When it comes to gambling, Charles Barkley isn’t shy about his high-stakes approach. He famously said, “I love to gamble, I don’t like to gamble,” always walking away with at least a million in his pocket. But Shaquille O’Neal? He’s usually a bit more cautious—or so he says. With the Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight just around the corner, though, Shaq is embracing his “inner Barkley.” And he’s placed a major wager, hinting that he’s going bigger than usual. Could this be a Barkley-style gamble from Shaq? That’s definitely what it sounds like.

On The Dan Patrick Show, Shaquille O’Neal faced a pressing question: “do you gamble like Charles (Barkley)?” His answer was a quick, “no, I do not gamble like Charles.” But the mood shifted when Patrick asked if he’d made any big bets lately. Shaq didn’t hold back, saying, “I’m placing one this weekend,” and revealed it’s all on Mike Tyson. As far as Shaq’s concerned, Tyson’s got what it takes to win it all.

When Patrick voiced some skepticism, Shaq stayed rock-solid. And the amount? According to Shaq, he’s betting “one million pennies”—and he’s not wavering one bit.

On the other hand, Charles Barkley follows a different strategy. On Club Shay Shay Podcast, Chuck shared his wild rule—he wouldn’t leave the casino until he’d won at least a million dollars. And while hitting that million felt exhilarating, the losses hit even harder. “I’d be depressed for a week [thinking], ‘Damn, I lost a million dollars?'” Barkley confessed, admitting that losing stung far worse than any thrill of winning.

But eventually, the stakes got too high, and Barkley decided to call it quits on gambling for two years, though he missed it. Reflecting on the toll it took, he added, “No matter how good it feels winning, when you lose, it just f——g sucks.” His break may have helped, but for Barkley, those big bets always had a tempting pull.

Shaq is on team Mike Tyson

The much-awaited showdown between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson is on Friday in Texas, after a delay that had fans on edge. Originally slated for this summer, the fight postponed because of Tyson’s health issues—a painful ulcer in May that forced him to take a break. Now, both fighters are ready to get in the ring, and the hype is back in full force.

Meanwhile, Shaquille O’Neal has made it clear where his loyalty lies. Just like the recent comments, back in March, on The Big Podcast with Shaq, he voiced strong confidence in Tyson’s power. “I know he can [knock him out],” Shaq said, not holding back on his faith in Iron Mike’s ability to handle Paul.

Yet, Shaq isn’t ignoring the reality of Tyson’s age. He admitted he’s worried about the toll that “father time” has on any athlete. Drawing on his own experience, Shaq explained, “If we could all do it, I’d still be playing.” For Shaq, Tyson’s age is a factor, but it doesn’t shake his belief that Tyson has what it takes to end the fight with a knockout.

Interestingly, this fight will set a record as the largest age gap in pro boxing history, with 31 years between Tyson and Paul. But even with that historic gap, Shaq stands by his bet—he’s all in on Tyson.