If you have seen the recent hit Netflix and ESPN documentary series by the name of ‘The Last Dance’, you will be aware of the scandal that once surrounded Michael Jordan as a result of his purported gambling habit. In episode six of the series, the full extent of Jordan’s habit was exposed by those closest to him at the time. While admitting his love for an occasional big-money bet or wager among friends and playing at bestaustraliaonlinecasino.com, Jordan denies that his gambling was ever more than just a bit of fun. This claim is counteracted by several people, including one of his golf buddies at the time, who claim that the man who is widely looked upon as the greatest player ever spent a few years nursing a gambling addiction.
In this article, we will try to clear the water somewhat and tot up exactly how much Jordan may have lost when gambling down the years.
Jordan’s Gambling Habit Emerges
Up until 1993, Michael Jordan had a reputation in the sporting world as one of the most clean-living athletes on the planet. Indeed, it was this reputation that saw him pick up a bewildering array of lucrative sponsors, including the famed deal with Nike.
In the middle of the 1993 season, Jordan’s gambling habit became the center of media furor when the star was caught gambling big money at a casino before the match against the Knicks. The scandal only cleared when the Bulls won their famous first three-peat.
Rumors of Big Loses
The media’s “discovery” of Jordan’s gambling habit sparked further rumors of big losses on his part. First, there was Jordan’s shady relationship with golf shop owner James ‘Slim’ Bouler, who was later convicted of cocaine dealing. When Bouler was arrested, a check made out to him for $57,000 from Jordan was found in his possession.
Following this, Richard Esquinas, a one-time golf partner of Jordan’s, came forward with claims that Jordan owed him at least $1.2 million in from golfing wagers and gambling debts. These accusations were denied by Jordan, while Esquinas later went on to write a book titled ‘Michael and Me’ about their concurrent struggles with gambling addictions. Many gamblers who still want to play go to sites like sbobet to find casinos that aren’t on gamstop.
Since then, Jordan has made a reputation for betting on all kinds of things, including poker, craps, and even whose luggage would emerge first among his friends at the airport baggage reclaim.
All in all, it is pretty hard to come up with a true figure for how much the great man has lost on gambling down the years. While the amounts that Jordan is believed to have lost on gambling seem astronomical to us mere mortals, we must not forget that the NBA legend is not subject to the same kind of financial reality as the rest of us. Michael Jordan is the most successful sportsperson-turned-business-mogul ever, with a net worth of an astonishing $2.2 billion at the last count. At the end of the day, what is a few million to him, anyway?
