A Hit List of British Celebs That Love a Punt
Many people gamble on horse racing, football, and other sports for the thrill and excitement it brings – the adrenaline rush of placing a bet and the satisfaction of winning. For many, it is an enjoyable pastime, and even the losses become a fleeting memory as the fun of the experience takes over.
The enjoyment of gambling extends to the rich and famous. Celebrities often participate in sports betting events and visit casinos, finding the same excitement and rush as everyday people. From high-stakes poker games to betting on sports, gambling is an activity enjoyed across all walks of life, including those in the spotlight.
Jones Crazy About His Dogs
Many celebrities regularly frequent casinos and racetracks. Their number includes one-time renowned footballer and now Hollywood actor and producer Vinnie Jones. Jones first found fame when playing for Wimbledon FC in the 1980s. The British media nicknamed the club’s players ‘The Crazy Gang’, and they famously won the 1988 FA Cup.
The former hod carrier hit the headlines when he was photographed grabbing the private parts of England star Paul Gascoigne during a match between Newcastle and Wimbledon. Jones was a hard man in football and was given a yellow card after three seconds in an FA Cup tie in 1992. It is a record that still stands.
Vinnie Jones on the cover of Greyhound Monthly Magazine (1999). pic.twitter.com/k7WMzeoH7S
— Sports & Betting History by BestBettingSites (@CDCHistory) December 1, 2022
The film and television star has owned racing greyhounds and was a regular at Walthamstow Stadium during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He still makes visits to Coral Romford Greyhound Stadium when work commitments allow. His lifelong love of greyhound racing has seen him have many big race successes as an owner. In 2001, two dogs he part-owned reached the Greyhound Derby final.
Liverpool Legend Now Lord of the Manor
Jones is also the Syndicate Ambassador for the successful horse racing ‘Rogues’ Gallery Syndicate’, owners of Rogues Millenium, who won at Royal Ascot in 2023. Many other footballers are involved in horse race ownership, which is synonymous with betting and gambling. Legendary football managers Sir Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp are among them.
Players that have or currently own at least a share in a racehorse include Jordan Henderson, Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Adam Lallana.
In 2024, many of these players owned a shareholding in the Group-1 placed racehorse, Seagulls Eleven, under the banner of the ‘Two Plus Three Two Plus Four’ syndicate. The Dewhurst Stakes fourth is housed at Michael Owen’s Manor House Stables, owned by the former Liverpool and England striker, who has taken his interest in horse racing to a different level.
Good Decisions by a Good Judge
When buying a Cheshire dairy farm and transforming it into a state-of-the-art training establishment, Owen took a massive gamble. Set on 170 acres, the Manor House stables are complimented with veterinary facilities, equine swimming pools and outstanding gallops. He proved an excellent judge and enjoyed a rewarding 12-year partnership with trainer Tom Dascombe.
One of the duo’s best horses was Brown Panther, who won the Dubai Gold Cup in 2015 and Irish St Leger in 2014. The stayer won over £750,000 in prizemoney before sadly being fatally injured when attempting to win back-to-back Irish St Legers.
Hugo Palmer took over the reins at Manor House in 2022, and the winners have continued to flow. In 2024, over 70 winners earned £1.3 million in prize money. A keen punter and disciple of probability and the odds, Owen is a regular at UK racecourses and is not shy about backing his opinion in the betting ring.
Harry’s the Man for a Shake-Up
Harry Redknapp has been a gambler for many years and was another regular at the much-missed Walthamstow Stadium. Recently, his involvement as an owner in horse racing has brought notable success. He gained his first-ever Cheltenham Festival winner in 2024 when Shakem Up’Arry won the TrustATrader Chase.
“I used to have a guy stand behind me at West Ham when I was manager,” said Redknapp after his festival winner. “For 90 minutes, he’d shout right behind my dugout: ‘Shake ’em up, ‘Arry, shake ’em up, ‘Arry.'” He later explained, “My nan got me into racing; she was a bookie’s runner back in the day. She’d get locked up in Poplar Police Station in the East End of London because it was illegal in those days.”
Days later, at the same meeting, Redknapp was jumping for joy as his The Jukebox Man cleared the final flight ahead in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle. The joy was short-lived, however, with the horse tiring towards the finish and agonisingly beaten in the final strides.
Unlike Redknapp, The Jukebox Man is still young and lightly raced. He will have his day on the big stage and is worth following. The only certainty is that Redknapp will take on the the UK’s gambling sites, more specifically, bookmakers at some point when the horse runs in the coming season.
HOW did he get there?! 😮
Stellar Story absolutely flies home to snatch victory from The Jukebox Man in the Albert Bartlett 👏 pic.twitter.com/RmoIUCSkk0
— CheltenhamRacecourse (@CheltenhamRaces) March 15, 2024
The Horse That Rocked Man U
Of the horses he has been associated with, Sir Alex Ferguson’s most valuable success came on the flat with Rock Of Gibraltar. The winner of 10 of his 13 races, including seven Group 1s, the star only raced for two seasons, amassing £1.25 million in prize money. However, a well-publicised dispute over ownership rights followed.
Initially, Ferguson was given a share in the horse, or at least the promise of its stud rights, as a goodwill gesture or part of a business understanding. However, when Rock of Gibraltar’s success on the track translated into vast potential earnings from stud fees, a disagreement arose over the extent of Ferguson’s ownership or rights.
This dispute eventually led to legal proceedings between Ferguson and the Coolmore Stud owners, particularly John Magnier. The case was settled out of court, but its fallout indirectly paved the way for the Glazer family’s takeover of Manchester United. With the relationship soured, John Magnier and his business partner JP McManus sold its 28.89 per cent stake in Manchester United in 2005.
Actors and More Take a Punt
Footballers are not the only celebrities who have enjoyed racehorse ownership. Dame Judi Dench, Liz Hurley and Sean Connery are among the British actors that have owned racehorses. However, it is not only horse racing that has attracted celebrities to a pastime that often involves gambling.
In the early days of boy band One Direction, singer Harry Styles reportedly played in high-stakes poker games while touring the world. Robbie Williams, another world-famous British singer, also likes nothing more than playing poker. Even during the height of his popularity, he was a regular at a relatively low-key casino in Swindon, where he played live Texas Hold’em with other customers.
2002 Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrence is another known to enjoy a game of Texas Hold’em. The Scotsman has recorded final table finishes online and in brick-and-mortar tournaments. Four-time Solheim Cup vice-captain and golf pundit Laura Davies has a different penchant. The former world number one is a keen casino and betting shop goer.
