Professional athletes are often some of the biggest gamblers in the world, and motorsport drivers are no different. To be a great athlete, you need to have an incredible competitive streak and a willingness to take big risks. Both traits are also commonly seen in professional gamblers, which is why there’s often such a big overlap.
Motor racing is one of the most high-risk sports in the world. In Formula 1, top speeds can reach 372 km/hr, and drivers need to have extremely fast reaction times in order to avoid crashing multiple times each race. As a result, there are plenty of motor racing drivers who also love to gamble when they’re not in the driver’s seat.
In this article, our gambling and motorsports expert Auli Wälkky looks at some of the biggest gamblers in car racing history. You can take a look at some famous examples of drivers who love to gamble and what kind of games they prefer to play.
Kimi Raikkonen
Kimi is one of the best-loved F1 drivers currently racing, and fans were recently saddened to learn that he would be retiring at the end of the 2021 season. Having claimed his only driver’s title in 2007 while racing for Ferrari, Kimi will retire as a fan favorite, with his risk-taking and dry personality being some of the reasons he’s so widely loved.
Hailing from Finland, Kimi’s personality is typical of other Finns, where online gambling is also a very popular pastime. Raikkonen has been known to enjoy gambling, both on the track and while enjoying his favorite games. His lack of emotions and ice-cold demeanor favor him at the poker table and help him to stay cool while racing.
In Finland, online casinos and sports betting are legal, and players can enjoy a wide range of casino games and betting on the races. Netti kasinot are very popular as they provide games such as slots, poker, blackjack, and much more.
Lewis Hamilton
Being the biggest star of the sport must be tough. Not only does Hamilton get paid more than €50 million a year, but he also gets to enjoy living in Monaco. The 36-year old British driver has lived in Monaco since 2010 but also owns property in New York and Colorado. His jet-setting lifestyle often sees him traveling to casinos all over the world, and the current F1 champion is regularly seen at tables in Las Vegas and Monaco.
It’s unclear which games are Hamilton’s favorite, but if he’s anything like other athletes, he probably loves to enjoy a good game of poker. This game appeals to a lot of motorsports professionals and athletes because you’re directly competing against other players.
Felipe Massa
Another F1 driver, Felipe Massa, is one of the best Brazilian drivers in recent years. Massa was involved in one of the most dramatic ends to a race ever when he lost the championship in the last 30 seconds of the race to Lewis Hamilton in 2008. Like Hamilton, Felipe Massa also enjoys a spot of gambling when he’s not in the driver’s seat. Considering he’s been retired since 2017, that’s given him plenty of time to sit at the table. He even competed in a professional tournament, the Brazilian Series of Poker, in 2014.
Fernando Alonso
Despite the fact that he last won a world championship in 2006, he remains one of the most popular drivers in the history of motorsports. The Spaniard has a huge following in his home country and all over the world, and he’s undeniably an all-time great with a real passion for the sport. Alonso is one of the few drivers to have raced in both Formula One and the FIA World Endurance Championship at the same time.
Aside from racing, Alonso also enjoys a friendly game of poker from time to time. He often posts updates on his Twitter account showing off all the chips he won, and there’s no doubt that his racing skills and calm under pressure help him stay composed while at the poker table. Every year, he takes part in tournaments for real money, and there are also some rumors that he regularly plays online too.
Final thoughts
Motorsports professionals tend to be a lot more private than athletes in some other sports, but there are still lots of examples of drivers who love to gamble in Finland as well. Considering the nature of their sport and their competitive spirit, it’s hardly surprising that so many F1 drivers love to play poker and enjoy all kinds of other gambling games too.
