Dele Alli's High-Stakes Poker Losses in London Casino Revealed
Former England international footballer Dele Alli has suffered significant financial losses, reportedly amounting to almost £150,000, during a series of late-night poker sessions at a prominent London casino. The 29-year-old, once valued at over £50 million and earning £150,000 per week during his peak, has been regularly attending 2am card games at The Victoria Casino in central London over recent weeks.
Regular Late-Night Gambling Sessions
According to sources within the casino, Alli has been joining high-stakes poker tables in the early hours of the morning, typically losing approximately £25,000 per session. This amount is believed to represent his daily credit limit at the establishment. The former Tottenham Hotspur star, currently without a club after being released by Italian side Como in September, has been visiting the casino almost every other day during the past fortnight.
Poker professionals at the venue have described Alli as a 'whale,' which is poker slang for an unskilled player who loses substantial sums of money. One veteran player told The Daily Mail: "We all look forward to Dele coming to the casino because 'snaring a whale' is a serious player's dream scenario. As soon as he arrives, a message gets sent around saying: 'The Dele is open for business' - and there's a rush to join the game he joins because we know there's easy money to be made."
Career Decline and Personal Struggles
Alli's gambling activities come amid a steep decline in his professional football career. Once considered one of England's brightest talents, earning 37 caps and playing a crucial role in the national team's run to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, he now finds himself without a club. His most recent stint at Como lasted only eight months, during which he made just one appearance - a ten-minute substitute cameo that ended with a red card.
The midfielder has previously spoken openly about personal challenges, including childhood trauma that he believes has impacted both his on-field performance and off-field wellbeing. In a 2023 interview with Gary Neville, Alli revealed he spent time in rehabilitation to overcome an addiction to sleeping tablets and disclosed he was molested at age six by a friend of his biological mother.
Emotional Toll and Casino Atmosphere
Another poker player at The Victoria Casino commented on the emotional aspect of Alli's presence: "It's actually quite sad because he never really speaks to anyone and doesn't appear to be that happy. 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. Ultimately poker is a tough world and whatever might be going on for a player, there's no place for emotions. It's all about playing and winning as much money as you can."
Alli sometimes arrives at the casino alone, while on other occasions he is accompanied by an entourage. He proceeds directly to the high-stakes poker tables upstairs, where he plays for several hours before typically incurring substantial losses. Despite his current estimated net worth of £20 million, these repeated gambling losses represent a significant financial drain.
Background and Family History
The footballer's difficult childhood has been well-documented. Born Bamidele Jermaine Alli to parents who met in a nightclub, his biological parents separated when he was three years old. He spent time living with his millionaire father in Nigeria before returning to his alcoholic mother in England at age eleven. Alli has admitted to dealing drugs as young as eight years old and falling in with "the wrong crowd" during his youth in Milton Keynes.
His life transformed when he was adopted by Alan and Sally Hickford, with whom he remains extremely close. Alli currently maintains no contact with his biological family and chose to drop his surname from his football shirt as his career progressed. He is now managed by his brother, Harry Hickford, as he continues searching for a new football club while keeping fit through training.
A spokesman for Dele Alli was contacted for comment regarding the casino losses but has not yet responded to requests for statement. The former England star's situation highlights the challenges professional athletes can face during career transitions and personal difficulties, with gambling representing just one aspect of his current circumstances.
