When Michael Jordan admitted repaying gambling losses to ex-wife Juanita Vanoy: “I’m sorry for the embarrassment, I’m sorry for what I have caused”
Michael Jordan is known as one of the most competitive athletes ever. However, sometimes his competitiveness got the better of him. While it was a catalyst in his leading the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles, it negatively affected his life in other areas.
Almost everyone knows that Michael Jordan struggled with gambling during his playing days. Some even believe his first retirement was a secret suspension from then-commissioner David Stern.
During an interview with Connie Chung in 1993, MJ talked about the toll gambling took on his personal life, most notably, its impact on his marriage with ex- wife Juanita Vanoy. Even when running up enormous debts, he always ensured the money was returned to his wife.
"Whatever I lost, I've always given it back to my wife. Whatever check I make, 'Here honey. I'm sorry for the embarrassment, I'm sorry for what I've caused for losing this amount of money, take it and do what you what you have to do with it.'"
Jordan may have always settled things with his wife, but it clearly had a lasting impact. The two married in 1989 but decided to go their separate ways in 2006.
Michael Jordan once lost big money in Las Vegas
On the basketball court, Michael Jordan was unstoppable. At his peak, nobody in the NBA could come close to going toe-to-toe with the Chicago Bulls.
Unfortunately for Jordan, he did not always have the same success when it came to gambling. To make matters worse, he struggled to simply walk away from things. His competitive fire ran deep and extended far beyond basketball.
There was one instance when the six-time Finals MVP went to Las Vegas and lost a massive amount of money in one sitting. While playing craps, the NBA icon coughed up five million dollars.
1. Michael Jordan
The @NBA GOAT is a true gambler, betting his friends as much as 100k in paper, scissors, rock. He also reportedly lost $5 million in a single craps session. But don’t feel too bad for MJ, he’s worth in excess of USD$1.6B. @Jumpman23 https://t.co/3AFutcfxMN
One thing in Jordan's favor is that he has a successful career outside of his sport. If not for his billion-dollar ventures and endorsements, his gambling habits could have done him in.
Nowadays, it seems as though Michael Jordan has put his gambling habits behind him. It's been some time since a story like this has come out.
Even though he always made sure to get the money back to his wife, there is no denying that gambling strained Jordan's marriage. While many see him as a perfect athlete and role model, the Bulls legend certainly had his vices.