For most multimillionaires, a $25 million net worth would be more than enough to provide comfort and financial freedom. But for comedian Cedric the Entertainer, that level of wealth meant nothing when he went out gambling alongside NBA legends Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley.
On an episode of the “All the Smoke”podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Cedric shared a humorous but humbling story about trying to keep up with the high stakes gambling power of his famous friends and basketball Fall of Famers at a casino.
What Happened
“Barkley and MJ, they can do that thing. [They] got two, three hundred [thousand] out on the thing, and I got $1,000,” he said, describing his attempt to join them at a roulette table.
@allthesmokeproductions Ced’s life flashed before his eyes with every spin of the roulette wheel 🫣🫣🤣 Catch an all-new episode of ALL THE SMOKE with #CedricTheEntertainer on @allthesmoke.productions YouTube! Link in bio. #Funny #MichaelJordan #CharlesBarkley #Gambling #AllTheSmoke #Casino #Golfing #Comedy #StephenJackson @Matt Barnes ♬ original sound – All the Smoke Productions
The difference in wealth became even more apparent when Jordan, whose net worth stands at a staggering $3.6 billion, started throwing money around during a night of betting. Cedric recounted how the basketball legend casually grabbed a stack of Barkley’s chips, worth around $150,000, without hesitation.
When Barkley asked how much he took, Jordan nonchalantly replied, “Does it matter? You know I got you… whatever it is. I got you. I’m MJ, what you mean? I just don’t wanna go and get chips.”
Cedric’s efforts to rock out with the big boys didn’t go as planned, either, as they scoffed at his measly bids.
“They doing like $300,000 a hand, I’m coming over there with my little $100 chips,” he joked. “They were like, ‘Ohh, you hold on, wait till the next one, Ced.’ I was like, ‘Ohh, I can’t even get in on this?’”
The financial gap extended beyond the casino to the golf course, where Jordan’s love for gambling reached new heights.
“He liked to gamble with good golfing,” Cedric shared. Jordan had allegedly co-erced him into playing $1000 a hole on the golf outing.
“I wasn’t doing the math,” the “King of Comedy” confessed. “I lost every hole. That’s $18,000. You just don’t get to tell the wife.”
Jordan and his circle, however, were playing for far higher stakes. “They’re betting $25,000 to $30,000 a hole,” he revealed.
Both Jordan and Barkley are known for their notorious gambling habits.
Barkley has openly admitted he loves to gamble, sharing on a May issue of “Club Shay Shay” with Shannon Sharpe, “There’s probably been seven times that I won a million dollars. But there’s probably been 25 times I’ve lost a million.”
His biggest win was $5 million in one session, but his overall losses totaled a jaw-dropping $25 million.
“I got such elation [by winning], but then when I would lose a million, I was so depressed,” Barkley admitted.
Jordan’s gambling history is equally storied.
According to Gateway Foundation, in 1993, he reportedly lost $1.25 million during a 10-day golfing spree. His betting habits date back to high school, with a $5 check from a 1982 pool game recently surfacing at auction.
For Cedric, the experience highlighted the vast spectrum of wealth, even among the affluent. While his wealth as an actor and stand-up comic places him among the financial elite, it was no match for the billionaire-level wagers of his NBA friends.
“I’m trying to act like I’m somebody,” Cedric said at one point, recalling his nervous attempts to play it cool at the roulette wheel.
The comedian’s self-deprecating humor highlights a simple truth: even among the wealthy, there’s always someone richer. While Jordan and Barkley shrugged off million-dollar losses, Cedric nervously faced the reality of explaining an $18,000 golf debt to his wife—quickly realizing that in a billionaire’s world, even multimillionaires can feel small.
