Anthony Wint says gambling addiction was bigger battle than 2 UFC fights

Anthony Wint, a former NFL prospect turned UFC fighter, has opened up about his ongoing battle with gambling addiction, describing it as a more challenging struggle than competing in the Octagon. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Wint revealed that he spent eight years battling the compulsion after a formative experience in college sparked what became a devastating habit.

Wint was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2018 but was released the following year. As his NFL comeback hopes faded, his financial situation deteriorated—he eventually found himself homeless and broke, living out of his car. The gambling addiction took root years earlier when a teammate's father gave Wint $300 to gamble with in college. Wint turned that sum into $1,000, a rapid win that altered his mindset and set the stage for years of destructive betting.

"I was like, 'I've been homeless my whole life. I've been trying to help my mom out. We've been in poverty all our lives. I just made $700 in two hours,' " Wint told Helwani. "That was the trap. That was the trap of the devil. And he had me in those chains for eight years."

Wint made an 11-day turnaround for his UFC debut at Sacramento, where he finished Terrance Chatman. However, he emphasized that staying sober while in Las Vegas—a city saturated with gambling temptations—proved harder than facing either of his UFC opponents. "The battle wasn't Matthew Adams, the battle wasn't Terrance Chatman," he said. "The battle was having me sit in Vegas and not gamble." Wint credits his faith for helping him overcome the addiction and maintain his resolve in a high-risk environment.