Charles Barkley is one of the few media personalities who aren't shy about expressing their gambling habits. He has gained a reputation for being a gambling addict due to his openness to talk about the subject live on air. The former Phoenix Suns legend also never skips a beat when talking about how much money he's won and lost through gambling over the years.
Barkley's latest gamble was during the College Football Playoff title game between the Indiana Hoosiers and Miami Hurricanes, when he bet on the Hurricanes. Indiana would eventually capture their first National Championship after beating Miami, 27-21.
Speaking on The Dan Le Batard Show, Charles admitted he bet on Miami twice because of its tempting moneyline. The Hurricanes were +7.5 underdogs heading into the game against the unbeaten Hoosiers.
"They tricked me," Barkley said . "I made two bets, I went to the sports book, and I called my bookie, so I bet big twice, I got my ass kicked twice."
"I said, 'Man, the line should be closer because Miami's got a hell of a team and they're playing at home.' That's what I was thinking, so I just bet more and I lost more twice. The line tricked me," he added.
After explaining why he bet twice on Miami, host Dan Le Batard floated the idea that Charles was just a bad gambler. After all, Barkley has gone on record many times chronicling his failed bets. But Barkley was quick to insist that he's not, and that there's no such thing as a bad gambler.
"When I call my bookie, I bet. When I win, man, I took him right side. When I lose, I took the wrong side. That's gambling, brother," said Barkley.
While Barkley says he's not a bad gambler, history says otherwise. Barkley has admitted in the past that he has lost amounts ranging from $2 million to a staggering $10 million from gambling. But for the NBA legend, who earned approximately $43 million during his 16-year career in the league and signed countless endorsement deals afterward, he has earned the right to lose his money .
Barkley has admitted in the past that technically, he has a gambling issue, but he still doesn't consider it a problem because he can afford his losses, unlike many people. This led to criticism of Barkley, who went live on air during TNT's NBA playoff coverage to address the concern and hate.
"I'm going to continue gambling. I like to gamble. It's really nobody's business, because it's my own money, I earned it, he said .
Today, Barkley still enjoys gambling and has even been at the forefront of Inside the NBA's gambling ads and multiple gambling commercials. He understands that gambling might be a problem for some people, and he also believes that stupidity is the reason for some people's addictions.
While it's easy to look at Sir Charles and think that gambling could be a fun habit, the risks can still outweigh the rewards, and habits could transform into addiction. Not everyone is like Barkley, who has time and time again flaunted that he has all the money in the world to lose through gambling.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
