Poker is a social game allowing for plenty of hours for conversation among players. With that in mind, BetMGM recently surveyed over 2,200 people to identify who they would love to share a table in the categories of musicians, athletes, politicians, couples, deceased, and celebrity gamblers.
With the presidential election on the horizon, 61.5% of respondents chose Barack Obama as their preferred politician. Another 14.7% said they would like to play with Kamala Harris while 32.5% picked Donald Trump.
As for musicians, Generation Z (those born between the late 1990s and early 2000s) dream of playing with Billie Eilish. Millennials (1981 to 1996) picked Eminem, and Gen X (1965 to 1980) and Baby Boomers (1946 to 1964) would play with Elton John.
Other notable results included Kendrick Lamar at 19.4% of tables, compared to Drake at just 11.3%. A whopping 34.1% chose Betty White if they could pick a deceased person. Princess Diana and Freddy Mercury were other top contenders.
As for celebrity gamblers, Michael Jordan predictably tops the list in North Carolina. In Kentucky, Lexington native George Clooney is a favorite.
“Our survey reveals that the ideal poker table is shaped by a mix of personal connections, cultural influences, and even generational divides,” the report noted. “Whether it’s pop culture legends like Billie Eilish or sorely missed icons like Betty White or Elvis Presley, who we would choose to play with says a lot about who we admire and relate to.”
More Details On The Survey
For musicians, top picks included Lady Gaga, Eminem, and Elton John, dominating a combined 34 states. Other states prefer hometown heroes. For example, Billie Eilish was the top pick in her home state of California and Hawaiians chose Bruno Mars.
For deceased celebrities, Californians chose Elvis Presley while Alabama and Arkansas favored Betty White.
State pride came into play when choosing athletes. Louisiana respondents picked Shaquille O’Neal, who played basketball at LSU. University of Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark was chosen in that state. Gymnast and 11-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles was popular in states like Delaware, Illinois, and New York.
Other Findings
When it comes to celebrity couples, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds dominated as the top choice across half the country. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were popular selections in states like Nevada and Kentucky, while Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift captured Kansas.
As for celebrity gamblers, other top picks included Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Paris Hilton.
Gender seemed to play a role in the poker players chosen. Men generally preferred a table filled with male icons like Eminem, John Lennon, Michael Jordan, and Brad Pitt. Women leaned toward female figures like Lady Gaga, Amy Winehouse, Simone Biles, and Paris Hilton.
Many players looked close to home with 30.1% hoping to bring their dog or cat to the poker table while only 11.8% chose a grandparent. The survey used data collected and analyzed in July. Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, D.C., and Wyoming were omitted due to insufficient sample sizes.
In related news, another survey was released recently looking at what gamblers consider the loudest and quietest casinos in Las Vegas.