Infamous Sportsbettor Billy Walters to Serve Remaining Prison Sentence from Home Due to Coronavirus Concerns

The legendary and infamous Las Vegas sportsbettor Billy Walters will be allowed to serve what remains of his 5-year prison sentence under house arrest, according to press reports.

As we reported back in 2017, Walters received a 5-year jail term, a $10million fine and was ordered to forfeit another $25million after being convicted of a massive insider trading fraud that saw golfer Phil Mickelson implicated.

Last year Walters saw his appeal rejected after the court refuted his claims that ‘an FBI agent leaked grand jury details about the investigation to reporters’ - the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals describing them as “sheer speculation”.

Now more than halfway through his 5-year prison term, 73-year old Walters is expected to be released under house arrest in San Diego, according to Bureau of Prisons’ inmate information website.

The LVRJ’s David Ferrara reported a source as saying:

‘Walters’ vulnerability to the new coronavirus because of his age was part of the reason for his release.’

Last month, April, saw US Attorney General William Barr announce the release of ‘some of the federal prison system’s oldest and most vulnerable inmates’ under the new CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act.

Walters became a legendary figure in the Vegas sportsbetting world, regularly posting yearly profits of $15million+, with a 39-year winning streak up until his first loss in 2013. 

He is reputed to have won $3.5million on the Superbowl and $1milion during a round of golf among many other massive bets.

His trial saw Phil Mickelson’s name mentioned 122 times, although the golfer never appeared at Walters’ trial, at which the judge described the sportsbetting legend as "a cheater and a criminal, and not a very clever one."