Barstool Sports’ ‘Big Ev’ breaks silence on mysterious disappearance: ‘I’m a gambling addict’

Barstool Sports personality Evan “Big Ev” McDowell finally revealed on Wednesday why he suddenly disappeared from the popular media outlet earlier this year.

“I’m a gambling addict,” he said. “And it just got way out of control.”

In a four-and-a-half-minute video he posted to his X page, McDowell shared that he stepped away from Barstool in April and May in order to get treatment for his gambling addiction.

“I needed to do something drastic,” he said. “Get help and admit that I am powerless over it. Had to go get the help that I needed. And I’m feeling better than I’ve felt in a really, really long time.”

Fans first noticed McDowell’s absence in April, after he appeared to be pulled from Barstool’s gambling show “Picks Central” as well as all other Barstool content. His X page, which he normally updated regularly, had also gone dark, with his last post coming on March 31.

Rumors that he had been facing trouble for taking advantage of his followers and stiffing bookies swirled amid his absence — and in his message Wednesday, he admitted “some of” the allegations against him were “true,” though “a lot of it” was not.

“I just want everyone to hear it from me,” he said. “It just got completely out of control.”

McDowell issued an apology to anyone who was impacted by his behavior, while he thanked those who stood by him in the process of him getting better.

He also announced that he’d be resuming his gig at Barstool.

“Shout to Dave [Portnoy], shoutout to Barstool for giving me the space I needed to go get help,” he said. “For having my back and supporting me through all this. Best company in the world. Best boss in the world.

“Nowhere else I’d rather be. So very, very grateful that I’m still at Barstool and I’m here.”

McDowell added in a caption on his video that his direct messages were “open for anyone struggling with mental health.”

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