Phil Mickelson has wagered more than $1 billion over the last three decades and wanted to place a $400,000 bet on the 2012 Ryder Cup while playing for the United States, according to a much-anticipated book by renowned gambler Billy Walters.
The 53-year-old Mickelson, a World Golf Hall of Fame member, denied ever betting on the Ryder Cup.
“While it is well known that I always enjoy a friendly wager on the course, I would never undermine the integrity of the game,” Mickelson said in a statement released Thursday.
The stunning betting estimates Walters provides — from his own detailed record and from what he describes as two reliable sources — are detailed in an excerpt of “Gambler: Secrets from a Life of Risk.” The book is scheduled to be available on Aug. 22. The Fire Pit Collective obtained the excerpt.
Walters is widely regarded as America’s most famous gambler and claims to have a winning streak of more than 30 straight years.