Some singers are loaded with so much cash they don’t know what to do with it anymore. So a lot of them spend it on lavish things like mansions, yachts, and even private islands.
A lot of famous singing stars, however, become addicted to the one thing many rich people are hooked on – gambling.
Now, we’re not saying gambling is altogether wrong. A little gambling is fun, especially if you have the money to spare. Where it gets dangerous, however, is when it takes over your life. As with anything in life, moderation is key.
With that said, here are some famous musicians with some severe gambling habits
Nelly
Rappers have no shortage of mentioning money and sex in their songs. It’s therefore not surprising if one of them develops a gambling habit. Case in point: Nelly.
The famous rapper rose to prominence in the early 2000s with his hit single, Ride Wit Me, Hot in Here, and Dilemma with Kelly Rowland. He also has businesses under his name, including an energy drink brand called Pimp Juice.
Off the stage, however, Nelly is an avid poker player who’s already turning pro. He is a mainstay at the PokerStars Championship and European Poker Tour. He even played in the main event of the World Series of Poker 2007.
50 Cent
Another rapper/gambler on this list is 50 Cent. He is best known for his hit single In Da Club. Growing up selling drugs in the 1980s, he was discovered and signed on by Eminem during 2002. The rest is history.
He was famous for getting shot point-blank nine times and surviving the odds. This flirting with death may be where his gambling addiction stems from. He once bet $1 million on his friend Floyd Mayweather Jr. when he took on Oscar de la Hoya in the boxing ring in Las Vegas. He also bet $500,000 on the New York Giants in the 2012 NFC Championship (luckily, he won.)
Unfortunately for him, his gambling addiction worsened so much that he filed for bankruptcy at one point in his career.
Gladys Knight
The Empress of Soul, a smooth soul singer, isn’t immune to the dangerous effects of gambling. She developed quite an addiction that bordered on destroying her life.
For more than ten years, Gladys Knight was into sports betting (such as playing at sites like sbobet) and baccarat. The problem was she was losing more than she was winning, and she didn’t know when to quit. After an unusually large bet cost her $45,000, she finally admitted she needed help and sought out Gamblers Anonymous, an organization that helps people recover from gambling addiction.
Jay-Z
The hip hop mogul certainly has a thing for gambling. Fortunately, with an estimated $500 million net worth, he can take risks. He is also into sports betting, and he’s even a certified agent for basketball and baseball betting. He’s also a casino fan, regularly frequenting Las Vegas, where he famously lost $500,000 on a single poker hand.
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