Nicklas Bendtner is one of the more publicity-seeking players to have worn the Arsenal jersey. He wasn’t the most prolific striker the club has ever had, however, he played his part under Arsene Wenger, who seemed to have a soft spot for the Dane.
While he will hardly be remembered for his goals record at the club, he did have an eventful time in north London.
He recently spoke with The Guardian and he detailed how he blew away £400,000 in 90 minutes at a Casino despite facing bankruptcy, in 2011.
He recalled that he was drunk and facing bankruptcy, yet he went for the game with the hopes of making a fortune.
Before he knew it, he was down by £400,000 he will eventually make back some of the money to the tune of £380,000, but he claimed that it was then he realised that he wasn’t living right and he decided to quit.
Bendtner told The Guardian: “I’m way too drunk to sit at a table.
“That much I get. But roulette is a different matter. Red, black, red, black. How hard can it be?
“After 90 minutes I’ve lost £400,000. Money I don’t have. My bank account is overdrawn and I’m bankrupt if my luck doesn’t turn.
“I stagger into the loos and splash water on my face. Then I find a cashier and get another £50,000 of chips.”
Bendtner did win back a massive £380,000 of the money lost but the experience woke him up to the reality of his situation.
He added: “When you’re more or less broke it makes you think, ‘It’s got to stop.’ I was down £400,000 but ended up winning some of it back, actually.
“It was too risky – even for me. It was the wake-up call that helped break that spell.
“I’ve never been a guy who cares about money as a way of showing off. At first it was more about the fun and being with people you like.
“When I was injured, and couldn’t get the excitement from that absolute living-on-the-edge feeling on the pitch, gambling gave me adrenaline.
“Obviously the higher the risk, the higher the adrenaline. So you go for high stakes.”
