Book Claims Phil Mickelson Gambling Total Reached $1 Billion
Excerpts from “Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk,” a new book by professional bettor Billy Walters, were first reported Thursday in Fire Pit Collective — a Golf Digest content partner. In particular, they revealed details about Phil Mickelson gambling on a multitude of sporting events. According to Walters, the six-time major winner bet more than $1 billion on football, basketball, and baseball over the last three decades. More information is below.
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phil mickelson gambling history
Per Mickelson’s gambling records and two well-grounded sources, Walters explains in his book that Mickelson allegedly placed 858 bets of $220,000 and 1,115 bets of $110,000 from 2010 to 2014 — the span of their gambling partnership. Walters also estimated that Mickelson’s gambling losses neared $100 million over the last three decades.
The substantial figures don’t end there. On 858 occasions, Mickelson bet $220,000 to win $200,000. The sum of those 1,973 gross wagers came to more than $311 million. Keep in mind, Walters is regarded as one of the most successful gamblers of all-time. Thus, his name has plenty of clout.
Furthermore, he states that Mickelson attempted to place a $400,000 bet on the U.S. team in the 2012 Ryder Cup, in which he took part in. Walters even claims that Mickelson’s confidence reached the point that he asked Walters to go to the window and make a $400,000 wager on his behalf. Ironically, Mickelson’s loss to Justin Rose in the final round played a role in the U.S. team falling to emerge victorious.
“In late September 2012, Phil called me from Medinah Country Club just outside Chicago, site of the 39th Ryder Cup matches between the United States and Europe,” Walters wrote. “He was feeling supremely confident that the American squad led by Tiger Woods, Bubba Watson, and Phil himself was about to reclaim the Cup from the Euros.
“… Trailing 10-6 going into the final day of singles matches, the Europeans pulled off the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history. They won eight matches and tied one to beat the Americans by a single point, 14½ to 13½.“
Luckily for Mickelson, Walters and his team declined his submission ahead of the tournament. They never determined whether Mickelson found a different route for his attempted wager. Later on Thursday, Mickelson took to Twitter to deny Walters’ allegations.
Beyond the golf betting landscape, Walter’s sources noted that Mickelson casually bet $20,000 a game on five-team NBA parlays, along with making 43 MLB wagers in a one day. While his problem gambling past has been well-documented, he reportedly signed a multi-year contract with LIV Golf — worth approximately $200 million. Walter’s book, which includes additional details on Phil Mickelson gambling history, will be released on Aug. 23 and is published by Simon & Schuster.
THINK YOU MAY HAVE A GAMBLING PROBLEM?
If you or anyone you know is struggling with a gambling addiction, the National Problem Gambling Helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-522-4700. You can also visit ncpgambling.org/chat. If you’re worried that you may have a gambling problem but aren’t sure how serious it is, the National Council on Problem Gambling has a 10-question quiz to assess your situation.
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