Phil Mickelson says he isn’t betting on soccer this season

Six-time main champion Phil Mickelson mentioned he is not wagering on soccer video games this season as he continues to recuperate from a playing dependancy.

Mickelson’s statement on social media Monday comes a couple of month after skilled gambler Billy Walters alleged in a e book that Mickelson guess greater than $1 billion on soccer, basketball and baseball over the previous 30 years.

“Most of you’ll get pleasure from this soccer season with moderation whereas having plenty of enjoyable and leisure,” Mickelson wrote. “The fantasy leagues will present banter amongst mates and cash received or misplaced betting will not have an effect on you. I will not be betting this yr as a result of I crossed the road of moderation and into dependancy which is not any enjoyable in any respect.

“The cash wasn’t ever the difficulty since our monetary safety has by no means been threatened, however I used to be so distracted I wasn’t capable of be current with those I really like and induced lots of hurt. This lack of presence has been so hurtful.”

Mickelson, 53, mentioned that all through his playing dependancy he has been informed, “You are right here however you are not with us.”

“It affected these I care about in methods I wasn’t conscious or might totally perceive,” Mickelson wrote. “It is like a hurricane is happening exterior and I am remoted in a shelter oblivious to what was taking place. Once I got here on the market was a lot harm to scrub up that I simply wished to return inside and never take care of it.”

Within the e book, “Gambler: Secrets and techniques from a Lifetime of Threat,” Walters alleged that Mickelson made 858 wagers of $220,000 and 1,115 bets of $110,000 from 2010 to 2014. Walters estimated that Mickelson misplaced about $100 million whereas betting greater than $1 billion over the previous three many years.

Walters additionally alleged that Mickelson tried to put a $400,000 wager on Group USA within the 2012 Ryder Cup through which he was competing. Mickelson denied attempting to guess on the Ryder Cup.

Based on Walters’ e book, he met Mickelson on the 2006 AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am. The 2 shaped a betting partnership in 2008, which gave Walters entry to offshore sportsbook accounts Mickelson used to put massive wagers.

Walters and Mickelson stopped their partnership in spring 2014, when it was revealed that federal authorities had been trying right into a sequence of inventory trades they every had made. They’d a falling-out after Mickelson refused to testify on Walters’ behalf in an ensuing insider buying and selling case towards Walters. In April 2017, Walters was convicted on costs of conspiracy, securities fraud and wire fraud and sentenced to 5 years in federal jail. His sentence was finally commuted by then-President Donald Trump.

“In the event you ever cross the road of moderation and enter into dependancy, hopefully you will not confuse your enablers as mates like I did,” Mickelson mentioned. “Hopefully you will not need to take care of these troublesome moments publicly so others can revenue off you want I’ve.” Mickelson credited his spouse, Amy, with serving to him tackle his dependancy. He wrote that he has acquired skilled assist for a few years.

“She has beloved me and supported me by my darkest and most troublesome occasions,” Mickelson wrote. “I could not have gotten by this with out her. I am so grateful for her power in serving to us get by the numerous challenges I’ve created for us. Due to her love, help, and dedication, I am again on observe to being the particular person I need to be.”

ESPN workers author David Purdum contributed to this report.