(AsiaGameHub) – A former teammate of AC Milan manager Max Allegri has shared details about how the experienced football coach has achieved significant wins at casinos.
During an appearance on the DoppioPasso podcast, Gianluca Atzori recounted an instance where he went gambling with the former Juventus manager.
Atzori and Allegri were teammates at Perugia in the 1990s, a period when the club secured promotion from Serie B. It was customary for players to gamble to celebrate their victories.
“We went to play in Venice, and Allegri told us that if we won, we’d go to the casino, so he asked us to bring our suits along too. He said this to me and (Federico) Giunti,” Atzori recalled.
Perugia emerged victorious in their match, leading the players to head to the casino tables.
Allegri’s Generosity Towards Croupiers
Atzori further explained, “We each put in 500,000 lire (approximately $350) and gave it to Allegri; he enjoyed the casino and was familiar with its workings.”
“I had never been inside a casino before. There was a table with the croupier spinning the ball, and Allegri placed his bet. The ball landed on that number, and I remember Max becoming as excited as a two-year-old, and we won 36 times our stake.”
“He placed another bet and doubled the stake. We went from 3.6 million to 7 million; we won 10 million (around $7,000) in two bets, and he gave the croupier a 2 million ($1,400) tip.”
When playing a game of chance like roulette, players often seek any advantage they can find. Some have developed strategies, such as James Bond, who prefers to cover a substantial portion of the table with his wagers.
Atzori initially expressed dissatisfaction with Allegri’s significant tip, but it was part of Allegri’s tactic to gain the croupier’s favor.
“When I saw him, I grabbed him by the chest and said: ‘Oh, my money’s in there too – 2 million – you’re mad.’ But I hadn’t realized that if you give the croupier a good tip, he’d try, for better or worse, to send the ball to where your numbers were because he knew he’d get a good tip. In the end, we won quite a bit of money.”
Previous Gambling-Related Controversies
As Atzori mentioned, Allegri is known for his fondness for gambling, but this has led to difficulties for the former player and manager in the past.
In 2000, he received a suspension for alleged match-fixing while playing for Pistoiese. The charges were ultimately overturned following an appeal.
More recently, in 2021, he was under investigation for using a Malta-based gambling company to facilitate money laundering, with alleged connections to the mafia gang ‘Ndrangheta.
He reportedly spent over $400,000 in two foreign casinos. These transactions were flagged by regulators as “suspicious,” prompting further inquiries. He has not faced any legal consequences in relation to this case.
The 58-year-old is currently in his second tenure as AC Milan manager, having returned to the club last year. Previously, he guided Juventus to five consecutive league titles between 2014 and 2019.
This article is provided by a third-party. AsiaGameHub (https://asiagamehub.com/) makes no warranties regarding its content.
AsiaGameHub delivers targeted distribution for iGaming, Casino, and eSports, connecting 3,000+ premium Asian media outlets and 80,000+ specialized influencers across ASEAN.