With sports activities betting now authorized in 38 states (plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico), the sports activities broadcasting large ESPN has leaned into playing in a bid to spice up its income amid falling cable viewership. The corporate even inked a 10-year take care of Penn Leisure final yr to create a licensed on-line sportsbook referred to as ESPN Guess forward of the discharge of its flagship streaming service in 2025. However over the weekend, an ESPN phase that dishes out betting recommendation for followers drew in critics.
On ESPN’s March Insanity present Faculty GameDay this weekend, Erin Dolan broke down a few of her high betting concepts for sports activities followers, together with a decide for #9 Northwestern to attain underneath 60.5 factors of their match with #1 UConn. The present’s host, Rece Davis, responded with traditional enthusiasm. “You already know what? Some would name this wagering, playing; the way in which you’ve bought this, I believe what it’s, is a risk-free funding,” he stated.
Even Dolan appeared shocked, replying, “Okay! A optimistic approach.” Many viewers had been shocked, taking to social media instantly after the phase aired to criticize Davis’ “risk-free funding” feedback.
Fox Sports activities Radio betting analyst Jared Smith argued, “that is far more damaging to the sports activities betting trade than something happening with Shohei Ohtani,” referencing the Dodgers pitcher and allegations that he coated his former interpreter’s multi-million-dollar playing debt.
“I simply know ESPN attorneys are dropping their minds listening to Rece Davis name the underneath in UConn-Northwestern a ‘risk-free funding,’” wrote John Nucci, a lawyer at Woods Oviatt Gilman who focuses on sports activities.
Davis took to Twitter to reply to the criticism, claiming that the remark was only a joke, whereas noting that the guess he was referencing turned out to be a winner. “Throughout a phase this morning on @CollegeGameDay, on account of @ESPNBet picks hitting yesterday, I joked the recommendation was extra like ‘danger free investing.’ As everyone knows, such a factor doesn’t exist. Clearly, there are dangers,” he wrote.
“Although I’m not a gambler, I strongly encourage those that do partake, achieve this with prudence, care, warning, fiscal and private accountability and by no means over-extend. Sports activities are unpredictable. Wagering is difficult. So let’s comply with handle financial dangers appropriately. I’m positive most acknowledged my remark was tongue-in-cheek. Simply to make clear,” he added.
Regardless of the response from Davis, critics didn’t appear impressed. “Name me old-fashioned, however I most well-liked it when the world’s largest sports activities media firm wasn’t referring to sports activities playing as a “risk-free funding,” Joe Pompliano, host of The Joe Pomp Present and the purveyor of a broadly learn sports activities publication, wrote.
ESPN didn’t instantly reply to Fortune‘s request for touch upon Davis’ assertion.
