“Bribed the Handler”: Accused of Using Bizarre Tactics, Michael Jordan’s Gambling Addiction Knew No Bounds

Published 09/13/2023, 8:12 AM EDT

Michael Jordan apart from being arguably the greatest ball player was also a renowned gambler. There are enough anecdotes of Jordan putting a wager everywhere including dressing rooms, golf courses, and casinos. But a recent report shed light on the extent to which Michael Jordan was involved in the sport of betting and the rather bizarre tactics deployed by the Hall of Famer which might shock the basketball world.

One might assume that men with the greatest of will might never get involved in things that might cause them harm. But Michael Jordan whose unparalleled will won him six championships and ten scoring titles was addicted to trying his luck on the horses.

Michael Jordan the ultimate gambler

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Michael Jordan had a stellar career and placed himself at the top of the basketball hierarchy. But his career was not void of controversies. Eagle-eyed fans caught him in Atlantic City on the betting table a day before the second game of the Eastern Conference Finals. Gambling has caused a lot of trouble in the Jordan family as his father was brutally murdered over an unpaid gambling debt.

According to a recent report by Card Player, Sean Chaffin, “Jordan has a long-standing reputation as a gambler, and with a net worth estimated at $2 billion, the bets can get big. The DraftKings investor has been known for huge wagers on everything from the golf course to the casino. When he played in the NBA, his teammates on the Chicago Bulls said he would go so far as to bet on which of their suitcases would come out of baggage claim first, not realizing he had bribed the handler to put his bags at the front of the line”.

Michael Jordan used to deploy unfair tactics in order to win against his very own teammates. That included paying money to the handler to put his suitcase in front of the line so as to he could win the bet against his teammates. It’s quite evident that MJ’s gambling addiction knew no bounds as he could have put his life on line to win a wager.

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Michael Jordan the extortionist

Michael Jordan once extorted a massive debt of $17,000 from his teammate Jack Haley. When Haley lost multiple card games against Jordan he got reminded by the man himself in order to pay him his due. Haley made it clear that he was not in possession of that kind of cash. Jordan reportedly lashed out at Jack asking him to pay his share of money.

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This just exemplifies Jordan’s willingness to hold people accountable and the love he had for gambling.

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Written by:

Aaditya is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports and has been following the game for a number of years. He is an avid fan of the NBA and follows what’s happening in the league on a daily basis. Having worked as an intern in the sports domain, his passion for writing arose from his fondness for the intricacies of the game.

Edited by:

Saumya Khanduja

“Bribed the Handler”: Accused of Using Bizarre Tactics, Michael Jordan’s Gambling Addiction Knew No Bounds

Michael Jordan the ultimate gambler

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Michael Jordan the extortionist