Some people have a misconception about the type of person who likes to gamble, and might believe that well-to-do, famous or even down-to-earth folk don’t take part in it. This couldn’t be further from the truth, because people from all walks of life indulge in online casino games or pop out to play at casinos in person.
In fact, some famous gamblers in history are people that many would never suspect. The life of a gambler is not always what the media portrays. We’re going to take a look at a few fascinating stories of the most famous gamblers throughout the ages.
Most of these people weren’t known for their gambling skills, but for other reasons, and that’s what makes their love of gambling so interesting.
Here are just some of the historical names who would definitely have had a couple of classic gambling stories up their sleeves.
Emperor Claudius
If there’s one thing the Romans loved, it was betting. In fact, you’ll find pictures of Ancient Romans on pottery that depict them wagering on many things, including animal fights. One of the most famous Romans who loved to gamble was Emperor Claudius, or Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus – his official name.
This is an emperor whose chronicled exploits are unlikely to include fighting in any epic battles; he was more likely to be seen enjoying a good evening of fine food and a spot of gambling. In fact, Claudius was so obsessed with gambling that he had a topple-proof board installed in his carriage to ensure that he could play dice games in between his numerous appointments.
Whether it was chariot races, gladiator fights or early table games, Claudius appears to have been a huge fan. He even wrote a book on Roman games and dice.
John Montagu
John Montagu was a British Secretary of State and the First Lord of the Admiralty in the late 18th century. He was also the fourth Earl of Sandwich in Kent, UK.
Montagu loved to gamble. He was known for his stubborn refusal to leave the table for any reason, and missed many meals because of this. During one of his gambling sessions, he famously asked for a piece of salt beef between two slices of bread (so he didn’t put grease from the meat on his cards.) His friends then began to ask for “the same as Sandwich,” when they, too, were offered a snack. The result? We now have a gambling man to thank for the name of the humble, yet incredibly important snack that we enjoy today: The sandwich.
Giacomo Girolamo Casanova de Seingalt
If you know anything about Casanova, then you are undoubtedly aware that the man had at least one vice. The first and foremost of these was women. And the second? Gambling, in all the available shapes and forms of the time.
Casanova was actually trained by professional gamblers during his teen years, and unsurprisingly had plenty of ups and downs throughout his time at the tables. The card games faro and piquet were his early favorites.
Having moved to Paris in his thirties Casanova was the man responsible for convincing King Louis XV to start France’s first lottery. Although it was intended as a charitable endeavor to raise money for the military school in Paris, both men earned handsomely from the lottery’s proceeds.
Queen Marie-Antoinette
Ms. Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna, better known as Queen Marie-Antoinette, came to the fore just a few years after Casanova, and this famous lady also lived in France. Known as the original party girl, Marie-Antoinette turned out to be a massive gambling fan.
It was a great way for her to make a little extra cash, given that aristocrats were banned from engaging in trade at the time. Where did she pick up her gambling skills, you ask? From her mother, who taught them to her at court in Austria.
Playing and wagering on cards was Marie-Antoinette’s absolute favorite activity, and she would host nightly games. However, her debts started to pile up and King Louis XVI decided enough was enough. The queen agreed to stop playing but insisted on one more game. True to her nature – she pushed it to the very edge and the game went on for three whole days.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
This list seems to suggest that there weren’t a lot of amusing activities going on in the mid-to-late 18th century, seeing as a huge number of famous historical figures appear to have turned to gambling in a big way.
When it comes to someone as famous as Mozart, you’d be forgiven for thinking that he had a lot of money due to his prolific music career. This wasn’t the case, however, as he never managed to get a permanent court position. Instead, Mozart became an intrepid gambler in an attempt to keep up his high standards of living.
While he taught music lessons to children to keep up appearances, it was the gambling that allowed Mozart to continue socializing with the elite. Another composer, the Italian Gioachino Rossini, actually went as far as creating a casino in his opera house, where ballet dancers would perform during the show intermission as opera-goers tried their luck at the tables.
Franklin D Roosevelt
Obviously, FDR was one of America’s most successful presidents. He was also a man who adored playing poker. However, high stakes weren’t in his game plan (he was also about a century too early for online poker, though he may well have been tempted.)
FDR used to organize a couple of games a week with his associates in the study at the White House. You can actually hear the sound of poker chips in many of his radio broadcasts, as he would twiddle them in his fingers while he spoke.
Almost every game that Roosevelt hosted had a famous person in attendance, and Mark Twain was a regular for weekly lunches and games with the former president. As mentioned, FDR didn’t like high-stakes games, and the biggest losing streak came from General Robert Jackson, who won $2.30 off him over the course of a week. (Now we know whose book to take a leaf out of if we want to see responsible gambling in action.)
Frank Sinatra
It’s no surprise that the leader of the Rat Pack was a fan of casino games. Much of Ol’ Blue Eyes’ time was spent in Sin City, and his first Las Vegas performance was at the Desert Inn in 1951.
Sinatra played a big part in turning Vegas into the cultural institution that it is today with hundreds of performances at the Sands. It’s rumored that he had a go at every table in Nevada, from Vegas to Tahoe.
By 1960, he was tired of spending his money at other people’s casinos. So, he started his own casino, Cal Neva. Located on the shores of Lake Tahoe, it was a grand establishment that attracted the rich and famous from all over – including the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Lena Horne.
When Sinatra passed, the famous neon lights of the Strip were dimmed in tribute to a man who had done so much for it.
Make your own fascinating gambling stories
These are just some of the interesting gambling anecdotes created by famous folk throughout history. And at Borgata Online Casino, you can make your very own! We have the best games to play at a casino with casino table games, online poker, slots, live casino games, and much more.
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