Ex-Tottenham Star Dele Alli loses nearly £150,000 in late-night London poker betting

Christopher Sededzi Kwame 10:25 - 09 February 2026

Former England and Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli has reportedly lost close to £150,000 in a series of late-night poker games at The Victoria Casino in central London over just a few days, according to Daily Mail Sport.

The 29-year-old, once valued at over £50 million and earning £150,000 per week, is currently without a club after his career took a steep decline, culminating in his release from Italian side Como in September.

Since returning to London, Alli has been frequenting high-stakes poker tables in the early hours, with losses reportedly reaching £25,000 per session.

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A poker veteran told Daily Mail Sport that Alli has earned the nickname “whale” among casino regulars—a term for players who are inexperienced but consistently lose large sums.

The source said, as quoted by the Daily Mail Sports,

We all look forward to Dele coming to the casino because snaring a whale is a serious player’s dream scenario

As soon as he arrives, a message goes out that ‘The Dele is open for business,’ and there’s a rush to join his table. He’s been turning up almost every other day over the past two weeks, often playing for several hours and typically losing £25,000 each time.

Another poker player added,

It’s actually quite sad because he doesn’t really speak to anyone and doesn’t appear happy. He clearly isn’t short of money and doesn’t seem bothered by losing such amounts, which is great for us. Poker is a tough game—there’s no room for emotion. It’s all about strategy and winning as much as you can.

Alli’s estimated net worth is around £20 million, but his professional and personal struggles in recent years have hindered the career of a player once tipped for superstardom, including past links to clubs like Real Madrid.

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