Michael Jordan is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in world sport. An NBA icon, six-time champion, two-time Olympic champion, and a living legend. Yet behind this dazzling image lies a dark side: an intense, even uncontrollable passion for gambling. But how far did this obsession go? And did it play a role in his mysterious disappearance from the NBA in 1993?
Betting that dates back to his teenage years
Jordan’s taste for risk did not begin in the palaces of Las Vegas. He started betting in high school, particularly on golf, his favourite sport outside of basketball. In 1982, a simple $5 cheque, lost in a bet, resurfaced years later at an auction, as an early symbol of a behaviour that would only grow.
Jordan wasn’t looking for relaxation on the golf course. He saw it as an arena parallel to the basketball court. In 1991, he gave a cheque for $57,000 to a man named Slim Bowler, supposedly for a loan. The problem was that Bowler was involved in drug trafficking. Tried for money laundering, he ended up in prison. That was just the beginning.
Two years later, Richard Esquinas, Jordan’s regular golfing partner, published a book entitled Michael and Me: Our Gambling Addiction, My Cry for Help. In it, he claimed that Jordan owed him $1.25 million. The dispute ended with an out-of-court settlement of $300,000. Jordan denied any addiction, claiming that he had always been in control. But the evidence was mounting.
Competition at all costs
One of his former teammates, Will Perdue, recalls that Jordan had no limits. While some players bet a symbolic dollar, Jordan wagered thousands of dollars against members of his entourage. When asked why he wanted to join a low-stakes table, he replied coldly:
“Because I want to say I’ve got your money in my pocket.”
This need for domination extended to all areas of his life. During a dinner at a teammate’s house, Jordan played cards with the teammate’s mother… and tried to cheat while she was away for a moment. Nothing could stop him.
Even MTV host Lisa Kennedy reveals that in 1995, Jordan tried to propose a bet to her: a game of dice. If he won, she had to spend the night with him. She won the bet by betting tickets to a Knicks game.
The Atlantic City scandal
May 1993. The Bulls are trailing 0-2 against the Knicks in the conference finals. The press is focused on one topic: Jordan’s night at the Atlantic City casino the night before Game 2. He claims to have rented a limousine with his father to unwind and to have returned home before 1 a.m. Technically, he hadn’t broken any rules.
The matter could have ended there. But in an already tense atmosphere, the trip caused a stir. A few months later, Jordan took everyone by surprise when he announced his retirement. He was only 30 years old.
Sudden retirement, his father’s death and suspicions
Officially, Michael Jordan cited mental exhaustion. But many wondered: was there more to this decision? The murder of his father in July 1993 fuelled speculation. James Jordan was found dead, shot to death. The investigation found no direct link to gambling. But for some journalists, such as Mark Wicker, the coincidence was troubling:
“The father was murdered. The son has gambling debts. Coincidence?”
Rumours of a secret NBA suspension circulated. David Stern, then commissioner, strongly denied it. But Jordan’s statement upon his retirement fuelled doubt:
“I’ll come back if David Stern lets me.”
Two years later, he was back. He won three more titles and became a global brand. But he never really gave up gambling.
Addicted to gambling… or just addicted to winning?
Michael Jordan never denied gambling. He always said he could stop if he wanted to. And he seemed convinced that addiction meant losing control. But for him, nothing was out of control. He even said he always paid back his losses to his wife, acknowledging a sense of guilt without ever stopping.
“I know what I’m doing. But if I feel I’ve done something that has embarrassed the family, I want to correct it, but yet I want to move on from it, too, as well.”
So, was he really addicted to gambling? Or rather to what it represented: rivalry, adrenaline, victory? For Jordan, betting was perhaps a natural extension of his competitive personality. Another playground.