Almanac Golf: Phil Mickelson and Gambling Addiction
6x golf Major winner Phil Mickelson is a self-confessed gambling addict. It’s been a rumour for a while, but the release of excerpts from his former gambling partner (and convicted inside share trader) Billy Walters has added substance and spice to the story.
The summary of Walters’ claims is that Mickelson gambled more than US$1Billion over 3 decades – losing $100M. A heavy, regular action gambler making 3,154 bets in 2011 with one day of 43 bets where he lost $143,500.
I care about the story because to some extent Phil’s story was my story (except with a lot less zeros and – for a time – a lot more personal cost). Beyond my own experience I’ve heard the stories of hundreds of people – young and old; smart and strugglers; formerly rich or always poor. Gambling is an equal opportunity addiction with no respect for class, race, intelligence or gender. Men tend to be sports and racing gamblers. Women more with pokies/slots. Casinos attract both genders. Australia has the highest per capita gambling losses in the world.
I care about Phil’s story because it gives prominence to a largely hidden epidemic. Drug and alcohol addictions sooner or later become obvious or public. You fall down. You act stupid. You don’t turn up for work or events. People notice.
Heavy regular compulsive gambling is a double life – a secret identity concealed from family, friends, employers – people whose regard is important to you. Compulsive gamblers are compulsive liars.
The reasons why gambling is addictive are multi-faceted. It can be escape (from trauma or stress – unlikely in Phil’s case); ego (the belief you are specially skilled or gifted – a Phil trait); dopamine (the feel good brain chemical – who doesn’t want more); adrenaline – the excitement brain chemical (risk takers and athletes like to be constantly on the edge).
The chase becomes addictive when we value the feeling over the result. In our mind the wins will go on forever. Losses are temporary obstacles to be overcome in the chase for wins (or at least for dopamine/adrenaline kicks). We have an accelerator – but no brake – so we never stop. Being ahead means more wins are inevitable. Being behind is a humiliation we can only hide with more gambling – in the forlorn hope of “the big wins”. It’s a sad, circular. regressive process of a dog chasing the mirage it thinks is it’s tail.
“A man takes a bet; a bet takes a bet; a bet takes a man.”
Phil is the one in a thousand compulsive gambler whose losses were less than their external income. When you have $250M+ what is a $100M loss between friends? The Australian comparison is the billionaire media tycoon the late Kerry Packer who won and lost tens of millions in a day on racetracks and casinos. Packer said “betting is like a disease, which is not understood by those who do not have it.” Ironic that Packer was a keen golfer who built his own private course and bankrolled Jack Nicklaus to play the Australian Open for years. His World Series Cricket popularised and privatised the traditional game which in part led to gambling scandals that later disgraced the South African and Pakistan national teams.
So if Phil could “afford” to drop huge sums – why does it matter? Most of the conversation has been around whether he bet on golf and if that could corrupt results. Important for the credibility and stewards of the game. But their big money games for ownership and sponsorship dollars have long corrupted their moral compass. Arab oil or US hedge fund money – pick your poison?
Royalties from corporate bookies is their new rivers of gold. Corrupting the sport’s integrity is just a cost of doing business – as it has been in European football, tennis, basketball and most major competitions.
Phil’s unique ability to pay his monstrous gambling debts hides the reality for the 99.9% of addicts. “Gambling is an emotional disease with financial consequences – most people think it’s the other way round”. The secrecy; the lies; the constant stress of action, losing and hiding – makes most gamblers bad spouses and partners – bad friends – bad employees. Unreliable and rarely productive.
Phil seems to have had the indomitable ego like Tiger or Christiano Ronaldo or Michael Jordan – where their personal problems never intruded on their athletic performance. They could compartmentalise to a fault. Even if later life Tiger and MJ seem kinder, humbler, more rounded human beings who accept that even they have their limits and flaws.
Phil’s marriage is his own business, but most of us want a partner who shares our hopes and dreams; our triumphs and struggles. You can’t do that with someone leading a double life. Which is where most of the pain of gambling addiction is felt – in the partners. families and employers betrayed. Only a mogul can buy off the pain and move on in their life or to new relationships. People are not possessions – to be written off as bad debts or offered new franchise opportunities. Hearts are broken and lives destroyed.
I’ve known hundreds of gambling addicts over my own recovery journey. Heard their stories. Shared their misery and humiliation. Watched their painful journey back to an honest, productive life. Attended their funerals. Even more painfully – counselled the incredulous families whose first awareness of the reality of the problem is eviction notices or court rooms.
That is why I can’t accept Phil’s on-brand 3 line platitudes of “been very open about my gambling addiction. I have previously conveyed my remorse, took responsibility, have gotten help, have been fully committed to therapy.”
Really – no acknowledgement of the impact on family and others? No acknowledgement that his behaviour and lifestyle would be incredibly dangerous and destructive to most? What is he a role model for – the egotistical man-child brat who grows old but never up? Who gains material things but never wisdom?
The real role model in professional golf is Chris Kirk who shared the long dark journey of the soul in his battle with alcohol. He was open, honest and continues to work his recovery. He is now a great dad and a family man. He doesn’t celebrate or labour the point about his addiction. But he was open and is humble about his recovery. And he’s a winner and ongoing serious competitor on the PGA Tour.
Chris Kirk is a champion person. role model and 4x PGA Tour champion golfer. He works his recovery to become a better person less vulnerable to addiction relapse.
Phil Mickelson is a 45x PGA Tour champion and 6x Major winner and a marketing brand. He apparently no longer bets large amounts – but we have no indication that he is a changed man.
Imagine the families and gamblers he could help if he was and if he acknowledged the pain, hurt and waste of his gambling in genuine, human terms.
*If you or someone you know is experiencing gambling harm the best help available is Gamblers Anonymous. Details of meetings and helplines can be found at www.gaaustralia.org.au or www.gamblersanonymous.org (international).
More from Peter Baulderstone can be read Here
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About Peter Baulderstone
Wow. Thank you for your honesty and insight
Thanks Peter
From a bloke whose own father lost our family’s financial security when I was a young child, I can relate to the deep, deep emotional damage and insecurities that the consequences of gambling does to to a family.
The circumstances in which/why this occurred I was unaware of until relatively recently. i knew a couple of shady details, however it was only in the last 4 or 5 years that I have been able to put all of the pieces together.
It is truly devastating.
Beyond words.
Thanks again for your heartfelt and insightful piece,
Regards
Frank
Interesting article PB.
I have known lots of addicted gamblers and alcoholics, most of whom denied their condition and lived a selfish, dysfunctional lifestyle.
With addicted gamblers I never met any one who accounted for their wins, losses and tallied them up.
I told them to view gambling as a business and approach it the way betting companies and casinos do.
Account for all bets.
Stop when you lose, no ifs and buts, shoulds and coulds
This is gambling responsibly but the betting companies, casinos and politicians don’t want to tell you this.
Andrew Willkie might.
Why haven’t Governments banned betting advertisements?l
Probably because they rely on and have become addicted to the soft betting tax.
Look at Victoria where Dan Andrews and his Government have racked up massive debts but when questioned about it fobs off and evades questions.
An example of spending addiction and he will leave a legacy of massive debt whien he departs,
with a generous parliamentary pension and superannuation and a statue.
The arrogance he shows is breathtaking helped by an incompetent opposition.
It’s the same as at the Federal level.
Why hasn’t Albanese and his Government banned betting advertisements?
It’s all NATO : No Action talk only.
Once again the Opposition is useless.
How can an ex Queensland drug squad detective under the Bjelke Peterson regime with a deputy who
has a mouth like a horse be electable. Giddy up.
Thanks PB for your personal and wider insights. I learnt much from this. Appreciate it.
PB incredibly honest and you absolutely nailed it from someone who hasn’t had a drink for over 10 years until you stop bullshitting yourself and actually be honest can any attempt at recovery and improving your life happen and yes we ignore the pain we cause our family something I am v v guilty of and will always regret
Thank you