Ex-Tottenham Player Dele Alli Reportedly Lost $190K in Late-Night Poker Sessions

Dele Alli, a celebrated former Tottenham ace and soccer player, has run into another spot of bad luck tied to his gambling, the Daily Mail reported. 

According to the publication, Alli lost about GBP 150,000 ($190,000) in late-night poker games at the Victoria Casino in London, the United Kingdom. 

The outlet cited sources that described how Alli would be almost preyed on by fellow poker players. Some poker players, especially professional ones, would text one another that “Dele is open for business.”

Alli has been a passionate poker player, but he has earned a reputation for being a “fish”, referring to the poker players who are less experienced and more likely to lose, hence the backchannel between poker pros in London, tipping one off about the player’s poker sessions.

The player is presumed to be worth at least GBP 20 million ($27.35 million), meaning that he is not short on money to indulge himself in his poker habit. Presently, the former Tottenham player is looking for a new club after Como, an Italian soccer club, released him in the summer.

The Daily Mail sources spoke with the publication about the player more, arguing that Alli was not disturbed by his losses overall. 

“We all know he’s not short of money, and he doesn’t seem that bothered about losing so much, which is great for us,” the source said. 

Alli is not the only soccer player to have dabbled in poker with mixed results. Neymar Jr has been almost infamous for his high-stakes losses on stream, and Cristiano Ronaldo is indulging as well, although far more privately. 

If these stories are any indication, a skilled soccer player does not necessarily translate into a good poker player. Until such a time as they sit down and study the game properly, poker sharks are likely to keep texting and giving each other heads-up in private.