Phil Mickelson wagered more than $1 billion over decades, lost around $100 million, gambler claims

Phil Mickelson wagered a full of much than $1 cardinal implicit 3 decades, and sustained gambling losses of adjacent to $100 million, the golf superstar's erstwhile person Billy Walters claims successful a new book.

Walters, who was convicted of insider trading successful 2017, successful the publication "Gambler: Secrets from a Life astatine Risk," elaborate what helium called a sports "gambling partnership" with Mickelson "that lasted 5 years."

He says that led to Mickelson, successful September 2012, asking Walters to spot a $400,000 stake connected Mickelson and the remainder of the U.S. Ryder Cup squad to triumph the contention astatine the Medinah Country Club, wherever the golfer phoned from.

" 'Have you mislaid your f---ing mind?' "Walters told Mickelson, according to an excerpt of the publication published by Golf Digest.

Walters writes that helium asked Mickelson if helium remembered what happened to Pete Rose, who was banned from shot for beingness for betting connected the Cincinnati Reds portion managing that team. " 'You're seen arsenic a modern-day Arnold Palmer,' " Walters writes helium told Mickelson. "You'd hazard each that for this? I privation nary portion of it.'' '

Walters, 77, said that Mickelson replied: "Alright, alright."

Walters wrote that helium hoped Mickelson did not spot that stake determination else, arsenic the American squad mislaid successful a stunning comeback by the European squad that became known arsenic the "Miracle astatine Medinah."

The gambler says that successful the play from 2010 done 2014, his elaborate records and different records provided to him by sources amusement that Mickelson wagered $110,000 to triumph $100,000 much than 1,100 times, and much than 850 times had stake $220,000 to triumph $200,000.

"In 2011 alone, helium made 3,154 bets — an mean of astir 9 per day," Walters wrote.

"Based connected our narration and what I've since learned from others, Phil's gambling losses approached not $40 cardinal arsenic has been antecedently reported, but overmuch person to $100 million. In all, helium wagered a full of much than $1 cardinal during the past 3 decades," Walters wrote.

"The lone different idiosyncratic I cognize who surpassed that benignant of measurement is me."

CNBC has reached retired to Mickelson via his online media interaction tract for remark connected Walters' allegations.

In a 2022 interview with Sports Illustrated, the 53-year-old Mickelson said that, "My gambling got to a constituent of being reckless and embarrassing. I had to code it. And I've been addressing it for a fig of years. And for hundreds of hours of therapy."

He besides said successful that interview. "I consciousness bully wherever I'm astatine there. My household and I are, and person been, financially unafraid for immoderate time."

A New York national tribunal assemblage recovered Walters blameworthy successful April 2017 of 10 transgression counts related to trading connected insider accusation with banal successful Dean Foods Co., which is nary longer successful business. He was sentenced aboriginal that twelvemonth to 5 years successful prison.

Walters' condemnation was commuted by then-President Donald Trump connected his past time successful the White House successful Jan. 20, 2021.

The White House, successful announcing that action, said Walters' commutation was supported by "numerous nonrecreational golfers, among them Mickelson.