May 26, 2021
Top Gambling Influencers to Follow on Social Media
Think influencers are only for the latest fashion trends or beauty products? Think again. Check out this list of gambling influencers who can really spice up your online gambling experience.
In 2021, the term “influencer” still most likely conjures up someone with millions of followers on Instagram who uses their platform to push skincare products or fitness regimens. But there are other types of influencers, too, and their niche is all about gamlbing.
Whether it’s Instagram or YouTube, gambling influencers share a thrilling mix of the glamorous highs and gut-wrenching lows of betting.
Some casinos leverage these influencers’ popularity as part of their marketing plans, while other influencers are free agents, but they all have tips, tricks, and insights of their own that their audiences seek out.
Let’s dive into six gambling influencers who each have something to share about the industry and why you should follow them.
Kelly Stewart
Sports betting dynamo Kelly Stewart opens up this list because she breaks the mold. Most people think of sports betting as a boys club, but anyone would be a fool to think of Stewart as simply eye candy. Instead, she’s a skilled handicapper with a deep passion for the process.
She quickly gained attention in the sports wagering world when she hit a three-team moneyline parlay on three road underdogs. A hundred dollars suddenly turned into eight grand, and with a profile by Matt Youmans of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Stewart was on her way to big things. She’s now known as one of the industry’s foremost handicappers.
She runs the website KellyInVegas, a proxy service for sports betting fans who want to bet on the action in Las Vegas but don’t live in Nevada. She’ll help you navigate how to sign up at a designated casino (you will have to travel there for the initial signup), get your login info, and allow you to set your picks for the rest of the season.
She has recently joined ESPN as a sports betting analyst. She’s set to contribute to Daily Wager, SportsCenter, and other ESPN programs. For gambling influencers to follow, she’s top-notch.
RocknRolla
Taking his cue from the Guy Ritchie flick of the same name, RocknRolla is a British gambling personality who is all about playing aggressively. He always maxes out his bets on the slots and will bet hundreds or even thousands of pounds on a single spin of the roulette wheel.
Prolific on the video streaming platforms, he has his own gambling channels on YouTube and Twitch (complete with harsh language, so watch his videos with headphones on). There, you’ll find him trying the action on slots, roulette, poker, and blackjack.
He regularly live-streams himself gambling at an online casino, chatting with his fans while blasting through different online slots or playing live roulette. It gives his followers a chance to experience the highs and lows of gambling right alongside him.
RocknRolla shares some amazing wins on his YouTube channel, like a £50,000 roulette jackpot. He’s also very open about his big losses, like a 10-minute roulette video where he got up to a £70,000 balance and then lost it all. He shares the wins and the losses with the goal of informing people how fun gambling can be, but also how sometimes greed and chasing the big win just won’t pay off.
He also runs the website and forum The Gambling Community, offering signup bonuses to fans and even offering his assistance to players who encounter issues with their online casino accounts.
Steve Stevens
It’s easy to describe Steve Stevens as brash and overconfident.
He became infamous back in 2013 when he was set to star in the CNBC reality show Money Talks, with industry colleagues calling him a fraud and an ex-convict. Promos for the show claimed that he was a well-known handicapper, but no one in Vegas has even heard of him. His company’s website had also claimed he had a winning percentage of 71.5%, which is considered statistically impossible.
(Some sleuthing before the show’s release uncovered that Stevens was actually named Darin Notaro, who had been on probation for six federal felony counts of telemarketing fraud. It turns out that “Steve Stevens” is his professional pseudonym.)
The show didn’t last long on CNBC, but it made Stevens a household name for many, and it allowed him to continue his particular brand of braggadocio. He regularly shares some of his sports betting picks on Instagram, and his YouTube channel offers more in-depth predictions through his video podcast.
Stevens still runs his website VIP Sports Las Vegas, where sports bettors can pay for different levels of picks. You can even enter your phone number directly on his website for a free pick.
Stevens is loud and a shameless self-promoter, but it all makes for a new level of entertainment while you’re looking for sports betting tips.
Slotlady
For something a bit more calm, try the Slotlady YouTube channel. The videos on her channel are supremely straightforward, showing her playing various slots in brick-and-mortar casinos, from classics like the Used Cars video slot to pop culture slots like The Hobbit.
Her videos are often around 20 minutes long, and during each video she offers some commentary, like where the bonus and scatter symbols might be on a particular slot. She shares at the beginning of each video how much money she has put into the slot with how high her total bets will be, and at the end she shares her total loss or gains.
It’s not the same thrill as getting to play slots yourself at an online casino, but Slotlady’s videos offer a great glimpse into how a wide variety of different slots play. She also has videos featuring her playing blackjack, Texas Hold’em, and even baccarat.
For something a bit more relaxing than RocknRolla while still getting the feel for different games, Slotlady is the one to follow.
Brian Christopher
Another YouTuber, Brian Christopher is a bit more chatty during his slot-playing videos than Slotlady. He also shows himself playing various video slots at different land-based casinos, with the occasional video featuring video poker, too.
His videos are usually 15 to 30 minutes long, often with a challenge driving the theme of a video. One fan suggested that he do a “champagne challenge,” where if he won he’d have to buy an expensive bottle of champagne, and if he lost he’d have to buy a cheap bottle of bubbly (he did make enough profits to buy a bottle of Dom Perignon).
With new videos uploaded daily, he has amassed quite a following. He became so big, actually, that the Plaza Hotel & Casino Las Vegas teamed up with him to create a newly designed slots section on their floor, featuring many of his favorite slot machines all in one spot.
Christopher’s followers get a chance to see games that they might not normally come upon in their own local casino, but they also get the thrill of watching his high-stakes playing style. If you want to see what it’s like to play $15-$25 per spin, you can experience some pretty wild wins and losses by proxy if you watch Brian Christopher.
Steve Bourie
Steve Bourie has long been a fixture in the gambling scene — he has been writing the American Casino Guide annually since 1992. The Guide is an exhaustive book that provides detailed listings on more than 700 different casinos, advice on how casinos differ from state to state, and comprehensive discussions on blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and craps.
Bourie regularly updates his YouTube channel with great educational videos. He explores how to play games like craps and roulette, and he also offers up some secrets of the winningest casino players. He also shares critiques, like dumb casino betting ideas and how to pace yourself when it comes to using up your bankroll.
His Instagram account for the American Casino Guide is also instructional, offering how-to videos on games like three card poker and giving brief stories on the history of gambling.
American Casino Guide also has a free app that offers a map view of which casinos are near you, thousands of casino reviews, and a broad library of articles and podcasts to learn more casino strategies.
On all of his platforms, he offers clarity on a lot of dense topics in a very approachable and trustworthy way. Need some sincere instruction and advice? Follow Steve Bourie.
A Little Entertainment, A Little Learning
Good gambling influencers should be helpful in getting you the right picks or finding the right games while also being entertaining.
Normally, the only games you can preview are ones like slots, and that’s only with the free play option at online casinos. Gambling influencers like these can offer their fans in-depth previews of games to help them better navigate a new casino.
These folks can also offer up some invaluable gambling tips and strategies, as well as educated advice on how to improve your playing style at the tables or which sports teams to keep an eye on.
So if you’re new to gambling or just want some new input, try these influencers for some tips and a good dose of fun.