MMA has skyrocketed in popularity over the past ten years.
Now, according to Forbes, it’s the world’s third most popular sport behind soccer and basketball.
Roughly, it’s estimated that there are 451 million MMA fans around the world – and you’re lucky enough to be one of them.
There’s a lot of focus on MMA fighters. They have tons of followers on social media (Conor McGregor alone has 45.8 million Instagram followers), and fans are constantly checking to see what they’re up to in their training camps and personal lives.
Unsurprisingly, many MMA fighters like to gamble, which is something you might not have been aware of until now!
Can MMA Fighters Bet on Themselves?
The short answer is yes – they can! There are no rules or laws in place that prevent any UFC (or other MMA promotion) fighters from betting on themselves.
Despite this, MMA fighters still like to gamble when they’re away from the Octagon. Specifically, they like to visit casinos as well as use Australian online casino real money.
From Las Vegas to New York, MMA fighters have been spotted in various different casino hot spots! Let’s go through a list of the best MMA fighters known for this:
Conor McGregor
“The Notorious” Conor McGregor lives a luxury lifestyle when he’s not fighting. He’s constantly traveling, which allows him plenty of opportunities to visit the world’s best casinos. For example, McGregor has been seen several times playing in Vegas casinos – which are known to be popular with MMA fighters and sports stars more generally.
Plus, McGregor famously celebrated his 32nd birthday by buying himself a $620,000 Astronomia Casino watch. The reason behind the name of this watch is because its dial looks like a roulette wheel!
Nate Diaz
Nate Diaz is another popular UFC star who you probably know well.
Over the years, Nate Diaz has been seen plenty of times in the MGM casino. When he retires, it’s expected you’ll see him in casinos even more often.
Hanny Sbat
Hanny Sbat is a lesser-known MMA fighter who has a record of 4-0-0.
Several years ago, Sbat famously visited Melbourne’s Crown Casino. After playing for a little while, he then somehow got into a fight with twelve of the casino’s bodyguards, which then made it onto the national news!
Although Sbat has had a relatively low-key career, his famous casino moment will be what he’s always remembered for.
Finally, Dana White
Dana White – the owner of the UFC – loves to gamble in casinos. Specifically, his favorite game is blackjack.
Because Dana gambles so often, he’s become an extremely good player. He’s so good, in fact, that the Palms Casino in Las Vegas banned him in 2014 for winning too much at blackjack.
When Dana isn’t organizing UFC fights and press events, you’ll likely find him in various casinos up and down the US. However, you won’t see him in any Vegas casinos due to the fact he can no longer go inside them! In the future, it’s highly possible that Dana will open up his own casino.