Poker shares similarities with 'test cricket', attracting the interest of soccer star Neymar and the currently prominent Chris Eubank Jr who are known to prefer a more reserved disposition.

Sports Stars and Poker: A Growing Trend

In the world of high-stakes poker, footballers and boxers are making a significant impact. One such event was the PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona, where cricket was notably absent, but stars from the football and boxing worlds were in attendance.

Neymar, the Brazilian football superstar, created a stir when he turned up to the tournament hours after a 1-0 Champions League defeat. His presence at the poker table drew attention, but not without criticism. Neymar came under fire for his timing, with some arguing that he should have been focusing on his football recovery instead.

Joining Neymar at the poker table was Chris Eubank Jr., the British boxer. Eubank Jr. recently fought Conor Benn for a seven-figure sum, adding another significant event to his career. The boxing world has been abuzz with the fight, and Eubank Jr.'s poker game was another demonstration of his competitive spirit.

Eubank Jr. was not alone in his poker adventure. Benjamin Spragg, known as Spraggy, played poker with Neymar in Sao Paulo, and Adam McKola took 15,000 dollars from Eubank Jr. in a game in Monte Carlo.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar have been ambassadors for PokerStars, and other stars who have featured in PokerStars events include Ronaldo Nazario, Sergio Aguero, Gerard Piqué, and Rafael Nadal. Aguero and Rory Jennings, an actor turned talkSPORT host, have even played poker together in Monaco.

Jennings, who now considers poker to be his main profession with $84,020 in career earnings, noted that online players who excel in online games often struggle when they transition to live games due to distractions and the need for facial expression reading. Nick Walsh, a pro poker player, echoed this sentiment, explaining that pattern recognition is crucial in poker, especially in online games where the ability to read facial expressions is not necessary.

PokerStars, the world's largest real money online poker site, has been a popular platform for these sports stars. The voice of PokerStars, James Hartigan, described poker as being like test cricket, a game of patience and strategy.

In a move to educate more about the game, PokerStars provided a one-hour tutorial to talkSPORT.com, with Walsh taking the lead. Liverpool fan account also issued an apology after posting something disrespectful about Mo Salah, showing that even in the world of sports, poker has the power to bring people together.

Celebrities who have regularly participated in PokerStars tournaments include Stefan Raab and Elton, who were regulars on the TV total PokerStars.de Nacht, a popular televised poker event. Raab attended every show until the end of 2015, and Elton participated multiple times.

As the line between sports and poker continues to blur, it's clear that these high-stakes games are not just for the pros. With the right strategy and a bit of luck, anyone can join in the action.

Poker shares similarities with 'test cricket', attracting the interest of soccer star Neymar and the currently prominent Chris Eubank Jr who are known to prefer a more reserved disposition.