Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte Reflects On Sports Betting Addiction: ‘I Fell In Love With Gambling’
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is fresh off a breakout 2025 season. He finished with 551 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games, helping New England clinch the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs. But off the field, Boutte battled demons that nearly derailed his NFL career.
Patriots’ WR Opens Up About Gambling Addiction
While playing college football at LSU, Boutte was caught underage gambling and he recently opened up about his sports betting addiction in a raw, unfiltered essay for The Players Tribune titled “How The Hell Did I Get Here???”.
“I fell in love with gambling,” Boutte explained. “I’d wake up early, and the first thing I’d do was bet. I’d stay up late. All day. All night.”
Over two years at LSU, he lost roughly $90,000 betting online, losing sleep and touch with reality in the process. Boutte admits he was living paycheck to paycheck, waiting for his NIL money to clear, only to redeposit into his betting account.
Like most players, Boutte’s downward spiral was fueled by injury. A severe ankle injury in his sophomore year sidelined him, leaving him isolated and in pain. To escape depression, he first turned to drugs and then gambling to fill the void.
“So how do you escape when none of the escape routes are working?” Boutte wrote. “How do you get that feeling back of competing? You start gambling.”
Boutte’s Past Nearly Came Back To Haunt Him
Two things finally pulled him back in and ultimately saved his life. Getting healthy enough to play football again and becoming a father as a junior in college, which he credits for allowing him to look in the mirror and reflect on his path.
After his junior season, Boutte declared for the NFL Draft and was selected in the sixth round by the Patriots. He played in only five games as a rookie, catching two passes for 19 yards, but New England saw his potential from the start.
Then, his past caught up to him. After his rookie season was over, he was arrested in January 2024 for underage gambling and computer fraud.
Boutte was accused of creating an online betting account under a fake name and then placing more than 8,900 illegal bets, including six wagers on LSU football, according to a Louisiana State Police press release.
The charges were ultimately dropped in July of that same year.
Boutte was candid about his mistakes but praised the Patriots organization for sticking with him when he was charged for underage gambling.
“How many of those 32 teams would’ve just walked away at that point? Especially from a sixth-round pick,” Boutte said. “But the organization knew my heart, and they stuck by me.”
The Ultimate Redemption Story
Now, back in control of his life, Boutte is thriving on the field and in the locker room. He credits teammates, coaches, and NFL structure for keeping him grounded, and he hopes his story can help other athletes struggling in silence.
As the Patriots head into the playoffs, Boutte’s story is a testament that redemption is possible, both on and off the field.
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