Obsessed With Success, Michael Jordan Resorted to Cheating to Win Bets, Says Former Teammate Scottie Pippen

Michael Jordan is well-known for being a fiercely competitive gambler and was additionally charged with using fraud to win arbitrary prop bets.

Jordan’s former Chicago Bulls teammates Scottie Pippen claimed during an interview on “The Dan Le Batard Show” that Jordan had been deceitful on a few bets and secured others using money or credibility advantages.

Michael Jordan wagered $100 on Pippen’s performance in recorded animated bull races shown during games on the Chicago Stadium Jumbotron. But prior to every game, Jordan consulted with the Bull’s operational staff to choose which color bull would prevail that evening. Jordan would exploit the details that they would reveal to him to trick Pippen into placing a futile wager.

According to a Bill Simmons article in ESPN The Magazine, he reportedly gambled his teammates several hundred dollars on whose belongings would be taken out by the airport attendants earliest.

Jordan committed fraud in other areas besides gambling. Jordan allegedly utilized similar cheating techniques in games, according to Pippen, taking additional steps when dribbling or pushing off defenders.

The discussion concerning Jordan’s legacy has resumed following Pippen’s accusations about Jordan’s cheating. Others allege that Jordan’s cheating is just an indication of his competitive personality, while some claim that it lessens the significance of Jordan’s success.

Gambling affected the NBA career of Michael Jordan

Throughout his NBA career, Michael Jordan’s gambling issues were popular, and they ultimately caused him to resign in 1993. Jordan’s father, James Jordan, was killed in October of that same year. Jordan was heartbroken by the demise of his father and turned to gambling to help him deal with his anguish.

Michael was called to the witness stand in a federal court proceeding concerning a gambling obligation in February 1993. Jordan said that he owed a convicted felon $57,000 and that he had bet on basketball games. After hearing about Jordan’s gambling debts and testifying in the courtroom, there was a significant scandal that raised the possibility that the NBA contemplated suspending him.

Jordan made his retirement official by announcing the end of his career in October 1993. He gave two justifications for his retirement: the passing of his father and his drive to start playing baseball. However, a lot of people contend that Jordan’s gambling issues were the primary cause of his departure from the sport.

In 1995, Jordan made his NBA comeback, and he proceeded to capture three more titles with the Chicago Bulls. His gambling issues, however, were never fully resolved. Jordan received a $50,000 fine from the NBA in 2003 for betting on golf matches.