Pete Rose celebrated his 80th birthday on Wednesday by announcing he will sell his picks for baseball, as well as other sports, for betting website Upicktrade. Rose will make daily predictions for the Mexico-based pick-selling site all for the low, low price of $89 per month.
Now that he will never be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Rose probably thought why not lean into a life of professional sports betting. The former MLB star, of course, was banned from baseball in 1989 after an investigation found he bet on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds.
According to Upicktrade’s announcement, for the monthly fee you will receive Rose’s daily picks, one to six picks per day, on pretty much every sport, and “inside game factors that only an expert baseball mind would know” that are “all directly from the hit king.”
During his media availability about this new venture on Wednesday, Rose said he is no longer concerned about his Hall of Fame ineligibility.
“For those people who are worried about the Hall of Fame, you’ve got to remember I got suspended in 1989,” Rose said. “That’s 32 years ago. I’m not going to live the rest of my life worried about going to baseball’s Hall of Fame.”
Rose, who lives in Las Vegas, also said he’s not trying to tarnish baseball in any way with this partnership.
“By me working with Upick, I’m not hurting Rob Manfred. I’m not trying to show him up by doing that,” Rose said. “I’m trying to make a living like everyone else. I’m not making a bet on the baseball game. I’m picking a baseball game. I’m using my knowledge to pick a game for whoever is working with Upick … It’s not me trying to give baseball a black eye, because I’m not. I love baseball.”
Rose has nothing left to lose so he’s just going for it. Props to him for finding a way to market his passions.