Phil Mickelson admits he has a gambling addiction and is working on it. That’s the message the professional golfer tried to get across in a Twitter post this week that covered some of his betting woes over the past few years.
Beyond his relationship with him fiber Golf and winner of six major titles, the 53-year-old has recently made headlines for his betting on and off the golf course. The new book The Gambler: Secrets from a Life of Risk, written by professional gambler Billy Walters, claims that Mickelson bet nearly $1 billion on football, basketball and baseball over the past 30 years.
This included an allegation of attempting to bet $400,000 on the 2012 American Ryder Cup, of which he was a member. Mickelson denied the accusation, but admitted that he had a problem and talked about betting on the next one NFL season.
“I will not bet this year because I have crossed the line of moderation and addiction, which is not fun at all,” he noted on Twitter. “Money was never the issue since our financial security was never threatened, but I was so distracted, couldn’t be with the people I loved and caused a lot of hurt.”
Admitting there is a problem
Aside from sports, Mickelson is also known for betting on the field with other players. The golfer said the bet had affected his relationships with others, and he was working to “clean up the damage” it caused. He offered encouragement to others dealing with similar issues. Mickelson said his wife, Amy, was an inspiration.
“I hope you don’t have to deal with these difficult moments publicly so that others can take advantage of you like I did,” he said. “But hopefully it’s you will You have a strong, supportive partner who wants to help you through your worst moments, and through your worst moments like Amy did. You loved and supported me through my darkest and most difficult times. I wouldn’t have been able to get through this without her.
asking for help
This isn’t the first time Mickelson’s bet has made headlines. In 2015, espn He reported that he transferred $3 million to another party that was part of “an illegal gambling operation that accepted and placed bets on sporting events.”
This broker, Gregory Silveira, pleaded guilty to laundering money from an unnamed “gambling client” from 2010 to 2013. Although he was not named in court documents, espn mentioned Mickelson was that client. He was never charged with a crime as part of the case.
Given what was revealed in Walters’ book, it appears that Mickelson is trying to make some serious changes.
“After many years of receiving professional help, not gambling, and recovering from my addiction, I am now able to sit still, be present in the moment and live each day with inner calm and peace,” he noted. “I still have a lot of cleaning to do with the people I love most, but I’m doing it slowly and the best I can.”
*Image source: Wikipedia/Peter Brown
