Ben Affleck recently shared a surprising story about his 13-year-old son Samuel asking him for money to place a sports bet. The Oscar-winning actor revealed the incident during a Jan. 5 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
“My son asked me about a month ago, ‘Hey, can I get like 100 bucks to bet on sports?’” Ben said. He was clearly shocked by the request. Samuel explained, “My friends get $100, but if they lose it, then that’s it.”
Ben, also father to 20-year-old Violet and 17-year-old Seraphina with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, quickly shut down the idea. “I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s a real standard, what discipline!’” he recalled. He joked about Samuel thinking he could predict the outcome of a game, saying, “I know that Green Bay is going to cover the over in the second half.”
Gambling is a familiar topic for Ben, who grew up around it. His father, Timothy Affleck, worked as a small-time bookie. “My father worked at a bar, but mostly made his money being a small-time bookie,” Ben said. He remembered the first washing machine and VCR his family got came from betting wins, adding, “Just thank Steve Grogan’s knees for our VCR.” Ben joked about it being illegal, but noted that the statute of limitations has run out.
Samuel has made other surprising requests, including asking for $6,000 sneakers. Ben shared his reaction during an April interview on Today with Jenna & Friends: “What are you gonna do, mow lawns? You got $6,000?” He added that while the family could afford the shoes, it was important to teach financial responsibility. “He’s looking at no crazy expensive fancy shoes in his closet. If you want that, you can work 1,000 hours at minimum wage,” Ben said.
For Ben, setting limits is part of parenting. He wants his kids to understand money, work, and responsibility, rather than just handing over large amounts without lessons attached.
