Walking into a land-based casino, the first thing a person sees and hears is the flashing lights and engaging sounds of slot machines. They are always near the entrances because they are designed to provide an immediate, eye-catching hook to get players into the gambling mode straight away. They also have a low barrier to entry, so players aren’t required to have any skills to play them.
This is also seen at online casinos, because landing on the home page, there is a vast library of slots on show. Regardless of the casino and the volume of games they have from leading providers, you can pick from a Microgaming or Evolution Gaming casino list and you will always get slot machines put in front of your eyes first. It’s only through menus and deeper navigation that you’ll get to the range of card and table games, much like having to venture deeper into the heart of a land-based casino.
But some people turn a blind eye to the slots and head straight to card games like blackjack, baccarat and poker. Among those are professional athletes like basketball players, such as Michael Jordan or Steph Curry, who are used to thriving in competition and running at high-performance levels. So, let’s explore why card games appeal to pro athletes at casinos, more so than any other type of game options.
Skill and Strategy Equate to Control
Basketball players spend a lot of time training physically and mentally for games so they can hit the court in peak condition. That dedication and hard work naturally align with talent, and it all comes together to create a situation where players have control over actions during in-game situations. Most of that comes instinctively over time, like whether to pass or shoot, and how much risk a current situation has.
So players are accustomed to situations where their actions influence outcomes, and that’s not something they can get from slot machines. Slots run from random number generators, and the results of each spin are completely independent of the player’s actions. In contrast, a card game like blackjack or poker involves a certain amount of skill, which is something that a player’s mindset is probably going to be attuned to.
Also, as card game fans like Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley have pointed out — sometimes it’s just about having fun, even if the house always wins.
The Testing Environment
Because basketball players are used to intense competition, having an opportunity to put their card game skills to the test is going to have massive appeal. A poker player, for example, needs to read other opponents and use that along with their skills to deal with the psychological aspects of the popular card game, like bluffs.
Watching opponents and understanding what they are doing, plus counteracting their actions, is second nature to top athletes. Just like observing opposing players on the court, an athlete can use the same kind of adaptive skills at the casino table to make strategic bets, calculated wagers, and, of course, have the opportunity to outplay and outstrategise an opponent.
For example, Michael Jordan carried that intensity to high-stakes gambling off the court. A well-circulated story recounts how during a poker game on a flight, teammate Jack Haley ended up owing Jordan $17,000.
This human-nature element of competitiveness, of having the skill to win the day over other highly skilled players, is something that just can’t be replicated from playing against an RNG on a slot.
Social Aspects
There is a social side to table games at casinos as well. Basketball players form bonds within a team, get to know and trust those around them both professionally and socially. So it’s only natural that they are going to look for a continuation of that in a casino setting, where there is interaction with other players and even dealers.
But there is another intriguing side to this as well, because celebrity status often comes with a need to be isolated, to be shielded from the public. So sitting down at a private table in a casino gives players a chance to break free of that for a little while.
Additionally, some basketball players take their card playing seriously outside of sports, turning it into a hobby or even a semi-professional pursuit. For example, Russell Westbrook has a notable poker connection, having participated in official poker events and even defeated Tiger Woods in a poker event. Paul Pierce also embraced poker after retirement, appearing on TV poker shows and competing in World Series of Poker (WSOP) tournaments.
Casino Perks
There are certain perks of a casino experience that basketball players are likely to get as well. High-level athletes gain access to high-limit rooms, exclusive places that the general public and casual gamblers never get to experience.
Games in high-limit rooms also come with better payouts by reducing the house edge, delivering even more appeal. With other perks like having food, drink and hotel stays comped, the experience gets even bigger.
Gaining the Edge
Card games have a far lower house edge than slots. Therefore, players like professional athletes who typically lay down bigger wagers will prefer the shot at getting a better return for their money than tackling the high house edges found on slots. Slot machines also deliver quite a passive style of gambling, so for athletes playing table games instead, casinos become a different kind of testing ground for competition.