Phil Mickelson takes a moment before hitting out of the bunker on the ninth hole through the Safeway Open golf tournament on the Silverado Resort and Spa, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, in Napa, Calif.
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Phil Mickelson wagered a complete of greater than $1 billion over three many years, and sustained gambling losses of near $100 million, the golf superstar’s former friend Billy Walters claims in a recent book.
Walters, who was convicted of insider trading in 2017, within the book “Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk,” detailed what he called a sports “gambling partnership” with Mickelson “that lasted five years.”
He says that led to Mickelson, in September 2012, asking Walters to position a $400,000 bet on Mickelson and the remaining of the U.S. Ryder Cup team to win the competition on the Medinah Country Club, where the golfer phoned from.
” ‘Have you ever lost your f—ing mind?’ “Walters told Mickelson, in keeping with an excerpt of the book published by Golf Digest.
Walters writes that he asked Mickelson if he remembered what happened to Pete Rose, who was banned from baseball for all times for betting on the Cincinnati Reds while managing that team. ” ‘You are seen as a modern-day Arnold Palmer,’ ” Walters writes he told Mickelson. “You’d risk all that for this? I would like no a part of it.” ‘
Walters, 77, said that Mickelson replied: “Alright, alright.”
Walters wrote that he hoped Mickelson didn’t place that bet elsewhere, because the American team lost in a surprising comeback by the European squad that became often called the “Miracle at Medinah.”
Skilled sports gambler William “Billy” Walters departs Federal Court after a hearing in Manhattan, Latest York City, Latest York, U.S., July 29, 2016.
Andrew Kelly | Reuters
The gambler says that within the period from 2010 through 2014, his detailed records and other records provided to him by sources show that Mickelson wagered $110,000 to win $100,000 greater than 1,100 times, and greater than 850 times had bet $220,000 to win $200,000.
“In 2011 alone, he made 3,154 bets — a median of nearly nine per day,” Walters wrote.
“Based on our relationship and what I’ve since learned from others, Phil’s gambling losses approached not $40 million as has been previously reported, but much closer to $100 million. In all, he wagered a complete of greater than $1 billion through the past three many years,” Walters wrote.
“The one other person I do know who surpassed that sort of volume is me.”
CNBC has reached out to Mickelson via his online media contact site for comment on Walters’ allegations.
In a 2022 interview with Sports Illustrated, the 53-year-old Mickelson said that, “My gambling got to some extent of being reckless and embarrassing. I had to handle it. And I have been addressing it for various years. And for a whole lot of hours of therapy.”
He also said in that interview. “I feel good where I’m at there. My family and I are, and have been, financially secure for a while.”
A Latest York federal court jury found Walters guilty in April 2017 of 10 criminal counts related to trading on insider information with stock in Dean Foods Co., which isn’t any longer in business. He was sentenced later that 12 months to 5 years in prison.
Walters’ sentence was commuted by then-President Donald Trump on his last day within the White House in Jan. 20, 2021.
The White House, in announcing that motion, said Walters’ commutation was supported by “quite a few skilled golfers, amongst them Mickelson.
