Getty Image
It’s been well-documented how many big-time pro athletes like to make a wager or two. The stories of guys like Charles Barkley (who LeBron called a “degenerate gambler”), Michael Jordan and John Daly, oh man, especially John Daly, are just a few of the athletes who have reportedly lost large sums of money gambling.
Now we can add PGA star Phil Mickelson to the list of “degenerate gamblers” who have lost a shitton of money wagering.
It was revealed in Manhattan federal court on Thursday that in 2012 Lefty had to pay professional gambler Billy Walters $1.95 million in gambling debts.
Reports the New York Post…
The sneak peak into Mickelson’s gambling habit was presented to a Manhattan federal jury charged with deciding whether Walters illegally traded on stock tips he got from a director pal at butter company Dean Foods. Walters has plead not guilty.
The feds claim that Walters passed some of those allegedly illegal tips to Mickelson — known to fans as “Lefty” — in July 2012, at a time when Mickelson owed him money for gambling.
Mickelson earned close to one $1 million on the trades, documents showed. A few months later, the golfer handed Walters $1.95 million, documents showed.
Prosecutor Brooke Cucinella also added, “Mr. Mickelson owed similar debt to Mr. Walters in the past.”
Looks like someone might have a little gambling problem on their hands? Especially when you add this to his previously being linked to money laundering for an illegal gambling operation.
Mickelson has won over $81 million from just playing golf so he certainly has the money to blow. Then again, so did John Daly.