Phil Mickelson is one of the most successful players in the history of golf, having accumulated 51 professional wins, including six majors (three Masters, two PGA Championships and a British Open). However, the 53-year-old now finds himself back in the news for all the wrong reasons, all thanks to his former gambling partner, sports bettor Billy Walters.

Walters reveals Mickelson’s billion-dollar habit

Walters has spoken in his memoirs of Mickelson’s gambling habits and the incredible amounts of money the San Diego-native would wager on different sporting events. It has been suggested that “Lefty” had bet in the ballpark of $1 billion over the last three decades and had posted losses of around $100 million, according to the entrepreneur.

In 2011 alone, Walters alleges that Mickelson made 3,154 bets, an average of nine per day. On 22 June of that year, he laid 43 different bets on baseball matches, losing $143,000 in the space of just a few hours.

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“Lefty” saves $400,000 after 2012 Ryder Cup defeat

The gambler also claims he had to step in to prevent the World Golf Hall of Famer from betting on the 2012 Ryder Cup, which he was participating in. Mickelson had reportedly planned to put $400,000 on his United States team, which also included Tiger Woods, to defeat Europe. The US ultimately lost after a final-day collapse, with Mickelson losing his singles match to Justin Rose having won all three of his fourballs and foursomes ties alongside Keegan Bradley.

Mickelson and Walters ended their partnership in the spring of 2014 but, more than nine years later, the latter has now opted to make those eye-watering figures public knowledge. The golfer has admitted in the past that his gambling habits were “reckless and embarrassing”, although the numbers involved have still caught many by surprise.