Footballer Max Kruse Refuses to Stop Playing Poker, Eating Nutella

Despite being fined and reprimanded for playing poker and eating Nutella last fall, the Wolfsburg striker refuses to give up either habit.

Kruse is in Las Vegas now competing at the World Series of Poker where he narrowly missed his second WSOP final table and then jumped directly into the $10,000 buy-in 2-7 Championship.

The trouble started last October when Kruse reportedly won £60,000 playing poker at the World Series of Poker Europe in Berlin and forgot the cash in the back of a taxi.

Kruse reported the incident to police but the money was never recovered.

Worlfsburg fined Kruse £20,000 for his behavior and shortly after the BBC reported the team had also taken exception with his love of delicious chocolate spread Nutella.

It was plain today Kruse is still playing poker but we didn't see any Nutella. So we asked him if he had kicked the habit.

Kruse on the verge of his second WSOP final table.

“Of course not,” said Kruse. “Why should I?”

“I love Nutella and I'm going to stay happy with Nutella.”

Kruse's son lives in Florida so he visits the US regularly and he's played the World Series of Poker before.

Kruse finished third in a 2-7 Draw event in 2014 and also cashed in the $10,000 PLO Championship in 2015.

Today he scored his third WSOP cash with an 11th place finish in the $1,500 Razz event.

“I love to play poker,” said Kruse.

“You have the competition against other players. It's the same as on the soccer pitch.”

Big Difference Between Poker and Gambling

Kruse is on vacation and doesn't think playing poker should be a problem for his football team.

"Poker isn't the same as blackjack and roulette."

“I have a bit of time off. Last year wasn't the best season for us all so I'm having a great time now and in four weeks it all starts and I want to be the best again,” he said.

American professional sports leagues also have a history of restricting players from participating in gambling activities but Kruse thinks there's a big difference between poker and casino games.

“Of course poker isn't the same as playing blackjack or roulette,” said Kruse.

“There's a reason every year so many of the same players go deep and make money every year so it's definitely not all luck.

“In poker there's a lot of strategy and you learn a lot about people. In games like blackjack and roulette it's just gambling.

"You have to prepare for a poker game just like you have to prepare for a football match.”

Kruse is now playing in another pro-heavy WSOP event, the $10,000 2-7 Draw Championship.

Keep an eye on our 2016 World Series of Poker page for updates.

 

 

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