Did Phil Mickelson lose $100 million through sports betting? First Take Analyst rips into new gambling book’s author
A controversial claim has circulated, alleging that professional golfer Phil Mickelson suffered tremendous financial losses amounting to $100 million due to his involvement in sports betting.
As speculative as this story may sound, it has gained significant attention and sparked heated arguments within the sports community.
The speculation came after an excerpt from the book “Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk” written by sports bettor Billy Walters mentioned Mickelson was a gambler and had lost millions, even to the tune of $100 million. Mickelson was quick to deny this, claiming it was all untrue.
Mickelson is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time, who has built up an impressive track record throughout his career.
In this book, authored by Billy Walters the author makes claims regarding Mickelson’s involvement in high-stakes gambling that resulted in substantial financial setbacks.
Russo, speaking on ESPN’s First Take, said
“I gotta read about Billy Walters, the professional gambler, trying to sell books by using Phil Mickelson, by saying how much money he bet in the last 15-20 years whether it’s baseball, NFL games, college games, whatever the case may be,” Russo said. “And then somehow he was trying to place a bet on the Ryder Cup.”
Russo continued on, saying “everybody in gold bets”.
“Listen, everybody in golf bets!” Russo added. “Tiger goes out there…he bets! McIlroy bets! Who cares if Phil Mickelson bet at the Ryder Cup? He didn’t bet on his team to lose, it’s not a big deal.
“Plus, he didn’t place the bet anyway! It drives me crazy. A guy that we have never heard of, that nobody knows who he is, he’s gotta use Mickelson to sell his books? We all knew Mickelson had a gambling problem. Why do you think he went to LIV in the first place?”
Upon the release of Russo’s book, Mickelson categorically denied the allegations, emphasizing their lack of truth and credibility. This response highlighted Mickelson’s determination to defend his reputation and revealed his intention to explore possible legal actions against the author if necessary.
While the allegations have undoubtedly caused a stir, it is important to consider the broader impact on Phil Mickelson’s legacy.
His admirable golfing career, philanthropy, and positive contributions to the sport must be taken into account when assessing the significance of these allegations in the context of his overall reputation.
