Bills Wide Receiver Sammy Watkins Chooses Poker Over Training: Ryan Responds

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on

Written by :

Jagajeet Chiba

Published on :

Sammy Watkins, wide receiver for the NFL franchise the Buffalo Bills, was due to begin voluntary pre-season training on Monday morning but  was a no show.

Ad: Open an Online Betting Account Today at Gambling911 Endorsed AceSportsbook.  Receive Hundreds of Dollars in Signup Bonuses Here

Instead opted to visit the local Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in North Carolina with former Clemson teammate Tajh Boyd. 

His Facebook postings Tuesday morning from the casino raised eyebrows especially in light of the controversy surrounding NFL star Johnny Manziel’s reported Las Vegas visits earlier in the year. 

Reading between the lines, Bills Head Coach Rex Ryan, did not appear happy with Watkins option to play poker over training.

"I know we had a great turnout for [the] voluntary deal; we weren’t 100-percent for attendance, but a couple of guys gave me phone calls, all that stuff," Ryan said. "I won’t get into specifics on who was here and who wasn’t here because it is voluntary, but I’m encouraged by the turnout we have and everybody’s I think excited to get this season going."
Asked specifically about Watkins, Ryan said, "I said I wasn’t going to talk about anybody being here or not being here."

- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com

File attachments

Related Content

Caleb Williams Player Prop Bets Ahead of Bears-Eagles MNF Game Include Next 'Minor' Injury, Will He Cry

Caleb Williams Player Prop Bets Ahead of Bears-Eagles MNF Game Include Next 'Minor' Injury, Will He Cry

The Caleb Williams memes have consumed the internet the past three days, and the virality only continues to grow after it was revealed he had not suffered a dreaded Achilles, knee injury or major hamstring tear.
Trump Social Media Firm Co-Founder Allegedly Gambled Away $29m of Company Cash at Hollywood Florida Casino

Trump Social Media Firm Co-Founder Allegedly Gambled Away $29m of Company Cash at Hollywood Florida Casino

Digital firm X Strategies is suing its co-founder Derek Utley for allegedly embezzling at least $5 million from the company. Utley, who resigned from the company back in April before being fired, denies the allegations.
Top Gambling News Stories for Wednesday September 23, 2026

Top Gambling News Stories for Wednesday September 23, 2026

Top Trending: ACR Poker - Ceasars Acquisition By Fertitta Gaming - Northwest Indiana Sports Betting Ring - Jimmy the Greek James Gerodemo - Kalshi Margin Trading - Derek Utley - Trump Social Media Firm Co-Founder Casino Embezzlement
How a Casino's Licence Number Predicts Its Payout Reliability in Canada

How a Casino's Licence Number Predicts Its Payout Reliability in Canada

The Canadian market Gambling911.com has watched grow for two decades is now one of the more tightly regulated iGaming environments in North America, and the small print at the bottom of a licensed casino page is doing more work than most players realize.