There was once a time where it was a big deal whenever an ESPN personality would subtly allude to sports betting. Those days are long gone with ESPN going all in on sports betting and even promoting an ESPN-branded sportsbook.
But on Sunday, we saw exactly what can go wrong when ESPN tries to balance the act of being a sports media entity that also has a financial interest in sports betting.
During an ESPN Bet segment with Erin Dolan, the betting analyst explained why she was going to pick the under for Northwestern in Sunday’s matchup against UConn. Dolan admitted that she didn’t have a ton of research to back up the pick, which was fine. But the entire segment crossed a line when Rece Davis responded with, “Some would call this wagering, gambling … I think the way you’ve sold this, I think what it is, is a risk-free investment.”
Just no.
There is not an aspect of sports betting that is risk free. Even the most lopsided of matchup has an assumed risk, and an under pick with -110 odds is decidedly not risk free. Davis essentially told ESPN’s viewers that a bet was a lock when that bet couldn’t have been further from a lock.
Update: Davis would eventually issue a statement on Twitter to walk back on his remarks.
Fans were quick to criticize Davis for the remark. It was the kind of comment that every ESPN personality should know to avoid making about sports betting.
This was how Twitter reacted
This is what sports and sports media is becoming. https://t.co/aoDDNFPlrv
— Zito (@_Zeets) March 24, 2024
Call me old school, but I preferred it when the world’s largest sports media company wasn’t referring to sports gambling as a “risk-free investment.” https://t.co/L6qq5UZliR
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) March 24, 2024
no, it’s not a “risk-free investment” and it never will be https://t.co/fuRCPhJRZa
— Prince J. Grimes (@pgprincej) March 24, 2024
You should be able to sue people who say stuff like this https://t.co/rGUot2qehk
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) March 24, 2024
This right here is why I hate the way sports media has gotten entangled with gambling. It’s fine if you want to treat gambling as a fun way to spend money, but once you start talking about it as a money making opportunity it gets really vile. https://t.co/x622t7xF8l
— Tyrone (@TheTyronePalmer) March 24, 2024
“Risk-free investment” has got to be the nastiest of work, most disgusting, disgraceful, and dangerous thing that could ever be said about literal gambling.
There is a very real risk. Of losing your entire life earnings and then some if you aren’t responsible. Gross. https://t.co/EYrWeE9XYL
— xVibes Treb Tracy (@trebtracy) March 24, 2024
Imagine saying sports betting is a “risk-free investment” while owning a sportsbook. https://t.co/TrnJ2oOwDe
— Eli Hershkovich (@EliHershkovich) March 24, 2024
Beyond irresponsible. Sports gambling is getting way out of control in the States https://t.co/kKYESpjQo7
— Bob Williams (@WilliamsBob75) March 24, 2024
The word gambling by definition is the opposite of risk-free. Dangerous phrasing here. Heck, no financial advisor would say any investment is risk free
When I drop money in a savings account, that’s closer to risk-free than throwing money on someone/thing I can’t control https://t.co/TOvW6PK0ry
— Evan Barnes (@evan_b) March 24, 2024
I find most of the fainting couch gambling rhetoric grating, but this one is incredible even to me https://t.co/NW3ivkHsjJ
— lukezim (@lukezim) March 24, 2024
When I worked for ESPN, we were forbidden from mentioning so
much as the point spread in our stories. Zero gambling references allowed, let alone an opinion on them. https://t.co/TOrxGQFmLY— Tim Graham (@ByTimGraham) March 24, 2024
So blatantly irresponsible.
I’m ok with legalized gambling, but we’re going down a very dark path with its new omnipresent role in sports. https://t.co/gnQrUs5paY
— Shane Dale (@ShaneDaleAZ) March 24, 2024
