Articles

Phelps "very down-to-earth" on the poker table

Michael Phelps is a pleasure to play against on the poker table, a former opponent of his has said.

Card sharp Jamie Crawford told Canwest News Service that the record-breaking swimmer is "very down-to-earth" when competing at poker and suggested that he enjoyed being up against him when they met at the Harrah's Entertainment-owned Caesars Windsor casino recently.

Mr Crawford's comments follow Phelp's claim to the Baltimore Sun that he would one day like to enter the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

As someone who is "definitely a good poker player", in Mr Crawford's words, Phelps could be about to join the long list of celebrities to have done well in major poker tournaments.

Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Tilly is the only famous non-professional to have taken down a WSOP event during her career, but the likes of American Pie star Shannon Elizabeth and former tennis ace Yefgeniy Kafelnikov have also had success in big competitions over the years.