Milch, now 76 and in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, lost the greater part of his wealth betting on horse racing at Santa Anita racetrack in Arcadia, California not far from where he and his wife live. When once asked how often he went to the races, Milch answered: “It depends on who I’m lying to.”
The racetrack was also the setting for one of one of Milch’s uncharacteristic failures on the small screen—HBO’s drama ‘Luck’ starring Dustin Hoffman. The show was cancelled amid allegations of animal cruelty as three horses had died during filming.
The book also details how at the height of his addiction Milch was a ‘high functioning addict’ yet his love of gambling saw him lose his entire fortune and end up owing the IRS $17 million. This all came to light when Milch’s wife discovered his addiction and the debt he had amassed. She then opted to sue their business managers for failing to warn her of the extent of Milch’s gambling addiction and debt until it was too late. In the book Milch reveals that, at that time, he was living off a $40 weekly allowance.
NYPD Blue & Deadwood Creator Reveals $100 Million Gambling Losses in Autobiography NYPD Blue & Deadwood Creator Reveals $100 Million Gambling Losses in Autobiography