Charles Barkley has been an avid golfer for decades, but the Hall of Fame forward isn’t known for having the smoothest swing. Chuck recently entered the American Century Championship, a celebrity golf tournament in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada, as the perennial underdog, yet the Suns legend still boasted the utmost confidence in himself. With staggering 7500-1 odds to win, it’s obvious no one believes in Barkley’s chances but himself.
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Veteran sportscaster Dan Patrick informed Chuck that he has the worst odds to win, but both men agreed that the Round Mound of Rebound would at least finish better than he was projected.
Barkley defended himself by pointing out that he achieved a personal best last year by finishing 58th, ahead of about 30 other players. But for this year’s event, sportsbooks set the over/under on his final position at 65.5. Clearly, doubts about his performance still linger.
When Patrick asked how much Barkley planned to bet on himself, Chuck explained that tournament rules prohibit it. Chuck said he doesn’t understand the stipulation, then vented about trying to place a sizable bet on himself last year, only to have it rejected.
“Well, last year I wanted to bet $500,000 … I placed the bet, and then they tell me I can’t do it,” Barkley shared. “They say it’s illegal for me to bet on myself. Which is total BS, I might add.” Barkley joked around as he continued, “I guess they knew I was gonna win. But they told me it’s illegal to bet on yourself. I’m like, ‘If I bet myself to lose, that would be illegal.'”
There’s another reason Barkley’s bet simply couldn’t be allowed through. If the former NBA MVP somehow defied all odds and won the tournament and his $500,000 bet at 7500-1 odds, he’d see nearly $4 billion payout, a tab the sportsbooks simply couldn’t cover. Still, the Alabama native has never shied away from high-stakes gambling, as he’s proven time and again.
Charles Barkley has gambled away millions
Charles Barkley has a deep love for golf, but his passion for gambling might run even deeper. He enjoys every aspect of it, from the thrill of the action to the rush of excitement. But most of all, he loves the potential to win big. In recent years, though, Barkley has changed his gambling philosophy.
“I’m not trying to win a lot. I’m just trying to win,” Chuck told Graham Bensinger in a 2016 interview. “I’ve won a million dollars probably four or fives times … in a single day. But I’ve lost a lot more millions in a single day … at least 10 to 15, somewhere in there … I can’t get an exact number ’cause we’re going back to the ’80s.”
Now, Barkley is seemingly prioritizing risk management when he gambles. Unless it’s a bet on himself, of course. Even with his newfound gambling strategy, Sir Charles can’t help but try to put his money where his mouth is.
