Backgammon and Poker

Need some insight here. More and more when I read the profiles of professional poker players, I see that quite a few of them are or have been world class backgammon players. Players like Gus Hansen, Howard Lederer, and Erik Seidel have had quite a bit of success playing backgammon. My question is: Is there a link in the strategies of backgammon and poker? If so what? Maybe these questions are a reach, but I just can't deny the coincidence of these world class poker players, and their "world class" status of backgammon players? Any insight would be appreciated.

Maybe it has something to do with Backgammon players always figuring for the best theoretical move on every turn with odds/probabilities. Especially in the middle part of the game, when yours and your opponents men are scattered all over the place.

It can get a little hairy, and probably transfers to poker nicely. Although the people you mentiioned would probably be good at any thinking game they chose to play.