Billy Walters exposes Phil Mickelson’s Billion-Dollar Gambling Journey
Renowned gambler Billy Walters has unveiled astonishing revelations about professional golfer Phil Mickelson’s gambling habits, claiming that Mickelson has placed wagers exceeding $1 billion over a span of three decades. Walters’ forthcoming book, “Gambler: Secrets from a Life of Risk,” includes an intriguing excerpt showcasing these revelations. Scheduled for release on August 22, the book has already offered a sneak peek into Mickelson’s extravagant betting endeavors.
Walters, celebrated as America’s premier gambler with an enviable winning streak stretching beyond 30 consecutive years, has drawn from his extensive records and reliable sources to lay bare Mickelson’s betting exploits. However, Mickelson’s management team has refrained from immediate comment in response to inquiries by The Associated Press. Enhance your golf viewing experience with attractive betting odds from Nextbet.
One of the most shocking anecdotes recounted in Walters’ book involves a phone call during the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah. In this astonishing conversation, Mickelson purportedly urged Walters to place a staggering $400,000 bet on Team USA’s victory. Walters was taken aback by Mickelson’s audacity, comparing it to the infamous Pete Rose incident where the former Cincinnati Reds manager faced a baseball ban for betting on his own team.
The depth of Mickelson’s gambling activities from 2010 to 2014 is staggering, as Walters has meticulously documented. Mickelson placed bets of $110,000 to win $100,000 on an astounding 1,115 occasions, and further bet $220,000 to secure $200,000 wins on 858 occasions. These wagers alone total over $311 million, revealing the magnitude of his betting habits. Additionally, Mickelson’s gambling frenzy involved a colossal 7,065 bets encompassing football, basketball, and baseball.
Walters’ partnership with Mickelson began in 2008, a union that led to the shared venture of extensive betting activities. Walters’ recounting of their initial meeting during the 2006 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and their subsequent collaboration paints a vivid picture of their dynamic.
The relationship, however, soured, with Walters claiming that Mickelson ended their partnership in 2014. Mickelson found himself entangled in Walters’ insider trading case as a relief defendant in 2016, though he emerged unscathed without any charges. Walters, on the other hand, faced legal consequences and a five-year prison sentence for his involvement.
Walters attributes his incarceration, in part, to Mickelson’s refusal to corroborate Walters’ claim that he had no inside information on Dean Foods stock. Walters believes that a simple declaration from Mickelson could have altered the course of events. Walters’ poignant lamentation includes the tragic note of his daughter’s suicide while he was imprisoned, a tragedy he believes might have been prevented had he been free.
The book excerpt also sheds light on Mickelson’s massive gambling losses, painting a vivid picture of a man who has bet beyond the realm of casual gaming. Walters disputes previous reports of Mickelson’s losses, asserting that they are far closer to $100 million than the previously cited $40 million. Mickelson’s staggering wagers over the past thirty years eclipse even the most prolific gamblers, leaving Walters and Mickelson as the primary torchbearers of this extraordinary gambling volume.
As Mickelson’s reputation on the golf course remains intact, his off-course ventures continue to captivate attention. His suspension from the PGA Tour in 2022 due to his involvement in Saudi-backed LIV Golf’s recruitment efforts garnered significant media scrutiny. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Mickelson candidly acknowledged his recklessness and the embarrassment stemming from his gambling tendencies. He confessed that his gambling had reached a point of being “reckless and embarrassing,” leading him to confront the issue head-on.
The revelations brought to light by Billy Walters’ upcoming book have illuminated a previously undisclosed facet of Phil Mickelson’s life, portraying a man who thrived on high-stakes wagers and faced the consequences of those decisions. This candid portrayal underscores the complexities of a life lived in the public eye, where success on the golf course coexists with a private world of calculated risks and extravagant bets. Get the best golf predictions only on Nextbet Sports.