Former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner has revealed he has lost £6 million playing poker.
The Danish forward, 32, started playing Texas Hold’Em since the age of 19. His love for the game led to some problems, including one night in London where “things got out of control”.
Bendtner insisted that he didn’t have a gambling addiction though, and said he plays for smaller amounts.
The forward made the revelations on Bendtner and Philine, a Danish reality TV show he co-hosts with girlfriend Philine Roepstorff.
"I have lost lots of money - a totally unrealistic amount," Bendtner said, per The Sun.
"I've played a lot of poker in my life. I've been playing against a professional poker player since I was 19.
"It is difficult to put an amount on how much I have lost, but it is around 50 million Danish crowns - £6 million.
"This was on gambling, fun and trouble.
"I wouldn't say I've had a gambling problem at all. I've always been able to control it.
"However in the past I played in really big games. One night in London things got out of control, and they could have ended up really wrong.
"It ended up not so badly. It was something I could have lived with.
"But from that night on, playing in high-stake games has been over for me.
"Since then I have chosen to play for far smaller amounts.
"Now I mostly play for the sake of the game.
"I'm due to host a poker night with a new group of friends. We just put in 100 crowns - £12 - each."
Bendtner has been without a club since leaving FC Copenhagen at the end of 2019.
The Dane left Arsenal in 2014 and has played for Juventus, Wolfsburg and Sunderland.