Phil Mickelson's Gambling Losses Revealed: $40 Million in 4 Years

Phil Mickelson, the renowned golfer, has been revealed to have lost over $40 million in gambling over a four-year period from 2010 to 2014. This information comes from a forthcoming biography by Alan Shipnuck, titled ‘Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar.’

During his prime earning years, Mickelson's annual income was estimated at $40 million. However, after accounting for taxes and various expenses, including his plane, mansion(s), agent, caddie, pilots, chef, personal trainer, swing coaches, and other costs, he was left with about $10 million. This figure is significant because it is roughly how much Mickelson averaged in annual gambling losses, according to a government audit.

Mickelson's gambling issues are not new; he was named 122 times in the Billy Walters trial for insider trading. Walters, who was sentenced to five years in prison and later pardoned by Donald Trump, claimed that Mickelson owed him $2 million and was furious that Mickelson did not speak out in his defense. Mickelson had made $1 million from the insider trading deal that netted $43 million in total. Walters expressed his frustration, stating that prosecutors repeatedly mentioned him giving insider information to friends during the trial.