'Role Model' Owen Denies That His Gambling Is out of Control

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Byline: JOHN EDWARDS

MICHAEL OWEN came clean on his gambling habit yesterday, but angrily denied that it was spiralling out of control.

Liverpool's England striker was reeling from accusations that he had lost a fortune on football and horse racing over the past three years and that thousands of pounds had been frittered away on single bets. Owen said his losses over two years amounted to pound sterling30-pound sterling40,000.

The allegations followed claims he was involved in card sessions that reportedly cost one player pound sterling30,000 during England's World Cup campaign last summer.

But the 23-year-old mounted a vigorous defence of his …