Charles Barkley’s Gambling Habits
Charles Barkley – the man who has come in for a lot of criticism due to his notorious gambling habits. While the media took their sweet time roasting him, people failed to realize that he’s facing a far deeper problem than a mere midlife crisis. Barkley couldn’t have described his relationship with gambling better saying on record that he acknowledges it being a bad habit but has no intention of putting an end to his self-destructive casino raids. By ‘destructive’ we mean destructive! It’s true that he’s a man of means with money to burn, but boy did he know how to take the plunge. And so, oftentimes he would get the short end of the stick.
And we are talking millions here. After all, Charles Barkley is a high-stakes regular at the best gambling sites. In a sincere talk with Graham Bensinger, the former basketball player admits that he had an appetite not only for good food but big winnings too. He would sit at the table with the goal to win at least a million and would continue playing until that objective is accomplished. Luckily, he put down to experience the many times he went broke by going on a 2-year break to rethinking his approach to gambling. He came back a new man, but unfortunately Charles Barkley’s Vegas debt is still brought up on occasions today.
Charles Barkley Vegas Debt
Some go in for sports, others become plungers. With Charles Barkley’s gambling habits, we can safely say, he’s done both very successfully. At some point he jumped in at the deep end, taking $400, 000 in credit at The Wynn and failed to return the money in time. That’s old news now since the resort filed a civil complaint in May 2008. Later that year, the now NBA commentator and pundit Barkley, paid the $400, 000 plus the attorney and court costs.
A little reluctant to pay the attorney fee at first, he eventually paid the $40, 000, being threatened with criminal prosecution. The logical question to ask is how did Charles Barkley’s gambling debt got out of hand? Well, the casino claimed to have staked him four casino markers, $100, 000 each, which weren’t paid back in time. The ex-NBA pro admits to it: “I screwed up and didn’t pay them in a significant amount of time”
Biggest Charles Barkley Gambling Loss
A day doesn’t pass without him seeing a Shaquille O’Neal TV commercial he says, but it’s clear as daylight that Charles Barkley has bigger problems than silly ad campaigns. He’s never shied away from telling a personal story to the public or express his opinion on record. It seems like every time he makes a TV appearance, he’s egged on to tell about his biggest gambling losses. Rightly so. Charles Barkley’s Vegas debt may have been something that developed in just two days, but the underlying cause for his, dare we say addiction, is rooted in much deeper and costs him a lot each year. The next list is not for the faint of heart; it seems as though, Charles Barkley is bleeding out a ton of money to his ‘hobby’. It’s a most worrying progression, that even a wealthy person like Barkley should take notice of:
- in 2006 he claims in front of ESPN that his gambling losses encroach on the $10 mil. mark.
- In an interview with Graham Bensinger, the year 2016, the 6ft 6′ claims to have lost a million 10-20 times.
- In recent times, some estimate his total losses at $30 million. Even Barkley has lost the count.
Charles Barkley’s Position on Sports Betting Legalisation
Charles Barkley’s opinion on sports betting legalisation is plain and simple. He’s not convinced that the new laws will drive the masses to gamble just because this type of activity will be made legal. He insists that the new reforms won’t make much of a difference to those who aren’t familiar with the best sports betting sites. It sounds logical when you think about it, as long as the operators respect certain norms for advertising.
Barkley is a proponent of the new gambling legislation in the sense that he thinks they will make it more straightforward for the seasoned punters to find a place where to bet. He goes on to say that it’s ‘ridiculous’ to think that legalising gambling could spur a wave of problem bettors who had got a newfound liking for the endeavour just because it got legalised. In an interview with Dan Patrick, Charles Barkley expressed his doubts by saying:
“The notion that you have to go to Vegas and bet on sports is silly. It should have been legal a long time ago”
To Sum Up
We are not expected to believe everything that comes out of the mouth of sports celebrities, right? But when it comes from the mouth of a cheeky showman with deep pockets, it really lends credence to stories about gambling feats. If nothing else, the takeaway point from this story is that betting should be done in moderation. All the reasons for that take a while to sink in, so we’d recommend you stay on the site and read an article or two about the best online casinos for US players. To help you wart your head around the subject, we can recommend you a tailored beginner’s guide to online caisnos.
