Granny Influenced Snooker Ace Mark King's Gambling

_{Former Northern Ireland Open winner Mark King attributes his gambling addiction to childhood games with his grandmother. (Image: PA Images / Alamy)}

As grandmothers go, they tend to be sweet old ladies carrying pockets full of sweeties, or such was my experience. I am not sure what you call a large gathering of grannies, but there certainly was just that at our local bingo hall on a Saturday afternoon. 

I distinctly remember the whiff of the wafting tobacco smoke and the monotoned barrage of beige rain macs filling the seats of the bingo hall.

I can’t say that my Gran influenced me in any way, which is in complete contrast to banned snooker player Mark King. He claims his gran was the root of his gambling addiction.

Six Million Dollar Man Might Have Been a Better Gift for King

The disgraced snooker star revealed to The Sun that his lifelong battle with gambling addiction began during childhood, influenced by his grandmother's casual gambling habits. 

In a candid interview, King recounted how playing Yahtzee with her for pennies sparked his fascination with betting. For the uninitiated, Yahtzee was the game your parents bought you for Christmas if they could not afford an Evel Knievel motorbike or Steve Austin bionic model (now fetching hundreds of pounds). You guessed it; I had Yahtzee too.

King told The Sun that growing up in Essex, he spent his early years playing fruit (slot) machines and betting on various races, with his addiction spiralling out of control over time. 

Gambling Prioritised Over Snooker 

King described instances of prioritising gambling over his snooker career and often ending up in betting shops before major competitions. 

Reflecting on his past, King expressed remorse, admitting that his gambling not only ruined opportunities in snooker but also led to strained relationships, including orchestrating arguments with his wife just to justify his betting habits.

The snooker ace was banned for five years in 2023 due to match-fixing — a scandal not unheard of in the world of snooker. The 50-year-old former Northern Ireland Open champion was found to have engaged in match-fixing and provided inside information regarding a match against Joe Perry during the Welsh Open on February 13, 2023.

He was suspended by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) on March 18, 2023.

King has been sober from gambling for 13 years prior to the incident and now attends Gamblers Anonymous meetings regularly. He acknowledges the damage caused by his addiction and emphasises the importance of maintaining his recovery for his family.