Michael Jordan Bet $100,000 On ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’
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NBA legend Michael Jordan had a love/addiction for gambling that was so crazy, he would even place big money on rock, paper, scissors.
Jay Williams, a former Chicago Bulls teammate of Jordan’s before a motorcycle accident ended his career prematurely, told a story of how ‘MJ’ went up to $100,000 on the classic childhood game.
Jordan loved trips to the casino and also enjoyed betting on golf games he was playing in. Put simply, he would bet on absolutely anything without any hesitation.
“Think about gambling to the next degree. Rock, paper, scissors — you bet $20,000 all day long. Why wouldn’t you? You get bored,” Williams revealed on The Brilliant Idiots podcast in 2015.
“And don’t get yourself down in the dice game. Don’t be in the corner and let some dude keep fading you out and all of a sudden you’re down $100,000 and he’s like, ‘Yo, bet it back — rock, paper, scissors for $100,000.”
Normally one would play rock, paper, scissors for a bit of a fun or to decide an outcome but with Jordan there was always money involved.
Another gem of a Jordan gambling story from ESPN recalls the time Jordan bet his teammates that his luggage would arrive first at the airport.
The Bulls were in Portland waiting for their bags on the conveyor belt. He managed to get nine teammates to participate in the wager, and lo and behold, his belongings were first on the scene.
However, without his teammates knowing, Jordan had actually fixed it. He bribed staff at the airport so that his bags would arrive first and ended up making a few hundred bucks.
Although he liked earning a pretty penny, Jordan was a tad particular about appearances and deals even if was easy money.
