Gambling is perfectly legal and ethical for professional baseball players. They can gamble and bet on anything they want except Major League Baseball (MLB) games. In fact, MLB has a long (and sometimes controversial) history of gambling.
Dozens of active and retired baseball players are known to frequent brick-and-mortar casinos, and many more (known and unknown) try their luck at online casinos and other gambling platforms. Here is an overview of four famous professional baseball players who also love gambling in casinos.
Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez, popularly known as A-Rod, was one of the most accomplished professional baseball players. He played 22 seasons for some of the league’s best teams, including the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and New York Yankees. Some of his most notable wins include 14 All-Star Game selections, a World Series championship, ten Silver Slugger awards, and three AL MVPs.
A-Rod is a long-time fan of gambling. News of his gambling first came up in 2005 when the MLB and Bud Selig warned him about going to underground poker clubs. Similar allegations came up in 2011 when A-Rod was accused of buying into a $40,000 Texas Hold Em game against other professional athletes, stars, and pro gamblers such as Adam Bilzerian. A-Rod still enjoys gambling, especially now that he is retired. He is known to frequent casinos and the U.S. and internationally with his celebrity girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez.
It is also reported that he is investing in a company in the sports betting industry. The company will not be the typical no deposit or $1 deposit casino – instead, players will be able to buy and sell virtual athletes on a digital platform. This investment venture has also led critics to theorize that he engages in online sports betting and gambling, which is perfectly legal. These allegations are believable considering how convenient online betting is – you can find your best $1 deposit casino in Canada and enjoy a welcome bonus, free spins, and other rewards.
Kris Bryant
Kris Bryant is still a professional baseball player currently playing for the Colorado Rockies. He was born in Las Vegas, but he is not much of a gambler – at least not as much as some of the other baseball players on this list.
Kris Bryant’s history with gambling is brief and mostly positive. He organized a charity event at the MGM Grand Resort in Las Vegas in 2015. The event attracted other professional athletes and stars in other fields, including Shane Victorino and Eric Davis.
Denny McLain
Denny McLain is one of the most accomplished pro baseball players. The former right-hander is famous for being the last player to win 30 games in a season, when he went 31-6 for the Detroit Tigers in 1968. He also had a 1.96 ERA and 280 strikeouts, compared to 63 walks during that season.
Interestingly, Denny McLain picked up his gambling habits when playing for the Syracuse Chiefs. His coach at the time taught him how to handicap horses, a skill that he became obsessed with on the side as he started gambling on horse races. Eventually, Denny started placing bets on other sports and gambling on casino games.
Unfortunately, Denny McLain’s gambling history didn’t end well. It was rumored that the mob broke his toes in 1970 for failing to pay a $46,000 bookmaking debt. He also got into trouble with the law for various reasons, including gambling.
Shawn Chacon
It would be safe to argue that Shawn Chacon has stirred as much controversy in gambling as he has on the field. He played for five teams in his professional career, including the Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, Pittsburg Pirates, and Houston Astros. He retired from baseball in 2009 following a physical altercation with the Houston Astros general manager.
Shawn Chacon loves frequenting Las Vegas and betting on sports, including MLB games now that he is retired. Caesars Palace is one of his favorite casinos, thanks to its wide range of sports betting options.
Unfortunately, lady luck has not been favorable to Shawn Chacon since he took up gambling. He made headlines in 2009 when Caesars Palace procured an arrest warrant against him for bad debts, which he tried clearing using bad checks. Fortunately for Chacon, the matter was settled out of court, and he has mostly maintained a low profile in the baseball and gambling scenes since then.
Many retired and active baseball players love gambling. Some love gambling (and are bad at it) more than others. Overall, these four are the most famous active and retired professional baseball players who gamble and frequent casinos. Unfortunately, some of these players haven’t had much luck gambling. However, A-Rod appears set to make money off the gambling industry with his investment in an online betting platform.
