May
02
John Daly confesses to losing $50-$60 million gambling, decides solution's more gambling
John Daly is becoming less and less the lovable character and more the screwed up moron every day. The latest is Daly writing in his new book that he lost between $50 and $60 million gambling in the last 12 years, according to the Associated Press.
Fifty or sixty … who hasn’t lost track of $10 million here or there.
Daly’s already wasted more talent than any athlete since Mickey Mantle and made the worst reality TV show since Anna Nicole Smith (no small double). But at least he has an excuse for blowing that three-foot playoff putt against Tiger Woods at Harding Park last October now.
It turns out Daly may have just wanted to get on the road. He writes that he went straight from Harding to Las Vegas and lost $600,000 within his first half hour on The Strip. By two hours, the total was up to $1.2 million.
But never fear Long John has a plan.
He says that he’s going to play the $25 slots instead of the $5,000 slots he loves.
“If I make a little bit, then maybe I move up to the $100 slots or the $500 slots, or maybe I take it to the blackjjack table,” he wrote. “It’s their money. Why not give it a shot, try to double it? And if I make a lot, I can …
“Well, that’s my plan.”
And it’s one that is sure to make the Mensa Society call. For what addict doesn’t break their fix with moderation and escalation? Moderation until you win. Then, go crazy again.
That should be easy for Daly to stick with.
Can you just picture running into a wizened, stooped over 85-year-old John Daly playing the penny slots at one of those off Strip “bargain” casinos?
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22 comments
Comment from: Mike [Visitor]
IM with you on this one Chris(That doesn't happen often) but this guy is getting to be more of a joke everyday.
2006-05-02 @ 07:50
Comment from: golfscribe [Visitor]
Chris, like Mike, I rarely agree with you but you're spot on here. When he is on, John Daly is every bit as good as anyone else on Tour, and he has as much natural talent as anyone on Tour - Tiger included. And he's a darn sight more entertaining.
He's also just .... sad. Terrifically, woefully and catastrophically sad. So many people care about him and what he's doing to his life and have tried to help him, but his demons are so entrenched that he's turned away from every single one of them - including Ely Callaway. As an adult, he has the right to destroy his life. What he doesn't have is the right to destroy someone else's, which is exactly what he's doing to John Jr.
I'm a Christian, and I honestly believe that the only thing that can save JD from a horrible ending is prayer and Christ. I don't mean to preach, but that's the only chance he has at this point.
John's life will make an unbelievable movie, but, as things stand now, there won't be a happy ending - for anyone involved.
He's also just .... sad. Terrifically, woefully and catastrophically sad. So many people care about him and what he's doing to his life and have tried to help him, but his demons are so entrenched that he's turned away from every single one of them - including Ely Callaway. As an adult, he has the right to destroy his life. What he doesn't have is the right to destroy someone else's, which is exactly what he's doing to John Jr.
I'm a Christian, and I honestly believe that the only thing that can save JD from a horrible ending is prayer and Christ. I don't mean to preach, but that's the only chance he has at this point.
John's life will make an unbelievable movie, but, as things stand now, there won't be a happy ending - for anyone involved.
2006-05-02 @ 12:14
Chris, With the PGA Tour so "perfect" John Daly has always been a breath of fresh air. He's flawed, just like all of us. But with this gambling revelation, it just seems to me that Big John continues to disappoint. Like Dwight Gooden, Steve Howe and others, John Daly's addiction is his own worst enemy. If he can't get out of his own way, he'll never be successful. Sad to see him go through this in such a public way.
2006-05-02 @ 12:59
Comment from: JOHN M [Visitor]
what a f-ing idiot. No respect for you Daly. Go have another beer too you fat ass! You are a black mark on the game. No child should look at you as a role model.
2006-05-02 @ 17:14
JOHN M, You've got to cut Big John at least a little slack. Being addicted to gambling is at least as bad as addiction to narcotics, and may be even worse. Some terrific people have become victims of gambling addiction. Recently an exceptional student at Lehigh University, the president of his class, became so in debt and out of control over internet gambling that he actually robbed a bank. John's well-publicized case of beer a day is also way over the top. The mystifying part is the John is a very intelligent guy, a good student at U. of Arkansas. I guess he is proof that it can happen to anyone. He just has too many bad habits along with a penchant for whirlwind marriages.
2006-05-02 @ 17:43
Comment from: One-Putt [Visitor]
John gets no sympathy from me, he is a child that never grew up into an adult.
I wouldn't call his behavior over all these years the actions of "a very intelligent guy".
But he is the favorite of the NASCAR crowd.
I wouldn't call his behavior over all these years the actions of "a very intelligent guy".
But he is the favorite of the NASCAR crowd.
2006-05-03 @ 05:21
Comment from: sam [Visitor]
daly's case reminds me of another sporting great from adifferent field , who achieved the status of achampion , and , the, the world got to see his tragic and sorry decline . you got it , i am speaking of maradona. yet , i think , we should be more sympathetic of our champion's transgressions , and , give them the benefit of being human.
2006-05-03 @ 05:52
One-Putt, Of course John's actions are not those of an intelligent person. Remember Art Schlichter? Star Ohio State quarterback and high draft choice of the Baltimore Colts? He was a National Honor Society student in high school, most likely to succeed, BMOC, etc. He became addicted to gambling, sqandered his signing bonus in a few months, and has spent the better part of the last 20 years in various prisons for crimes such as robbery, fraud, and larceny by trick. Leonard Tose, a mega-millionaire businessman and owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, lost tens of millions gambling, then tried to sue the Sands casino in Atlantic City, saying they got him drunk before his staggering losses. He lost the case, naturally and was ordered to pay the $14M he owed the Sands. He was 65 years old at the time. He sold the Eagles at a bargain basement price along with everything else he owned to pay up. He died penniless a few years ago. That is the fate that will be Big John's if he doesn't quit gambling completely. The very fact that he talks about ONLY playing the $25 slots and then moving up to the bigger denominations shows that he hasn't even started any recovery. This insidious addiction doesn't have a thing to do with intelligence. Besides those that I have mentioned, perhaps the best known compulsive gambler was Fyodor Dostoyevsky. He once lost all his money as well as his coat and his SHOES on a gamblig spree in Baden-Baden. His short story "The Gambler" was thought to be autobiographical.
2006-05-03 @ 08:28
Comment from: Patrick Gallagher [Visitor]
John's a nice guy and a good golfer. He's also a hillbilly who probably doesn't care if he dies broke, and all of the better than thou angst ridden analyzations of his behavior won't change that.
2006-05-03 @ 10:36
Pat G, A common result of years of compulsive gambling is suicide by gunshot. I think that we should all hope that even if John dies broke it won't be by his own hand. For the most part, compulsive gamblers are powerless to quit without intervention. Such folks really don't care if they win or lose, what they crave is the action, the rush. As I said before, compulsive gambling is as bad if not worse than addiction to narcotics. It's a psychological disease and near impossible to cure completely.
2006-05-03 @ 12:35
Comment from: Simon [Visitor]
I never get the idea that we like someone such as Daly because he has 'flaws, just like the rest of us'. I dont know about everyone else but my flaws are biting my nails and other such trivial things, not gambling away more than the 'ordinary man' will earn in a lifetime. If Daly was regretful and showed some intention to quit I could understand. But to come out and announce how much and then say you will continue is disrespectful to people who work their guts out just to get by in life. John Daly is not a man of the people, contrary to popular belief. He is a compulsive addict, to drink, food and gambling amongst others. He seems to attract trouble, which is surely not a coincidence after so many times. Yet people still feel some sort of connection with him! It is baffling.
2006-05-04 @ 19:43
Simon, John Daly is an obsessive compulsive gambling addict. He cannot just quit gambling cold turkey. What parts of obsession, compulsion, and addiction don't you understand? I respectfully suggest that you read some of the material that has been clinically written about the subject. The amount of such material is quite extensive.
2006-05-05 @ 09:33
Chris, When asked about his play at the $5K slots, John said he had never even seen a slot machine of that denomination. And for good reason. A $5k slot machine does not exist anywhere in Nevada, Atlantic City, Tunica or the Indian casinos, It's a good thing too, although it's possible, even highly likely to lose that much on the $25 slots. On the $500 slots, one could lose the gross national product of a good-sized country. $500 is currently the largest denomination slot machine, even in the high limit private salons of the Bellagio, Venetian,and the Borgata in AC.
2006-05-05 @ 10:38
Comment from: joe [Visitor]
i've just got one thing to say, he made it to the grandest stage in golf and won, more than once. also he had 50 or 60 million to lose. how the hell can you compare to any of these accomplishments. articles like this are whats wrong with america.
2007-07-18 @ 19:57
Comment from: Brad [Visitor] 
John,
I am a dealer in Las Vegas, any time you want to gamble gimme a call, we will gamble, I will at least show you the best bets, and you can pay me back with some help on my golf swing.
I am a dealer in Las Vegas, any time you want to gamble gimme a call, we will gamble, I will at least show you the best bets, and you can pay me back with some help on my golf swing.
2007-08-10 @ 08:23
Comment from: kin [Visitor]
It is only the start,John is a nice guy and a good golfer.I wish him luck.
2008-12-30 @ 08:22
Comment from: Dave [Visitor]
Terrifically sad. So many people care about him and what he's doing to his life and have tried to help him.
2009-03-05 @ 08:23
Comment from: Mike [Visitor]
I think he should start to focus more on golf not on playing slots
2009-04-27 @ 10:30
Comment from: Noam [Visitor]
I am shocked how stupid one can be. he could feed millions of people who live from 5 dollar a day
2009-05-01 @ 12:22
Comment from: Tom [Visitor]
The penny slots at 85? Are you joking? He won't make another five years at this pace.
Maybe if all the hillbilly fans who are in the same boat ignore him he might hit bottom and change before he dies! I can only compare these so called fans to the whacko's who send marriage proposals to serial killers!
Maybe if all the hillbilly fans who are in the same boat ignore him he might hit bottom and change before he dies! I can only compare these so called fans to the whacko's who send marriage proposals to serial killers!
2009-06-14 @ 20:32
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