NFL players are elite athletes. They train all year-round, play 17 regular-season games, and spend lots of time doing sponsorship deals with different brands. However, it’s easy to forget that they’re not robots. NFL players are normal human beings who like to do the same things as everybody else, like go to parties and play inside casinos.
For decades, NFL players have been going to casinos during the off-season. They have plenty of money to spend, so it makes perfect sense why they regularly hit-up the Las Vegas strip and other famous casino spots. They get to play roulette, slots, and poker, which are all big favorites with American athletes. Take NBA legend Lebron James, who was spotted in the Wynn Las Vegas casino at the end of 2023, where he was rumored to have $1 million worth of casino chips with him.
Are NFL Players Allowed to Gamble?
Yes — NFL players are allowed to gamble. However, there are certain rules and regulations surrounding this. As of 2024, NFL players are:
✔️ Allowed to gamble in physical and online casinos
✔️ Allowed to bet on non-NFL events (e.g. hockey)
❌ Banned from betting on any NFL games
If any NFL player bets on an NFL game, they face an indefinite suspension. This is why NFL players use physical casinos as their gambling outlets. They also sometimes use an online casino if they want to play while traveling on the road.
⭐ Fun fact: The Super Bowl LVIII 2024 took place at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Because of this, the NFL implemented a ban that meant all players were prohibited from visiting any casinos before the Super Bowl took place. However, once the event was finished, they were then allowed to start visiting casinos again.
Which NFL Players Go to Casinos?
The list of NFL players who regularly go to casinos is very long, so here’s a look at just some of the biggest names. If you visit Las Vegas in the future, you might just see them there.
Tom Brady
It’s no secret that Tom Brady has a great relationship with Las Vegas. For years, he’s owned houses there and has built a huge (and highly profitable) investment portfolio, including now a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders. Therefore, he’s in and out of Las Vegas all the time — and is sometimes spotted playing in the casinos. Most recently, Brady attended the opening of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas (a brand-new $3.7 billion hotel and casino on the Vegas strip) where he took part in a game of craps at a star-studded table that included the likes of Justin Timberlake and Kim Kardashian.
Patrick Mahomes
Next, there’s Patrick Mahomes. The quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs is a big fan of Las Vegas and has previously been spotted around Nevada going to different casinos. Before the 2024 Super Bowl, Mahomes went on record saying that (if the Chiefs won) he’d take his teammates back to Las Vegas for a weekend of partying, which ended up happening. It’s not known how much Mahomes and his Chiefs teammates bet on the Vegas strip, but it was likely a lot.
Adam “Pacman” Jones
Most fans are aware that former NFL quarterback Adam Jones has a strong passion for casinos. Throughout his playing career, he was regularly seen in casinos around the country and was (notoriously) arrested for cheating at the Rising Star casino in Indiana. Here, “Pacman” was filmed taking part in an intense game of blackjack where he allegedly added extra chips to his bet after winning one of the games. He did this so that he could increase his winnings — but was caught and subsequently faced jail time for his actions.
Richard Seymour
Now retired, Richard Seymour is best known for playing as a defensive end for the New England Patriots. During his NFL career, Seymour would regularly play poker during the off-season, so it came as a surprise to nobody when he decided to start playing poker professionally after retiring from the NFL. During his poker career, Seymour has collected over $600,000 in poker winnings and is regarded as a strong tournament player, having previously featured at World Series of Poker (WSOP) events.
Johnny Manziel
Lastly, there’s Johnny Manziel. Known by some as “Johnny Football”, Manziel had a very short NFL career as a quarterback and finished with a record of 3-11 with the Cleveland Browns. The reason why Manziel’s career got cut short was because of what happened back in 2015, when (still with the Browns) he was spotted at Planet Hollywood Casino in Vegas when he should have been receiving treatment. Ultimately, this led to the Browns releasing Manziel later on in 2016. Since then, Manziel has continued to play in Las Vegas casinos and is said to be a huge fan of blackjack.
Final Thoughts
From Tom Brady to Johnny Manziel, countless current and former NFL players enjoy spending time in casinos, especially ones on the Las Vegas strip. Remember, casino games are highly competitive, so it makes perfect sense why NFL athletes find them so appealing. And if you’re a fan of gambling, too, don’t be surprised if you head down to Las Vegas and see one of these famous names playing at the tables.
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