http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/65955/Prem-star-blows-1-million-in-a-night-at-casino/A PREMIER League football star broke down in tears after blowing £1million at a casino in one night.
Gamblers were stunned when the player – a household name – sobbed after frittering away the cash in an amazing run of bad luck.
The multi-millionaire star, a regular in his national team, had been drinking before hitting the roulette and poker tables.
As the losses piled up, he looked sick and wailed: “What have I done? My mum can’t know about this.”
The star is a frequent visitor to casinos and had been known to lose £50,000 in a night. But he was horrified by his latest loss.
We know the player’s identity, and the casino where he lost the fortune. Following legal action by the gambling club we have been forced to remove its name and location from this report.
The player had been out with mates boozing in one of Britain’s top restaurants before moving on to a nightclub, where they were downing vodka and £200 bottles of champagne.
But the action really got going when he turned up at the exclusive casino in the early hours. The upmarket venue boasts gaming tables offering American roulette, blackjack, and stud poker.
Staff and guests are used to seeing well-heeled punters splashing the cash. But the player’s high-stakes betting spree was the talk of the night.
He won early on but then his fortunes changed and he felt forced to chase his losses. But luck was against him. One source said: “He was in a dreadful state. He just could not help himself.”
The player is a regular punter on the casino circuit and in horse-racing circles, and his family are aware of his love of gambling.
But even they will be gob-smacked that the high roller has poured £1million down the drain in just a few insane hours. An insider said: “It’s very easy to win quickly and lose quickly. You can get ahead of yourself and before you know it you’ve lost a fortune. It’s that easy.”
A spokesman for the club refused to discuss the matter because of their policy of strict confidentiality.
He told us: “We never talk about any individual, whether they are a customer or otherwise.”
This shock revelation is bad news for FA chiefs who for years have tried to control football’s long history of gambling.
Big-money card schools are common at top-flight clubs and online gaming has become huge.
Our insider said: “These guys earn silly money, it’s like Monopoly notes. Players have lots of time on their hands. Stick them in a casino after a night on the beer and anything can happen.”