuth states he won over $1 million in several sessions. This is nothing to scoff at even though Woods’ net worth is currently slated at an astronomical $1.1 billion.
Conclusion
We can easily see that even the most illustrious of celebrities cannot help but succumb at times to the charm of a good old-fashioned game of cards. And as long as this is done in a healthy way, there’s nothing wrong with that. After all, regardless of how rich and famous you are, everyone needs a hobby outside of their work.