Phil Mickelson admits he 'crossed the line' in becoming a gambling addict

2025-01-19 08:03:36 source: category:My

Golfer Phil Mickelson says he won't be betting on football games this season as he addresses his gambling addiction and attempts to get "back on track to being the person I want to be.”

In a lengthy social media post Monday, the six-time major champion admitted that his gambling habits got out of control as he "crossed the line of moderation and into addiction."

As a result, he said he shut out his friends and family members, comparing the situation to being inside a shelter while a hurricane was hitting. "When I came out there was so much damage to clean up that I just wanted to go back inside and not deal with it," Mickelson wrote.

Mickelson's public admission of his gambling addiction comes a month after professional gambler Billy Walters alleged in a new book that Mickelson wagered more than $1 billion on different sports over the last three decades and racked up more than $100 million in losses.

Mickelson, who has over $100 million in career earnings during his 30-plus years as a pro golfer, in addition to an estimated seven times more in endorsements and other businesses, says his financial security "was never threatened" by his gambling, but he "was so distracted I wasn’t able to be present with the ones I love and caused a lot of harm."

Mickelson, 53, credited his wife Amy for standing by him in his attempts to get his life back on track.

He concluded with a word of advice to would-be gamblers this football season: "In my experience, the moments with the ones you love will be far more remembered than any bet you win or fantasy league triumph."

More:My

Recommend

Seattle man faces 5 assault charges in random sidewalk stabbings

SEATTLE (AP) — A 37-year-old Seattle man was charged Thursday with five counts of assault in the ran

Sheriff says Alabama family’s pet ‘wolf-hybrid’ killed their 3-month-old boy

CHELSEA, Ala. (AP) — A 3-month-old boy was killed as his parents tried to rescue the baby from the f

Earth is running a fever. And UN climate talks are focusing on the contagious effect on human health

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — With Planet Earth running a fever, U.N. climate talks focused Sun