Phil Mickelson, the golf great whose gambling problems have made headlines over the years, took to social media on Monday to share details about his addiction and offer a warning to potential bettors ahead of the NFL season. this year.
As the 2023-24 football season began in earnest, Mickelson published in X say that I would not bet on any game. “I crossed the line of moderation and fell into addiction, which is no fun at all,” said Mickelson, who has won six major golf tournaments.
The post went on to offer advice to anyone who might be struggling with similar issues: “If you ever cross the line of moderation and into addiction, hopefully you won’t mistake your enablers for friends like I did.”
The publication came on the heels of the autobiography “Gambler: Secrets From a Life at Risk,” published in August by Billy Walters, a well-known sports bettor who claimed to know of Mickelson’s gambling habits and claimed that the professional golfer’s sports bets totaled more than billion dollars in a period of about 30 years.
A biography of the golfer written by Alan Shipnuck was also published last year. explored the intimate and private moments from Mickelson’s life between swings. He highlighted how serious the addiction had become and the questionable relationships Mickelson had established through his gambling practices. According to one of Shipnuck’s sources, Mickelson’s gambling losses totaled more than $40 million between 2010 and 2014.
Mickelson’s statement Monday did not address those claims, instead focusing on the negative effect the game has had on his life and the relief he feels at having overcome it.
“Money was never the issue as our financial security was never threatened, but I was so distracted that I couldn’t be present with my loved ones and caused a lot of damage,” Mickelson wrote on social media. mail.
Mickelson thanked his wife, Amy Mickelson, for supporting him through his struggles.
“After many years of receiving professional help, not gambling, and recovering from my addictions,” he wrote, “I can now sit still, be present in the moment, and live each day with calm and inner peace. “
