The winner of eight gold medals Michael Phelps has told the press he is quite a good poker player and he would be thrilled to play in the World Series of Poker. He is a habitué of a casino in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and has taken part in several tournaments.

“I think it would be cool to play in the World Series of Poker,” Phelps commented during a press conference. “My game is a little off right now, so I’ll have to start improving it a little bit. But I think that would be cool, and it would be cool to meet some of those poker guys.”

The organizers of the World Series of Poker Europe, who took note of Phelps’ hobby, have invited the swimmer to take part in the event for a chance to win the £ 1,000,000 prize plus the desired World Series of Poker bracelet. The £10,000 entrance fee was paid by organizer Betfair and if Phelps accepts the challenge he could become a star in the world of poker just like he is in the world of Olympics.

The World Series of Poker event will be held in Leicester Square from September 19th to October 2nd. Amateur players will have a chance to share a table with famous players if they manage to win a seat in one of the many satellite tournaments that will take place in Europe or if they have the money to pay for the buy-in fee.