But Lewis was banned from football for five years for his role in the scheme, which took place in an A-League match on December 9, 2023.<\/p>\n
Former All White opens up after career-ending betting scandal – Watch on TVNZ+<\/a><\/p>\n It cost him his career and friends. <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I mean [it was] pretty tough. My whole world got flipped upside down,\u201d Lewis told 1News. <\/p>\n \u201cFor something that I did and the mistake I made to affect other people around me, I think that’s what hurt the most, for me. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve really seen who my true friends were and, look, I don’t blame them for wanting to stay apart but, yeah, I definitely thought I was closer with a lot more people.\u201d <\/p>\n Lewis was suffering from a gambling addiction when he was asked by Macarthur FC captain Ulises D\u00e1vila to deliberately attract a yellow card \u2013 for AU$10,000.<\/p>\n \u201cI did have an addiction at the time, and I do feel I was exploited.<\/p>\n \u201cI got told three hours before kick-off and, when you have an addiction, it’s hard to kind of process what’s actually going on, but you know I don’t hide behind the fact that I still chose to do it,\u201d Lewis said. <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cFor the sake of some money to risk my career for that is something that is so stupid to say, I hear it quite a lot from a lot of people \u2013 why I would risk that? If I had known the consequences beforehand, there is no way. If I could go back, I would.\u201d <\/p>\n Lewis accepts, however, that he has to live with the decision he made. <\/p>\n Clayton Lewis. (Source: 1News)<\/p>\n \u201cI think regret would be the biggest [emotion]… sadness would be up there because, you know, I’ve lost the one thing that I truly loved in what I wanted to do my whole life. <\/p>\n \u201cI dedicated, since I was four years old when I first started playing, to be a professional footballer.\u201d <\/p>\n Now though, Lewis is still getting used to a new normal \u2013 with the people closest to him. <\/p>\n \u201cIf I didn’t have, you know, the support of all my loved ones… backing me the whole way and… being at every single court date with me, I wouldn’t be kind of here now trying to enjoy life.\u201d <\/p>\n Lewis is now watching the team he was once in, the All Whites, compete on the world stage. <\/p>\n \u201cI wish I could, you know be in a different place and… be there with the boys over in the States at the moment, but… I’m not <\/p>\n \u201cI have to live with that every day and it still hurts.\u201d <\/p>\n Clayton Lewis playing for the All Whites in 2017 (Source: Photosport)<\/p>\n Lewis said he wished All Whites coach Darren Bazeley and the squad every success at the FIFA World Cup. <\/p>\n \u201cI’ve got some good friends in that team. Some guys who have stuck by me \u2013 some who kind of haven’t. But I still support New Zealand. I love New Zealand. <\/p>\n \u201cI’ve always had full respect for Darren and the coaching staff as well. So, I obviously want them to do as well as possible.\u201d <\/p>\n![\"Clayton](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/clayton-lewis-WTZOUJZKZRC3BDD23SMFHWC2ZA.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Clayton](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/new-zealands-clayton-lewis-fifa-world-cup-qualifier-all-whit-BYXQUYWGZBGUJBQM5NAQSQYNRM.jpg\")
<\/p>\n