Stoke ace lifts lid on betting culture among footie stars
Table of Contents
Stoke City winger Matthew Etherington has spoken of the gambling culture among top soccer players.
His revelations have sparked fears that many of the Premier League’s big earners are ruining their careers by piling up huge gambling debts.
In a revealing insight into the gambling culture at the heart of English football, Etherington also admitted to losing up to £20,000 in card schools with his former West Ham team-mates during coach trips to away games.
The 28-year-old told The Daily Mail: "How can you prepare for a game when you are playing cards on the bus with lots of money changing hands?.
"It was silly. People were taking three, four, five grand on the bus with them. When that was gone, you were borrowing more.
"You could win 20 grand or lose 20 grand on a single journey. Then some would play in their rooms. It wouldn’t just stop on the bus.
"You could be going out onto a pitch knowing that your win bonus or appearance money that day is more or less down the drain because you have lost it already.
"It does go on in football but it is hard to tell with some people. With an alcoholic or drug addict you can look at them and say: ‘You are not well.’ But with a gambler it is harder."
Several other Premier League stars are known to enjoy gambling, include Chelsea captain John Terry, 29, and Michael Owen, 30.
Former Arsenal ace Paul Merson, 41, claimed to have lost £7 million over 20 years, while England legends Paul Gascoigne, 42, and goalkeeper Peter Shilton, 60, have also been driven to bankruptcy and gambling.
Team Also see:
His revelations have sparked fears that many of the Premier League’s big earners are ruining their careers by piling up huge gambling debts.
In a revealing insight into the gambling culture at the heart of English football, Etherington also admitted to losing up to £20,000 in card schools with his former West Ham team-mates during coach trips to away games.
The 28-year-old told The Daily Mail: "How can you prepare for a game when you are playing cards on the bus with lots of money changing hands?.
"It was silly. People were taking three, four, five grand on the bus with them. When that was gone, you were borrowing more.
"You could win 20 grand or lose 20 grand on a single journey. Then some would play in their rooms. It wouldn’t just stop on the bus.
"You could be going out onto a pitch knowing that your win bonus or appearance money that day is more or less down the drain because you have lost it already.
"It does go on in football but it is hard to tell with some people. With an alcoholic or drug addict you can look at them and say: ‘You are not well.’ But with a gambler it is harder."
Several other Premier League stars are known to enjoy gambling, include Chelsea captain John Terry, 29, and Michael Owen, 30.
Former Arsenal ace Paul Merson, 41, claimed to have lost £7 million over 20 years, while England legends Paul Gascoigne, 42, and goalkeeper Peter Shilton, 60, have also been driven to bankruptcy and gambling.
Open an account with bet365 today and claim your 100% Deposit Bonus!
Team Also see:
