Charles Barkley thinks there’s too much gambling in the world of sports.
As sports gambling has been legalized in more states across America, we’ve seen a gigantic boom in the popularity of wagering cash on events. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Well, Barkley thinks things might have gone a bit too far.
Charles Barkley Has Epic Reaction To A Fan Hitting Him In The Face With A Shirt https://t.co/JyY18wWFV5
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 28, 2022
Barkley said the following at the annual American Century celebrity golf tournament, according to ESPN.
There’s too much of it. We’ve got people in the stands betting on who’s going make the next free throws. Think about that. If I was a scumbag, I’d look at a guy in the stands, a friend, and say, ‘Yo, I’m going to miss both of these free throws.’ Now, that’s cheating…Listen, gambling’s always been part of sports. That’s why the NFL is King Kong, but I am concerned that you can sit in the stands and make bets now in the middle of a basketball game. But, like I said, the toothpaste is out of the tube, and I don’t know how to put it back in.
This is pretty rich from a guy who has openly admitted to losing a shocking amount of money gambling, and I say that as a guy who loves Barkley.
He’s an awesome guy, but I don’t think he’s the guy who should be lecturing anyone on sports gambling.
Charles Barkley tells @GrahamBensinger he has lost $1 million dollars on gambling at least 10 to 20 times pic.twitter.com/GuHyIRzTyb
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 9, 2021
Sports gambling isn’t just awesome, it also helps grow leagues and sports. You think the USFL exists because people are super interested in a spring league? No.
It exists because gamblers want something to throw their money on. It exists so that it can be televised and people looking for some action on sports can get some.
The same will apply to the XFL once it returns. This isn’t hard to figure out, and Barkley should be embracing gambling instead of claiming it’s gone too far.
Embrace the chaos, Chuck! Embrace the chaos!