Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, you’ve probably heard about Barcelona center-back Gerard Pique and his partner Shakira. The Columbian pop star and the footballer made their romance official in 2011. But Pique is celebrated for much more than just his relationship with the pop icon.
Born in 1987 in Barcelona, Spain, Pique started playing for his national team in 2009 after making his debut as a center-back for Manchester United in 2004. Today, he is widely regarded as Europe’s best center-back and one of the world’s top defenders.
In addition to his spectacular list of accomplishments on the field, Pique is equally successful in the world of gambling, where he received some impressive poker accolades.
Gerard Pique’s time at the poker table can be traced back to his days at Old Trafford. The passionate footballer quickly employed his on-field strategies to develop winning poker tactics. What made him stand out from other high-rolling celebrities was his participation in world-class tournaments, like the European Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker, where he accumulated more than $250,000 in winnings.
Pique tends to blame the adrenaline rush for luring him to the poker tables. Although not a professional poker player, he managed to hit three major jackpots in ten years. Some of his significant achievements include coming in third at the forerunner to the PokerStars Championship, the European Poker Tour, in 2011. He won around €40,000 in a single day.
Meanwhile, in 2017, he clinched fifth place at the no-limit hold ’em event at Casino Barcelona. In this renowned tournament, he managed to scoop up a stunning €129.350. Just two years later, Pique climbed up the leaderboard and was ranked second.
In 2019, Barcelona hosted the European Tour Poker. Pique participated in a €25,000 high roller one-day event where he racked up exactly €352,950. His fellow teammate at the time, Arturo Vidal, finished in fifth place and won €134,460. For many other participants, being around the same table as the two legendary players was a dream come true.
But even though Pique was making money, his high-profile gambling habit set off alarm bells among Barcelona’s executives who reportedly hired private detectives to keep an eye on the Spaniard. The surveillance was conducted between September 2009 and early October 2010. The club was particularly worried about the fact that Pique was spending somewhere between €3,000 and €4,000 per session in casinos. During his Manchester days, he admitted losing €30,000 on gambling.
Ultimately, the club’s concerns about Pique sinking into debt were put to bed, as the player managed to maintain healthy gambling habits over the years. During that time, the footballer devoted most of his energy to ensuring success out on the field.
And in addition to juggling soccer, poker, and a hectic private life, Pique is involved in a range of investments and businesses. He managed to establish a video game brand, Kerad Games, that designs, produces, and markets online games. With a team of some 30 programmers, the company released three games – Golden Manager, Trivia League, and Stop & Goal – available on iOS and Android platforms. Even though the company was officially shut down in 2018, Pique managed to fulfill all his childhood dreams.
