Football Superstar Neymar Jr Loses in PokerStars Tournament

Anyone can learn to play Poker but winning in such a competitive tournament is not a walk in the park. Professional poker players invest in studies to improve their skills. So it’s not just all luck. There are a lot of strategies involved. Poker players who have taken home the highest amount of money in history were not necessarily the best in terms of skills. On the other hand, these gamblers had to bring in their A-game strategy to win. Engaging in proper game selection and being able to maintain your cool even under tension is key.

Neymar Jr. and playing poker

Neymar Jr does exploits in football and we can all agree that this is not out of luck, he puts in hours in practice and perfection. The 30-year-old Brazillian football player has secured over 20 football trophies in the past, including an Olympic gold medal. His interest in poker is high, but he probably never gets enough time to practice it. This was not the first time the footballer was taking part in a poker tournament. He has held successful poker playing records dating to as far as 2015. The shirt 10 of Paris Saint-German took home $125,000 after winning last winter’s high-roller poker series. The winter championship cost $10,300 to join and had 83 participants. Neymar managed to be one of the top 3 winners that were announced. Asked about the contribution of his soccer skills to his poker prowess he said,
“Among the similarities between poker and football, I think focus is one of them. The way you read your opponent and the game is also very important. I think one of the most important things in football, and what I do on the pitch, is to read the game, read your opponent, and see where you can attack, where you can move to create a chance for your team. And in poker, it’s the same.”

Neymar has also played with Brazillian PokerStars brand ambassadors Andre Akkari and Rafael Moraes. When asked if he would want to play with them again, his response was,

“Lately, I’m ahead of them both,” he grinned. “The last time we played, I beat them. We play a lot when we go to Brazil and they are two guys that became my friends through poker.”

He also hinted that he will pursue poker full-time when he retires from football. Although he only started playing Poker in 2014, his love for the game has seen him become a top gambler quickly. He loves poker so much that he has even named his dog “Poker!”